Game Notes (PDF) 

William Paterson (1-1, 0-1 NJAC) returns to Wightman Stadium to take on Rowan (1-1, 0-1 NJAC) Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1:00 p.m. 

As part of “Take a Kid to the Game Day,” all children 12 and under will be admitted for free to the game. In addition, William Paterson is celebrating “Pioneer Pride Week,” sponsored by the Student Government Association. Inflatable games and the Billy the Bear mascot will be available adjacent to the stadium starting at 11:00 a.m., and there will be giveaways for WP students at the game. 

The William Paterson and Rowan coaching staffs are participating in the American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) “Coach to Cure MD” program, an effort to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. To make a donation, please visit www.CoachtoCureMD.org or text the word “CURE” to 90999 (a $5 donation will automatically be added to your next phone bill and standard text message rates apply). 

Live statistics will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/wpunj/football/, and a live audio stream will be available via William Paterson's student radio station, 88.7 Brave New Radio, at http://www.wpradio887.org.

Scouting the Pioneers
William Paterson is 1-1 overall and 0-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play following a 20-6 win at King's (1-2) Sept. 19. 

Senior Matt Marshall (Burlington, N.J./Burlington City), who tossed a school-record 20 touchdown passes a year ago, is 37-for-65 for 396 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions this season. 

Sophomore Marcus McKinney (Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy) has gained 214 yards on 56 carries to lead the ground game, including a school-record 35 attempts at King's Sept. 19. His 107.0 rushing yards per game lead the NJAC, and his 116.0 all-purpose yards per contest rank fourth. Classmate Corey Paladino (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) has rushed 16 times for 55 yards and one touchdown. 

Senior Joel Rivera (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken), who established new Pioneer records with his 74 receptions for 965 yards to earn 2008 first-team all-NJAC and second-team all-region accolades, currently has nine catches for 136 yards and a TD. Junior fullback Derrik Rideg (Rochelle Park, N.J./Paramus Catholic), who was an honorable-mention all-league selection after catching 19 passes for 189 yards a year ago, currently has eight receptions for 71 yards. Senior Chris Schule (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) has added six catches for 93 yards and a score. 

Junior linebacker Jim Hamill (Stanhope, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) paces William Paterson with 25 tackles (10 solo), or 12.5 per game to rank second in the conference statistics. Senior defensive end Keith Sayball (Milford, Conn./Foran) has 12 stops (five solo, 1.5 TFL). Twice selected to the All-NJAC Second Team, senior linebacker Jared Burke (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) has 10 stops (five solo, 2.0 TFL). A second-team all-conference honoree last fall, junior defensive end Dyon Moore (Brooklyn, N.Y./Hudson Catholic) has made 10 tackles (five solo, 2.5 TFL), while 2008 NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Year Doug Dudek (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) also has 10 stops (one solo) as well as an interception. 

Freshman placekicker Ryan Brzycki (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic) is 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts and 3-for-3 on PATs, while freshman running back/punter Dan DeCicco (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) has averaged 36.1 yards/punt. Senior defensive back Chris Thomas (West Milford, N.J./West Milford), who has three tackles, a pass break-up and a forced fumble, leads the NJAC in punt return average (17.0 yards/return). 

William Paterson returned nine offensive starters and eight defensive starters, including seven all-conference selections, from a 2008 team that compiled a 4-6 overall record and a 3-6 mark in NJAC play. The Pioneers were picked to finish seventh in the 2009 NJAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Scouting the Profs
Rowan is 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) following a 24-14 loss at No. 7 SUNY Cortland Sept. 19. The Profs began the season with a 29-7 victory at Lycoming Sept. 12. This marks Rowan's third straight road game to open the 2009 campaign. 

The Profs are looking for the 300th win in program history today (299-183-8 record in 50 seasons). Under the direction of head coach Jay Accorsi, Rowan has an 11-3 record coming off a regular-season loss. 

Junior Tim Hagerty was 7-of-19 for 114 yards and an interception as the starter at Cortland, and has completed 13 of 25 passes for 146 yards and one INT overall. Senior Frank Wilczynski started the opener at Lycoming and completed eight of 17 attempts for 79 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also has gained 86 yards on the ground and scored once on 10 carries.
Senior Ryan Leafey leads the ground game with 192 yards on 39 carries, scoring once, to rank third in the league statistics in rushing yards per game (96.0). Freshman wide receiver Dan Reed has caught a team-best five passes for 36 yards, and classmate James Kinloch has hauled in four passes for a team-high 91 yards and a TD. 

Senior linebacker Kevin Taylor is the Profs' leading tackler with 17 stops (11 solo), adding a forced fumble. Senior defensive back Mike Barone has 11 tackles (seven solo) and an interception, while junior defensive lineman Matt Hoffman (four solo, 4.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks) and senior linebacker Andrew Yezzi (three solo) each have 10 tackles. 

Rowan was 8-2 overall and 7-2 in NJAC competition a year ago. The Profs were picked to win the league title in the 2009 NJAC Preseason Coaches Poll.