Cougar Offense Powers Past WestConn, 43-26

Cougar Offense Powers Past WestConn, 43-26
Kean Athletics

UNION, N.J. (9/20/08) - Senior Durell Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) had 163 yards receiving and junior Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) rushed for 159 yards to lead the Kean University football team to a 43-26 victory over Western Connecticut State University in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars racked up more than 500 total yards of offense, while limiting the Colonials running game to just 21 yards rushing. Kean led just 23-20 after three quarters of play before scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter to put the game away, as the 43 points scored was tied for the second most in program history in a conference game.

Rookie Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, N.J.) was 15-of-22 for 249 yards and two touchdowns as the Cougars won their second game to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 1994.

For WestConn (0-2), quarterback James Williams (Wolcott, N.J.) completed 28-of-40 passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns.

The Cougars scored on the opening drive when D'Ambrisi rolled out to the Kean sideline, eluded the Colonial defenders and found Dukes downfield, where he made an acrobatic catch behind a WestConn defender and took the ball in untouched for the 74-yard touchdown reception. It was the tandem's second touchdown pass of at least 74 yards in as many games and is tied for the fifth longest passing play in program history.

WestConn answered on their first possession of the game, going 60 yards in nine-plays, as Williams completed all seven of his pass attempts, including a six-yard pass to senior Chris Kelly (Willington, Conn.) for the touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.

The Cougars took the lead for good on their next possession when Dukes ran the ball in from five-yards out to cap a 7-play, 70-yard drive in which Chunn carried the ball 5 times for 55 yards.

In the second-quarter, Kean extended the lead to 20-7 when senior James Felton (Plainfield, N.J.) scored on a 12-yard touchdown run before the Colonials cut the deficit to 20-14 following a two-yard touchdown reception by sophomore tight end Justin Cruickshanks midway through the second quarter. The Cougars tacked on a field goal late in the half when junior Rick Jaeger (Hazlet, N.J.) connected on a 20-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining to give the Cougars a 23-14 lead heading into halftime.

The Colonials cut the deficit to a field goal with the lone touchdown of the third quarter, a 34-yard touchdown pass from Williams to sophomore Keith Rosedom (Stamford, Conn.) with 1:46 remaining in the quarter, pulling the Colonials to 23-20 after the Cougars blocked the kick.

In the fourth quarter, Chunn scored on a 12-yard touchdown run just 3:03 into the quarter, capping a 10-play, 64-yard drive to extend the Cougar to 30-20. On the ensuing kick-off, the Colonials fumbled the short kick and Kean freshman Robert James (Freehold, N.J.) recovered the ball at the WestConn 40-yard line. The Cougars took advantage of the short field and Dukes caught the 19-yard touchdown pass from D'Ambrisi for the 36-20 advantage with just over nine minutes remaining.

Each team added one more touchdown in the final quarter, as Cruickshanks had a nine-yard touchdown reception from Williams with just over six minutes remaining for WestConn and Chunn added the eight-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds left to put Kean ahead 43-26 for the final score.

In the game, Chunn carried the ball 24 times for his 159 yards and two touchdowns, while Dukes caught seven passes as his 163 receiving yards moved him past 2,000 career yards. In three seasons, Dukes has 115 receptions for 2,019 career yards and 20 touchdowns and is just 51 yards away from moving into second place in Kean history.

Defensively, senior Markal Ginyard (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) had a team-high eight tackles, one pass break-up and an interception at the goal-line to end the game and prevent the Colonials from putting any more points on the scoreboard. Sophomore Tom Moncrief (Keyport, N.J.) added seven tackles, including a team-high five solo stops, while senior Jake Pew (Sussex, N.J.) finished with six tackles and one forced fumble.

For the Colonials, Rosedom had a game-high nine receptions for 158 yards and one touchdown, while Cruickshanks had touchdowns on both of his receptions. Senior linebacker Chad Milling (Hartford, Conn.) made 12 total stops, while freshman Kenny Keen (Hamden, Conn.) had a game-high six solo stops and 10 total tackles.