GAME NOTES (PDF)

William Paterson (0-0, 0-0 NJAC) will open its season at King's (0-0, 0-0 MAC) Saturday, Sept. 7, at 1:00 p.m.  Live statistics and live video will be available, and a live audio broadcast will be provided by WP Brave New Radio 88.7 FM.

Scouting the Pioneers 
William Paterson returns fice offensive starters and four defensive starters from a 2012 team that finished 5-5 overall and 2-5 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. The Pioneers, who welcome back 49 letterwinners and two all-conference selections, were predicted to finish sixth in the 2012 NJAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Senior Ryan Gresik (Newton, N.J./Newton) was a member of the 2012 All-NJAC Team Honorable Mention, starting all 10 games and finishing 178-for-295 for 2,097 yards and 13 touchdowns. He ranked fourth in the conference in passing yards per game (209.7), pass efficiency (129.8) and total offense (224.1 yards/game).  

WP lost its top two rushers froma  year ago, but senior Chris Bachand (Newington, Conn./St. Paul Catholic) and sophomore Darius Kersey (Dover, N.J./Dover) are the leaders of a young, but talented, group in the backfield.

Senior Mick Paye (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) was the Pioneers' leader in receptions (39) and yardage (553) last fall, finding the end zone four times. Classmate Julian Frazier (Plainfield, N.J./North Plainfield) has shown marked improvement since hauling in 12 passes in 10 starts a year ago.

Due the graduation of all-conference performer and four-year starter Joseph Cordato, there will be plenty of snaps up for grabs for WP's tight ends. Senior Brian Winfield (Newton, N.J./Newton) is the anticipated starter after seeing action during all 10 games of the 2012 campaign, catching 20 passes for 310 yards and a score.

Three returning starters will help to give William Paterson stability on the offensive line this fall. Fourth-year starter Dashawn Johnson (Jersey City, N.J./Hoboken) will make the adjustment from playing guard to serving as the left tackle as a senior, while classmate Derek Clay (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel) has worked hard to make the move from the practice squad to the two-deep, and his improvement has resulted in his being penciled in as the starting left guard. On the right side, junior Ryan Sibole (Brick, N.J./Brick Twp.) is back at guard after starting in five of his six appearances a year ago. The starter in two of the last three games last fall, sophomore Jalen Haynes (Jersey City, N.J./Hoboken) is the anticipated starter at tackle. The best competition on the line during preseason camp was at center, with senior Anthony Cimino (East Patchogue, N.Y./Bellport), junior Jake Stockton-Rossini (Ship Bottom, N.J./Southern Regional) and freshman Jeff Rodriguez (Union City, N.J./Union City) leading the charge.

The defensive line, a position group that Flora cited as the weakest in 2012, may now be the strongest in 2013, led by senior nose guard Webb Geer (Sparta, N.J./Sparta). Beginning his third year as a starter, Geer led WP with 3.0 sacks, part of a 43-tackle effort that earned him 2012 honorable-mention all-conference laurels. Junior Al Kamara (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick Twp.), who saw the field six times last season, and Quinton Witherspoon (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle), a junior transfer from Cortland who has shown great promise during preseason workouts, are expected to start on each end.

Three solid veterans will anchor the linebacker corps this fall. Senior David Zurla (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) notched 44 stops as a first-time starter in 2012. He will man one of the inside spots next to junior Robert Prince (Howell, N.J./Absegami), a transfer from West Virginia Wesleyan. On the outside, Ben Allen (Ventnor, N.J./Atlantic City) is coming off a 36-tackle performance as a sophomore newcomer last fall, while Jedd Blackowski (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) recovered from an injury to start in six of 10 appearances as a sophomore a year ago, leading the team with 5.5 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles.

Fifth-year senior cornerback Andre Snead (Atlantic City, N.J./Atlantic City), who has tallied 102 tackles and five interceptions in 31 career games, will be looked to for leadership in a young secondary. Senior Stanley Howard (Somerset, N.J./Franklin), now in his second full season on the defensive side of the ball, is the anticipated starter at the other corner. Senior Anthony Costantino (Pennsauken, N.J./Paul VI) and junior Elijah DeGuzman (Pennsauken, N.J./Pennsauken) are the leading candidates to get the starting nods at the two safety positions.

Junior Robert Sinegra (Wharton, N.J./Morris Knolls) has a school-record 48-yard field goal and an honorable-mention all-NJAC selection already under his belt as the Pioneers' projected placekicker. When an injury sidelined WP's punter during the second game of the 2012 schedule, Frazier filled in admirably, finishing fourth in the league with a 37.7 yards-per-punt average, and he will assume the role full time this fall.