WAYNE , N.J. – Eight members of the William Paterson University football program were honored for their accomplishments during the 2007 season with selections to the All-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Teams, the league office announced Nov. 21.
Seniors Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) and Chuck Patterson (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) earned spots on the Offense First Team, and Moon also earned first-team special teams honors. Sophomore Jared Burke (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) and junior Harold Green (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) were named to the Defense Second Team, senior Ricky Krautman (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) earned a spot on the Special Teams Second Team, and senior Frank Musolino (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.), junior Shaun Puluse (Haledon, N.J./Passaic Tech) and junior Mike Lamego (North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) earned honorable-mention laurels.
Moon, a wide receiver/kick returner, was named to the All-NJAC First Team for the second straight year in 2007, earning honors for both offense and special teams. A four-time all-NJAC honoree (2006 and 2007 first team, 2005 second team, 2004 honorable mention), he leads the nation in kickoff return average (34.8 yards/return, Nov. 11), and is sixth in the NJAC in punt return average (6.3) and all-purpose yardage (92.9 yards/game). Moon is the Pioneers' career leader in receiving yards (2,101) and receptions (149), and he caught 27 passes for 327 yards and a touchdown this fall. He hauled in an 18-yard touchdown pass at the U.S. Merchant Marine Sept. 15, had an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against FDU-Florham Sept. 22, and a 38-punt return for a score in a 30-27 win against Kean Oct. 27.
Patterson was the leader of the Pioneers' offensive line. A four-year starter at left tackle for the Pioneers, this marks his first all-NJAC selection.
Burke led the Pioneers with 77 total tackles (50 solo), including 10.0 for loss (-30 yards) and 2.0 sacks (-8 yards), blocked two kicks, broke up two passes, recovered a pair of fumbles and had an interception. The sophomore linebacker ranks tied for fourth in fumbles recovered and tied for eighth in tackles/game (7.7) in the NJAC. He blocked an extra point that was returned by a teammate for two points, and had six tackles and a sack in a 41-12 victory at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Sept. 15, while his interception in the waning seconds secured a 21-20 victory against Rowan Nov. 10. Burke blocked a punt at Buffalo State Oct. 20, helping WP earn a 17-14 win, and made a season-high 14 tackles (11 solo, 5.0 for -16 yards) at Montclair State Nov. 3, after which he was named the NJAC and ECAC Southeast Region Defensive Player of the Week. He had 12 total stops (five solo) against SUNY Cortland Sept. 29, and made nine tackles (four solo) and recovered a fumble in a 30-27 win against Kean Oct. 27.
Green, a junior strong safety, earned second-team all-NJAC honors for the second straight year. He led the Pioneers with four interceptions (53 return yards) and nine passes broken up, adding 42 tackles (34 solo, 4.5 for loss, 1.0 sack). Green is tied for third in the NJAC in passes defended (13) and fourth in interceptions/game (0.50), and he is currently tied for 19th in all of Division III in passes defended/game (1.6). Green's interception and 23-yard return helped the Pioneers earn a 17-16 upset win at No. 13/15 Wilkes Sept. 1, and his season-high 10 tackles (seven solo) and INT helped William Paterson defeat Rowan 21-20 Nov. 10.
Krautman handled all of the Pioneers' kicking responsibilities this fall, making eight of 11 field goals and 18 of 22 PATs, averaging 33.5 yards/punt and 58.1 yards/kickoff. An honorable-mention all-NJAC pick last fall, he broke the school record he established last year, landing 19 punts inside the opponent 20-yard line (punting: long of 55 yards, four touchbacks, 13 fair catches, zero blocks). Krautman kicked off 37 times, recording three touchbacks, and he ranks second in the NJAC in field-goal percentage (.727), fourth in FGs/game (0.80), sixth in scoring/kick (4.2 points/game) and seventh in punting (33.5 yards/punt). Tied for 45th nationally in field goals/game (Nov. 11), he drilled a season-long 41-yard field goal against TCNJ Oct. 13, and his 21-yard field goal as time expired gave WP a 30-27 win against Kean Oct. 27 and earned him NJAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Puluse, a junior running back, led William Paterson with 533 rushing yards on 170 carries (3.1 yards/rush), scoring three times. He is ranked eighth in the NJAC in rushing yards/game (53.3), and his two-touchdown, 146-yard effort helped the Pioneers defeat Kean 30-27 Oct. 27.
Musolino, a senior defensive lineman, led the Pioneers with 6.0 sacks (-43 yards), and was second with 58 total stops (28 solo) and 13.5 tackles for loss (-65 yards). Tied for fifth in the NJAC in sacks/game (0.60) and tied for ninth in TFLs/game (1.35), Musolino had 10 tackles, including two sacks, in a 17-14 win at Buffalo State Oct. 20, and 10 stops (3.0 for loss) in a 21-20 victory against Rowan Nov. 10 to earn NJAC and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Lamego, a junior linebacker, tallied 52 tackles (35 solo, 6.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks) and two interceptions for the Pioneers this season. He registered nine tackles, including two sacks, at Western Connecticut Oct. 6, and his 11 tackles and interception helped the Pioneers secure a 17-14 win at Buffalo State Oct. 20.
William Paterson finished the season 5-5 overall and 3-4 in NJAC play, the most conference victories for the Pioneers since 1994, when the team finished with a 3-7 overall record and a 3-2 mark in league play.
