Game Notes (PDF)
The William Paterson football team (2-3, 0-2 NJAC) celebrates Homecoming as the Pioneers host No. 24 The College of New Jersey (4-1, 2-0 NJAC) Saturday, Oct. 13, at 1:00 p.m.
SCOUTING WILLIAM PATERSON
William Paterson is 2-3 overall and 0-2 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play this season following a 27-20 loss at Western Connecticut (3-2, 1-1 NJAC) Oct. 6.
Senior Dan Lamego (North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) leads the Pioneer offense, completing 53 of 104 passes for 631 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. Junior Shaun Puluse (Haledon, N.J./Passaic Tech) has carried 70 times for a team-best 199 yards, and sophomore Joel Rivera (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken), the Sept. 16 ECAC Southeast Region and NJAC Offensive Player of the Week, has caught 14 passes for 212 yards and five touchdowns in four appearances. Senior Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner), the national leader in kickoff return average (47.4 yards/return, Sept. 30), has caught 12 passes for 171 yards.
Sophomore linebacker Jared Burke (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) leads the Pioneers with 34 total tackles (24 solo), and has added a sack and a blocked kick. Senior defensive lineman Brian Burd (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury) has made 28 tackles (15 solo, 6.5 for loss), recovered a fumble, forced a fumble and blocked a punt, while freshman cornerback Leer Biddle (Sicklerville, N.J./Lenape), the Sept. 2 and Sept. 16 NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Week, has recorded 26 tackles (23 solo) and two interceptions.
Senior Ricky Krautman (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) has punted 36 times for 1,225 yards (34.0 average), landing 11 inside the 20-yard line with just three touchbacks. He has also made four of seven field-goal attempts and nine of 10 PATs.
The Pioneers returned seven offensive starters and five defensive starters from a 2006 team that posted a 1-9 overall record and a 1-6 mark in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. However, that record was a bit deceiving, as William Paterson had chances to win almost every ballgame. Five of the losing margins were seven or fewer points, and in back-to-back outings, William Paterson was defeated on the final play of the game. A field goal as time expired gave Western Connecticut a 20-17 win in Wayne Oct. 7, and an overtime touchdown lifted The College of New Jersey to a 27-21 victory
Oct. 14.
Injuries also played a major role, particularly under center. Three different Pioneers started at quarterback during the 2006 campaign, and a total of five different players called the signals during the 10-game schedule.
SCOUTING No. 24 TCNJ
The Lions are 4-1 overall and 2-0 in NJAC play this season following a 10-7 victory against No. 17 Rowan (3-2, 1-1 NJAC) Oct. 5. The College of New Jersey has won four straight games since a season-opening 15-0 loss to Muhlenberg Aug. 31, and has recorded back-to-back wins against ranked opponents (19-9, vs. No. 17 Montclair State, Sept. 28). The Lions are ranked 24th in this week's d3football.com Top 25 Poll.
Sophomore Chris James has taken the majority of snaps for TCNJ, completing 71 of 134 passes for 736 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. He has added 153 yards rushing on 79 carries, finding the end zone once. Senior Dan Dornacker has rushed 69 times for a team-best 333 yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore Cam Richardson has caught 15 passes for 217 yards.
Senior defensive lineman Joe King, named the NJAC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season on Oct. 7, has made a 34 tackles (17 solo), including 15.5 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks. Junior defensive lineman Marc Fabiano is tied with King for the team tackles lead (34 total, 13 solo), and senior linebacker Nick Steffner has added 33 total stops (14 solo, 4.5 for loss), two sacks and an interception.
MOON APPROACHING CAREER RECEIVING RECORDS
Senior wide receiver Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) has already left a permanent impression on the WPU career record books. At The College of New Jersey Oct. 14, 2006, he became the program's leader in receiving yards, breaking the previous record of 1,346 (Lance Sisco, 1975-78), and he finished the season with 1,774 yards.
Moon currently has 1,945 yards, 14 career touchdown receptions, just two away from matching the school record of 16 (Lance Sisco, 1975-78), and 134 receptions, four away from taking over the top spot from Bryant Richardson (137,
2000-03).
PIONEERS vs. LIONS
William Paterson is 6-28-1 all time against The College of New Jersey. The last time the two teams met was during the 2006 season, a 27-21 overtime victory for the Lions in Ewing. TCNJ has won the last five meetings in the series. The last time the Pioneers defeated the Lions was 2001, a 46-33 shootout in Wayne.
