NOTES (PDF)

William Paterson (0-0, 0-0 NJAC) will open its season at home, hosting King's (0-0, 0-0 MAC) Saturday, Sept. 1.  Kickoff at Wightman Stadium (1,500) at 1:00 p.m.  Live statistics will be available, and a live audio broadcast will be provided by WP Brave New Radio 88.7 FM.  The contest is part of the MAC/NJAC Challenge being staged between schools from the two conferences.

Scouting the Pioneers
William Paterson returns nine offensive starters and eight defensive starters from a 2011 team that finished 4-6 overall and 3-6 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play.  The Pioneers, who welcome back 54 letterwinners and five all-conference selections, were predicted to finish sixth in the 2011 NJAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Junior Ryan Gresik (Newton, N.J./Newton) was lost for the 2011 season due to an injury suffered in the fourth game.  In 2010, he started nine of 10 games, going 155-for-268 for 1,489 yards and six touchdowns.  Gresik also was credited for 90 rushing attempts for 124 yards and two scores.

Senior tailback Dawys German (North Arlington, N.J./North Arlington) racked up 1,020 yards and eight touchdowns on 180 carries last fall, earning him first-team all-conference honors while becoming WP's first running back to reach 1,000 yards since 1996.  Also a threat out of the backfield, catching six passes for 67 yards and two TDs, German has the strength and quickness to make short plays into long gains.

Junior wide receiver Mick Paye (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) finished as WP's leader with 14 catches for 292 yards and three touchdowns a year ago, starting in the final seven contests.  Senior tight end Joseph Cordato (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) enters his third year as a starter with career totals of 29 receptions for 340 yards and two scores.  A year ago, he ranked third for WP with eight catches and 106 yards.

Four full-time starters return to the offensive line unit, making it a cohesive group prepared to make its presence felt during the 2012 season.  Leading the group is left tackle Andrew Donnell (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert), who started in eight of nine appearances as a freshman a year ago, garnering honorable-mention all-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) laurels. 
Linebacker John Garbowski (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakeland) earned honorable-mention all-NJAC status as a freshman last fall, starting six times and finishing the season strong with 44 tackles (5.5 for loss), an interception and a forced fumble.

Senior Stephen Bovo, Jr. (Dunellen, N.J./Dunellen) was productive in his first season at bandit in 2011, registering 44 tackles (6.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks) and three pass breakups after making the transition from free safety.  It's a move that senior German Decena (Union City, N.J./Emerson) will make this fall, making 66 stops while intercepting three passes in starting the last 20 games at free safety.

Both opening-game starting corners return from last year, highlighted by junior Andre Snead (Atlantic City, N.J./Atlantic City), who has 18 career starts to his credit.  Lost for the 2011 season due to injury in the third game, his return will be critical to the secondary's success this fall.

Decena's move to bandit was at least partially due to senior Javon Hodges' (Parlin, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) production as a first-year Pioneer following his transfer from Albright College.  Hodges started twice while playing in all 10 games last season, finishing with 34 tackles and returning two interceptions for touchdowns.

Robert Sinegra (Wharton, N.J./Morris Knolls) seized the placekicking job and was outstanding as a freshman, successful on 17 of his 18 PATs and seven of his 10 field goals.  An honorable-mention all-conference honoree, his leg strength has improved after breaking the school record with a 48-yard field goal during the 2011 season finale.

Junior Cory Mundt (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) was the league's leading punter last fall, averaging 39.0 yards per attempt, launching six punts of 50+ yards and landing 15 inside the opponents' 20-yard line to earn a spot on the All-NJAC Second Team. 

Scouting the Monarchs
King's finished 1-9 overall and 1-7 in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) last fall.  Under third-year head coach Jeff Knarr, the Monarchs were selected to finish eighth in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Monarchs enter the season with a battle at the quarterback position between sophomores Bryant Klein and Tyler Hartranft.  Klein was forced into the starting spot mid-way through 2011, 32-for-65 for 243 yards and a touchdown.   Hartranft is in his first season after transferring from Susquehanna University.

Sophomore Kyle McGrath, who rushed for 216 yards on 52 carries in 2011, will lead the Monarchs' running backs.  After losing its top four receivers, King's returns only three players who caught a pass last season, led by junior Jordan Buford's six catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Senior linebackers Ryan Kelly and Ryan Cordingly will lead the Monarchs' defense.  Kelly finished 2011 with a team-high 73 tackles as well as a fumble recovery, while Cordingly made 66 stops.

King's will send both a new placekicker and punter on to the field this season.  The kicker position will be filled by one of a trio of freshmen in Chris DelGaudio, Lance Williams or Kevin Mulvihill, while the punting will be left to sophomore Dan Kempa.