Week 2 was a memorable week for the Montclair State University Red Hawks football team as they came back from a 14-point deficit to defeat Lycoming College 27-24, but there was plenty of football action around the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Here are brief recaps of the games that took place this weekend.
Kean Blown Out by Ursinus on the Road
The Kean Cougars fell to Ursinus College 42-14 in Collegeville, Pennsylvania on Saturday. Touchdowns from juniors Kevin Mayfield and Christian Bujno were not enough as Kean’s defense was picked apart by Ursinus running back Jason Bernard, who had three scores. Next week, Kean will have a BYE as they try to regroup and take their 1-1 record into a tilt with Western Connecticut State on September 27.
TCNJ Will Themselves Past Wilkes
The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Lions improved to 2-0 on Saturday with their second straight non-conference victory to start the season. TCNJ held Wilkes University to just three points in a 17-3 win at Lions Stadium in Ewing. Sophomore running back Jordan Morrell was the star of the game, rushing for 126 yards and a touchdown. The Lions will go on their bye next week before hosting Juniata College the week after.
Late Fumble Keys Montclair State’s First Victory of Season
The hosts were down by as much as 24-10 with 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter. In the second half, Red Hawks quarterback Luke Henrich found Jalen Carter with a 49-yard touchdown pass down the sideline to cut the lead to 24-16. A touchdown and 2-point conversion later, the Red Hawks had tied the game. Fast forward to Lycoming College’s final drive. The Red Hawks were leading 27-24 and with the ball at their own 10-yard line, sophomore linebacker Brandon Lucia forced a fumble, which was recovered by senior defensive back Ryan Visalli and the Red Hawks held on to win.
As the Red Hawks earned their first victory of the season, sophomore quarterback Luke Henrich led the way with 228 yards (rushing and passing), while junior running back Diante Wilson and junior running back Chris Arnold combined for 176 on the ground and a rushing touchdown. For the visitors, Terrence Oliver was a terror for the Red Hawks’ defense, rushing for 146 and two touchdowns.
“We’ve been talking about our culture all year and that’s been something that has been important to me to make sure we’re getting that right. It’s been tough and there’s been growing pains and I think you saw a little bit of that last week but I’m proud of the way these guys fought back and stayed together and that was really important. They stayed together, there was no flinching at halftime and we came out and really took it to them.” – MSU Head Football coach Mike Palazzo
William Paterson: BYE (0-1)
Rowan Romps Over Moravian
In their second straight home game, the Rowan University Profs demolished Moravian University by the final score of 56-0. Rowan’s junior quarterback Nate Maiers threw for 239 yards and four touchdown passes, while junior running back Tyshawn Bookman rushed for 114 yards on just 10 attempts and a touchdown. Freshman Amir Reason-Dallas contributed five tackles, including two for a loss.
This was Rowan’s first home shutout victory since September 2, 2017 and the 56 points they scored were the most since 2015. The Profs’ season opener against Case Western Reserve was suspended with the score tied, so as of now, their record stands at 1-0-1. They will have a bye next week as they prepare to visit Lycoming on September 27.
Salisbury Stomps Out McDaniel
The program that was picked to finish first in the NJAC in the preseason poll is off to a 2-0 start. That’s thanks to a 42-21 victory over Washington and Lee on September 6 and an annihilation of McDaniel College on Saturday. In Saturday’s 62-7 win over McDaniel in Westminster, Maryland, Salisbury struck first on a 12-yard run by Jadyn Thomas and never looked back. Sophomore quarterback Syrus McGowan threw for 81 yards and three touchdowns and junior running back Darrell Walter ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns. The Sea Gulls will enjoy their BYE next week before visiting Catholic University in Washington, D.C. on September 27.
Christopher Newport Crushes Gettysburg
In their first road game of the season and fresh off their 150th all-time win, the Captains went to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and dominated the Bullets 49-14 on Saturday to remain undefeated this season. Junior quarterback Connor Barry led the way for CNU, throwing four touchdown passes while senior running back Gunner White ran for 47 yards and one touchdown. The Captains will look to keep the vibes running high in their 25th season through their BYE next week, before they face a stern test in No. 4 Susquehanna University on September 27.
Castleton Climbs Out to 2-0 Start
Vermont State-Castleton Spartans stayed perfect Saturday after breezing past Norwich University 30-8 at Dave Wolk Stadium behind four rushing touchdowns. Three different Castleton running backs got in on the action; sophomore Lou Guillotte led the way with two rushing touchdowns, junior Jhai Vellon contributed one and so did senior Josh Colegrove. Sophomore linebacker Deacon Schneider contributed eight tackles (1.5 for a loss) on Saturday as well. The Spartans will play the University of New England next week (September 20).
The NJAC A Deep Conference in 2025
If there’s one thing that Saturday’s NJAC Football action proved, it’s that the conference is very deep. Salisbury leads the way with the 94 points they’ve scored through two games this season, but joining them in the undefeated ranks are Vermont State-Castleton, TCNJ, and CNU, making it so that four of the conference’s eight teams have perfect records.
