Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – First-year head coach Jerry Flora delivered his first-career NJAC victory, junior quarterback Matt Marshall (6-3, 195, Burlington, N.J./Burlington City) threw two touchdown passes, and the William Paterson football team (2-3, 1-3 NJAC) defeated Morrisville State (0-5, 0-5 NJAC), 27-14, before 2,000 fans on Homecoming Oct. 11 at Wightman Stadium.

Marshall finished 23-of-36 for 204 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, leading a Pioneers' quick-strike, no-huddle offense that gained 348 yards of offense. Marshall has thrown at least two touchdowns in his last four games since taking over as the starting signal-caller for William Paterson.

Senior running back Shaun Puluse (5-10, 210, Haledon, N.J./Passaic Tech) rushed for 94 yards on 16 carries, and finished with two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving), while junior wideout Joel Rivera (6-1, 190, Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) caught five passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore running back Marcus McKinney (5-11, 220, Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy) collected 42 yards on eight attempts, 29 of which came on a tight-rope TD rush along the sideline on fourth down to put the Pioneers ahead by double-digits.

In a situation not unlike its previous home game last Saturday against Montclair State, the Pioneers had a visiting opponent driving for the go-ahead score late in the contest.

Starting at the Morrisville-18 with 4:04 to play and trailing 20-14, Mustang quarterback Kris Childs completed passes of three, nine, two and eight yards before defensive lineman Dyon Moore (6-2, 260, Brooklyn, N.Y./Hudson Catholic) and junior Keith Sayball (6-0, 220, Milford, Conn./Foran) collapsed the pocket and sacked Childs for a loss of nine. Morrisville State's comeback attempt was on the ropes, as three consecutive passes to speedster Wendall Williams were either well-covered or thrown into double and triple-coverage to end the possession.

With the Pioneers essentially trying to run out the clock, McKinney provided the final score of the game on fourth down when he bounced to the outside, held his balance and ran along the sideline and into the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown. Junior John Pompeo's (5-8, 183, Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional) extra point was good for the final 27-14 margin with nine seconds remaining.

Moore had 1.5 sacks and eight tackles (four solo), while Sayball finished with eight stops (three solo) and half a sack. Cornerback Leer Biddle (5-10, 195, Sicklerville, N.J./Lenape) collected seven solo tackles, and freshman defensive back Doug Dudek (5-9, 170, Rockaway, N.J./ Morris Hills) provided excellent coverage in the secondary, finishing with four pass breakups and five tackles (three solo). Junior Jared Burke (6-1, 220, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) led all Pioneers with nine tackles (five solo).

Williams had 119 receiving yards on three catches, including touchdowns of 56 and 41 yards, for the Mustangs. Childs was 16-of-33 for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Anthony Brown led the Morrisville State defense with eight total tackles (six solo) and forced a fumble. Jack Glen had seven stops.

The Pioneers found the end zone first, a three-play, 43-yard drive that began with a 33-yard carry by Puluse and ended with a short pass by Marshall that Puluse cut-back to the right and across the goal line from five yards out. A blocked PAT made the score 6-0 with 6:07 remaining in the first quarter.

Three plays later, the Mustangs had an answer, as Childs found Williams for a 56-yard strike. Kyle Ippolito (kicked the extra point, giving Morrisville State a 7-6 edge with 4:25 to play in the opening period.

On fourth-and-inches five minutes into the second quarter, Puluse pushed his way into the end zone to cap a 16-play, 55-yard drive and give the lead back to William Paterson. The Pioneers elected to go for two, and Marshall found Chris Schule (6-3, 225, Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) at the back of the end zone for a 14-7 score.

During the ensuing possession, the Mustangs twice elected to go for it on fourth down, converting the first but throwing an incomplete pass on the second. Morrisville State had a final first-half scoring opportunity when a Tommy Moyon interception and a WP personal foul gave the Mustangs the ball at the Pioneer 29-yard line. Childs' pass on fourth-and-one at the 20 fell incomplete after a QB hit by defensive lineman Dan Jones (5-10, 260, Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead), and the Pioneers entered the locker room with a 14-7 edge.

On William Paterson's second possession of the second half, Marshall relied on his favorite target to complete an eight-play, 68-yard scoring drive. Marshall twice hit Rivera on quick screen passes that gained 18 yards apiece to bring the ball into Morrisville State territory. Three plays later, Marshall rolled right and found Rivera trailing along the back of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown catch, his fifth of the season. The Pioneers missed low on the PAT, but had a 20-7 lead with 6:24 left in the third quarter.

A false start penalty and a sack by defensive Moore doomed the following Morrisville State drive and the Mustangs were forced to punt to Chris Thomas (5-10, 185, West Milford, N.J./West Milford), whose 19-yard return gave William Paterson the ball inside the Mustangs' 30. However, John Malone (6-0, 200, Haledon, N.J./Paramus Catholic) was unable to hold on to a potential touchdown pass on fourth-and-eight.

During the next Morrisville State possession, Childs threw a lob along the sideline to the speedster Williams who, despite a defensive pass-interference call, timed his jump to haul in 41-yard touchdown pass, his second of the game. Ippolito drilled his second PAT, and the William Paterson lead was down to 20-14 with 2:31 remaining in the third.

The Pioneers were unable to sustain a drive as Morrisville's Brown forced a Puluse fumble at the Pioneers' 25-yard line. Morrisville State took control of the ball inside William Paterson's 30 with a chance to tie or take its first lead of the game, but two plays later sophomore linebacker Jim Hamill (6-0, 210, Stanhope, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) recovered a fumble forced by Moore to help the Pioneers escape.

There were five minutes to play when the Pioneers were faced with another fourth-down decision. On third-down and long, Marshall had found Rivera for a 12-yard catch to bring the ball to Morrisville State's 18-yard line. But, Marshall's fourth-down attempt to McKinney was incomplete, and the Mustang defense dodged another bullet, regaining possession with four minutes left.

William Paterson will return to action when it travels to The College of New Jersey Saturday, Oct. 18, at 2:00 p.m. Morrisville State will continue on the road to play at Rowan Oct. 18 at 2:00 p.m.