Gameday Week 09/30/2005 - Game #4 College of NJ

Rowan Holds Off TCNJ 30-20 College of New Jersey game photo slide show. Photos by Tom Wilson By Tom Wilson JT@rowanfootball.com Play WGLS-FM audio highlights There were fireworks on the field, and fireworks off the field after the game. It was a tale of two halves on Friday night. Rowan took a 23-0 halftime lead only to see TCNJ chip away and make a game of it in the fourth quarter 23-20. In the first quarter the Profs scored on a 26-yard Ulysses Encarnacion touchdown run after a Randy Tosh sack caused a fumble that was recovered by Keith Heimerl. Matias Spahn added a 24-yard field goal to put the Profs up 10-0. Rowan added two more field goals and a Mike Orihel 21-yard touchdown pass to Phil Silva in the second quarter to take a 23-0 lead at halftime. In the second half the Prof offense was unable to continue the momentum from the first half and stalled on their first couple drives. The Lions were able to capitalize on a Rowan fumble during a punt return deep in Prof territory. TCNJ capped the 4 play, 17-yard drive when quarterback Jeff Struble scampered for a 9-yard touchdown. The subsequent two-point conversion failed. With 5:39 remaining in the third quarter, Lion returner Ryan Ross fielded a punt on his own 20-yard line. Ross ran about 15-yards where he was tackled by the Prof defenders. After rolling on the ground and not hearing a whistle, Ross got up and proceeded to run into to the endzone. The officials signaled touchdown to the shock and dismay of the Rowan players, coaches, and home crowd. "It all went so fast that I'm not sure what happened. I didn't feel anyone on top of me, so I just kept going. It didn't feel like [I was down], but I'm not sure," said Ross. At the start of the fourth quarter, TCNJ went on a 10 play, 80-yard drive culminating in a 1-yard half back touchdown pass from Mike Thormann to Leeaire Brown to pull within 23-20 of Rowan with 12:06 remaining. "We played hard and we cut the mistakes down. We are going to be a work in progress. We're getting better. I told the kids we were here two years ago and were down at half and came back. Bottom line is that [the team] feels more confident that they can get things done," said TCNJ head coach Eric Hamilton. Mike Orihel put the game out of reach with a 1-yard touchdown run which was setup by a 41-yard Encarnacion run, ending the scoring at 30-20. "We had the game in hand in the first half. We had an opportunity to do some things in the third quarter but couldn't capitalize. We let [TCNJ] hang in the game. Coming off an emotional victory against Robert Morris, I think we might have run out of gas," said Rowan head coach Jay Accorsi. "We are always trying to make plays, but I think physically and mentally both players and coaches were a little tired from last week and it showed tonight in the second half. But we were able to gut it out and put the game away," Accorsi concluded. The Rowan defense allowed only 161 yards of total offense and one touchdown. Linebacker Randy Tosh led the Profs with nine tackles. He had one forced fumble and a sack. Linebacker Todd Trout had two sacks and a forced fumble. Defensive tackle Ed Kunder and defensive end Keith Heimerl had one sack each. On offense Mike Orihel was 21of 33 with 248 yards and two touchdowns, one passing, one running. Superbacks Ulysses Encarnacion and Rob Richardson rushed for 115 yards and 109 yards. Matias Spahn was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts from 24, 28, 33 yards. Spahn also nailed three extra points giving him 12 for the game. For the Lions, running back Leeaire Brown carried the ball 12 times for 50 yards. Quarterback Jeff Struble completed 11 of 17 for 111 yards, while Chris Bell connected on four of nine passes for 46 yards. Wide out Ryan Ross had four catches for 65 yards. Linebacker Terence Nish had a game-high 12 tackles, including three for a loss and one sack for TCNJ. Safety Miles Shanklin and linebacker Josh Baker totaled nine tackles apiece. Defensive end Joseph King had two sacks and linebacker Nicholas Steffner added one sack.

Young Lions to Tangle With Experinced Profs By Tom Wilson JT@rowanfootball.com College of NJ 2004 Highlights Play WGLS-FM audio highlights The College of New Jersey (1-2) has had two weeks to prepare for Rowan. They’ve graduated 22 seniors from the 2004 squad. Coach Eric Hamilton has had to plug many holes. Are the Lions ready for the Profs on Friday night? Junior Chris Bell has earned the starting quarterback job over last year’s starter sophomore Jeff Struble. Both quarterbacks have played in all three of the Lion’s games. So there might be situations this Friday when coach Eric Hamilton might use both quarterbacks. Bell is ranked second in the conference in pass efficiency (129.3). He’s averaging 130 yards per game passing and 123 yards of total offense. All-purpose running back Cory Schoonover is averaging 139.7 yards per game, 100 total yards rushing and 170 yards receiving. Receivers Ryan Ross and Alan Kotteles are averaging 15.1 and 11.1 yards per reception respectively. Linebackers Travis Boff (22 tackles), Nicholas Steffner (21 tackles) and Terence Nish (25 tackles) lead the defense. Steffner is a Rhode Island transfer. The defense has nabbed three interceptions, four fumbles recoveries and ten sacks thus far. They are fourth in total defense (302.3) in the NJAC. The Profs have been a first down generating machine cranking out 27.3 first downs per game while the Lions average 11 per game. Rowan is averaging 543.3 yards per game while TCNJ is averaging 193.3. The Profs convert 49% (22/45) of their 3rd down opportunities and 75% (3/4) of their 4th down opportunities. The Lions convert 17% (7/41) of their 3rd and 20% (1/5) of their 4th down opportunities. On defense Rowan has been shutting down the run allowing only 53.0 yards per game while giving up only 218 yards per game. Many double digit tacklers man the defense: Todd Trout (22), Randy Tosh (16), Brian Bond (16), Zach Garren (15), Keith Heimerl (15), Jamie Marsh (13), David Smith (13). The team has 12 sacks. Dawaine Whetstone and Eric Bailey are tied for the conference lead with two interceptions. Do we throw the stats out in this heated rivalry once again? History says yes. Expect the Lions to be fired up. Expect a lot of trash talking on both sides. How the Profs start out of the gate is the key to this game. If TCNJ is still around in the 4th quarter, it isn’t a good sign. Rowan needs to take it to TCNJ from the outset. Two years ago, the Lions hung in at the Boro for a 22-20 win. Nice weather is expected, should be a great crowd and another electrified atmosphere. See you there.