Box Score

WILKES-BARRE, PA. – Thanks to a +5 turnover margin, including a fumble recovery for a touchdown late in the first half, the William Paterson football team (1-0) pulled off a 17-16 upset victory at No. 13/15 Wilkes (0-1) in the season opener for both teams Sept. 1.

Three fumbles and two interceptions kept the Colonels' offense off the field, while the Pioneers did not commit a turnover during their 33:10 of possession.

William Paterson was ready for the start of the season right from the opening kickoff, when senior Kevin Drakeford (Englewood, N.J./Paramus Catholic) ripped off a 40-yard return to put the Pioneers in Wilkes territory at the 49-yard line. A 14-yard completion from Dan Lamego (North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) to Bruce Katkowski (Saddle Brook, N.J./Paramus Catholic) was followed by three straight runs by senior Ira Guilford (Jersey City, N.J./Hoboken), capped by a 23-yard touchdown to give WP the 7-0 edge less than two minutes into the contest.

The two teams traded punts until Wilkes' Brad Woznisky made a 29-yard field goal with 3:34 left in the first quarter, cutting the lead to 7-3. The Colonels saw their next drive end when they failed to convert on fourth-and-seven at the Pioneers' 30-yard line, but later found the end zone with a one-yard Sean Madden plunge, pushing ahead 9-7 with 6:42 to play before halftime. Woznisky's PAT was no good, hitting his own offensive line, and that failed extra point would eventually affect the final outcome.

Jamar Beverly's five-yard run gave Wilkes a 16-7 edge three minutes later, and it appeared that the Colonels would enter the locker room with at least a two-score lead when William Paterson was forced to punt. Senior Ricky Krautman's (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) kick sailed 40 yards to the one-yard line,and the officials ruled that the Colonels made contact with it, making the football live when WP's Brian Stone (Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong) picked it up in the end zone for a touchdown (14-16, 1:00).

Following a blocked attempt midway through the third quarter, Krautman connected from 27 yards away with 1:29 remaining in the period, giving William Paterson its first lead (17-14) since the opening minutes of the game.

Another Pioneer defensive stop on fourth down started the final quarter, and a Dion Benjamin (North Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield) interception midway through the period thwarted another Wilkes drive. The final dagger was a fumble by quarterback Al Karaffa which was scooped up by WP's Dominick Brown (Newark, N.J./Weequahic) inside William Paterson territory with 1:01 to play, allowing the Pioneers to essentially run out the rest of the clock and hold on for the victory.

Junior Mike Lamego (North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) and freshman Leer Biddle (Sicklerville, N.J./Lenape) each made nine tackles to lead the William Paterson defensive effort. Senior Frank Musolino (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) made six stops, including a sack, and recovered a fumble, while junior preseason all-American Harold Green (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) had two tackles, a 23-yard interception and return, and four passes broken up.

Dan Lamego completed seven of 19 passes for 69 yards, directing the offense to a turnover-free afternoon. Guilford carried 12 times for 37 yards and a touchdown in his first action as a Pioneer after transferring from Troy, and Katkowski caught four passes for 46 yards.

Krautman had an exceptional afternoon, punting 13 times for 429 yards (33.0 average), landing five inside the 20-yard line with just one touchback. He also averaged 60.2 yards per kickoff (four kicks, 241 yards), and made a 27-yard field goal that was the difference in the scoring column for WP.

The Pioneers are coming off a 1-9 record during the 2006 season, including a 31-3 loss to the Colonels in the season opener (Sept. 2 at WP). Today's victory marks the first time William Paterson has defeated a ranked team since Nov. 5, 2005, when the Pioneers upended No. 2 Rowan by a 20-19 margin at Wightman Stadium, and is the first season-opening win for WP since Sept. 3, 2005, when William Paterson defeated Wilkes, 21-17, in Wayne. The Colonels entered the 2007 campaign ranked 13 th nationally by Street & Smith's and 15 th by d3football.com in the groups' preseason polls.