Game Notes (PDF)
The William Paterson football team (0-1) will play its first home game of the season Saturday, Sept. 20, taking on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (1-1) at 1:00 p.m. Live statistics will be available on www.wpupioneers.com. RLS Media will produce a television broadcast of the game that will be available online at www.rlsmedia.com (Broadcast Now link) after 8:00 p.m. on Sept. 21.
SCOUTING WILLIAM PATERSON
William Paterson is 0-1 overall and 0-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play following a 26-20 double-overtime loss at Brockport Sept. 6.
Junior Matt Marshall (6-3, 195, Burlington, N.J./Burlington City) is 14-for-25 for 122 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions under center.
Senior Shaun Puluse (5-10, 210, Haledon, N.J./Passaic Tech), a 2007 honorable-mention all-NJAC selection, leads the Pioneers' ground game with 19 carries for 53 yards. Junior Joel Rivera (6-1, 190, Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) has caught a team-best five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore defensive lineman Dyon Moore (6-2, 260, Brooklyn, N.Y./Hudson Catholic) was named the NJAC Defensive Player of the Week and a member of the D3football.com National Team of the Week after making a game-high 11 tackles (five solo, 1.5 TFL) at Brockport, forcing two fumbles and recovering one of them. Senior defensive back Corey Stanton (6-0, 200, Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) had 10 stops (eight solo), and senior linebacker Mike Lamego (6-1, 235, North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) had two interceptions to go along with five tackles.
The Pioneers return 51 letterwinners, eight offensive starters and six defensive starters from a 2007 team that posted a 5-5 overall record and a 3-4 mark in NJAC play.
SCOUTING U.S. MERCHANT MARINE
The Mariners are 1-1 this season following a 34-7 victory against the U.S. Coast Guard Sept. 13. USMMA opened the season with a 40-0 home loss against Kean Sept. 6.
Sophomore Derrick Ventre (6-0, 189, Cincinnati, Ohio) leads the King's Point offense, completing 20 of 46 passes for 317 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Senior John Watson (5-10, 213, Doylestown, Pa.) has carried 29 times for 106 yards and one score, while freshman Mike Mitchell (6-0, 169, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) has caught a team-best five passes for 49 yards.
Junior linebacker Calder Kaatz (5-11, 206, Sheidan, Mont.) paces the Mariner defense with 16.5 tackles (14 solo, 2.0 TFL), while sophomore defensive back Karl Heimbrock (6-1, 217, Greenwood Village, Colo.) has made 16 stops (14 solo, 2.5 TFL) and has returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown.
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy was 1-9 overall and 1-6 in the Liberty League last season.
