UNION, N.J. (10/2/09) - For the second straight season, senior running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) rushed for more than 200 yards against The College of New Jersey, finishing with 210 yards and two touchdowns as the Kean University football team shut down TCNJ, 28-7, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up on Friday evening. Kean amassed 424 yards of total offense and held the nation's leader in scoring offense to just one touchdown and 58 yards rushing in the game. TCNJ, who scored a school-record 67 points a week ago against Morrisville State College, averaged 57.3 points per game coming into the game and also ranked 2nd in the nation in total offense (538.33 yards per game) and 12th in rushing offense (271.33 yards per game) entering the game.

Chunn, who ran for 201 yards a year ago against TCNJ, carried the ball 22 times and averaged 9.5 yards a carry to lead a Cougar rushing attack that had 307 yards on 40 carries to average 7.7 yards a rush. Through the air, sophomore quarterback Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, N.J.) finished 9-of-13 for 117 yards and one touchdown pass.

Defensively, the Cougars forced three turnovers and had seven tackles for a loss of 42 yards, including three sacks for a loss of 27 yards.

For TCNJ, senior quarterback Chris James (Brick, N.J.) was 24-of-41 for 234 yards and one touchdown.

Kean also unveiled its new integrated scoring and video system in Alumni Stadium, featuring a new Daktronics scoreboard measuring approximately 36 feet wide and 28 feet high with a video display of nearly 19 feet by 11 feet.

After a scoreless opening quarter, the Cougars were the first to put points on the new scoreboard, when Chunn somehow managed to stay on his feet, escaping a host of Lion tacklers and breaking free for the 62 yard touchdown run and the 7-0 lead with 10:49 to go in the second quarter after the extra point by Billy Daniels (Ridgefield, N.J.).

TCNJ answered back on their next drive, as James completed 4-of-5 passes, including a five-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Colin Weber (Scotch Plains, N.J.) that would tie the game after the extra point by senior Marc Zucconi (Marlton, N.J.) just 1:47 later. On the seven play drive, senior wide receiver Erick Hendrickson (Belvidere, N.J.) opened the series with a 39-yard reception to move the Lions into Kean territory.

On TCNJ's next drive, Kean junior cornerback Andre Dozier (Newark, N.J.) intercepted the James pass at the TCNJ 30-yard line to set-up the go-ahead scoring drive. On the first play, Chunn had a 14-yard run to move the ball down to the 16-yard line. After a fumbled snap pushed the Cougars back five yards, D'Ambrisi completed a diving touchdown catch to junior wide receiver Matt Puorro (Point Pleasant, N.J.) (pictured left) with 3:55 remaining in the half and a 14-7 lead at the break.

In the opening half, TCNJ had three drives end in Kean territory, as the Lions were 1-of-4 on fourth down conversions. On their first drive of the game, the Lions moved the ball down to the Kean 10-yard line before the Cougar defense held TCNJ on fourth-and-two.

The Lions' next drive saw TCNJ go for it on fourth and goal at the one-yard line, however a low snap was fumbled and James recovered the ball back at the 25-yard line after a scramble, turning the ball over to the Cougars on downs. The final drive of the half for TCNJ ended on an incomplete pass on fourth-and-four at the Kean 28-yard line.
The Cougars forced another turnover on the opening drive of the second half, when James was sacked for a 14-yard loss by senior defensive end Matt Donaghue (Old Bridge, N.J.) and fumbled the ball that was recovered by Kean's Darnell Butler (Rahway, N.J.) back in TCNJ territory.

The play helped set up another Cougar score, as Chunn raced 36 yards for the touchdown on the second play of the ensuing drive.

The two teams forced turnovers on each others' next possession and the Lions tried to pin Kean back against the goal-line when the Zucconi punt was downed at the two-yard line with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter.

The ensuing Kean drive however, ate nearly half a quarter of time off the clock, as the Cougars marched 98-yards and senior Derric Harris (Freehold, N.J.) capped the 13-play drive that spanned 7:25 of the final two quarters with a 13-yard touchdown run that put Kean ahead by three touchdowns at 28-7 with 12:05 remaining.

A pair of Cougar penalties helped keep the next TCNJ drive alive, as the Lions moved the ball to the Kean 13-yard line. However, an illegal shift by the Lions and a pair of incomplete passes ended the drive and turned the ball back over to the Cougars with 7:28 remaining.

The Cougars kept the clock moving on their final drive of the game, using up 6:16 as the ball stayed on the ground for all 11 plays with Chunn and senior Chris Aquino (Somerville, N.J.) combining for 73 of the 82 yards before turning the ball back over to the Lions on downs with just 72 seconds remaining in the game.

It was the Cougars' third straight win over TCNJ and the first time since 1995 that Kean has started 3-0 in the NJAC.

Aquino finished with nine carries for 60 yards, while D'Ambrisi added 30 yards rushing on four carries.

Senior linebacker Kyle Maher (Red Bank, N.J.) made a team-high eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards, while Donaghue had six tackles, 1.5 sacks for a 17 yard loss , 2.5 tackles for a loss of 22 yards, and one forced fumble. Nose tackle Darryl Jackson (Red Bank, N.J.) made six tackles, including a sack, and had one pass break-up.

For TCNJ, Weber had a game-high seven receptions for 69 yards and one touchdown. Linebacker Joseph Spahn (Burlington, N.J.) and junior defensive back Matthew Kreider (Delran, N.J.) made a game-high 11 tackles apiece, including nine solo stops each.

The Cougars host Buffalo State College in NJAC action next Saturday, October 10, at 1 p.m.