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Um. Ouch.

For the second week in a row the first stringers on the Rowan football team played only the first half. Second and third teamers also received significant playing time against Brockport two weeks ago. This bodes well on so many fronts. First, it means that both offensive and defensive squads are in sync and causing opponents problems on both side of the ball. Second, the starters have had the equivalent of bye in time off, which is important since it allows the team nurse and/or avoid injuries. Third, young and hungry backup Prof players have made use of their playing time by continuing to beat and score on the opponents first team in the second half. Rowan is a team on the come in the East.

The defense limited Morrisville to 105 yards of total offense. Rowan improves to 5-1 overall and 4-1 in the conference.

The Profs held the Mustangs to 55 yards passing and 50 yards rushing. Linebacker Evan Picariello led the way with eight tackles. Linebackers Patrick Ruley, Andrew Yezzi and Steve Hague registered five stops apiece. Yezzi also had one sack. Safety Steve Wall forced a fumble and recovered two. Cornerback Steve Roane had one interception, while safety Mike Barone forced a fumble.

Superback Ryan Leafey totaled 125 yards rushing and three touchdowns on nine attempts. Quarterback Frank Wilczynski ran for 63 yards and two touchdowns on three carries. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 85 yards and one touchdown. Superback David Tejada ran for 54 yards and one touchdown on 11 touches, while superback Tariq Gaines had one touchdown on the ground. Wide receiver TJ Pratt, named the NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week for the second time, made three receptions for 27 yards and one touchdown.

Rowan went ahead 7-0 at 11:34 in the first quarter when Leafey broke free for a 22 yard touchdown run. The Profs started on the Mustangs’ 36 yard line. Superback Jon Downes had a six yard carry and Leafey followed with an eight yard run. Leafey scored on the next play. At 8:40, Wilczynski had a 52 yard touchdown carry. He was two for two in the drive for 13 yards prior to the run. Wilczynski added a three yard touchdown run at 2:14. Rowan took over on the Morrisville six yard line after a 27 yard punt return by Wall. With 16 seconds left in the period, Leafey scored on a 55 yard touchdown run to give Rowan a 27-0 lead after the PAT was blocked.

In the second, Leafey scored his third touchdown with a 28 yard carry at 12:51. Leafey’s touchdown was set up when Wilczynski threw a 20 yard pass to wideout Dan Reed on the previous play. Just over five minutes later, Pratt hauled in a 10 yard touchdown grab. Rowan began the drive on the Morrisville 41 yard line. Wilczynski was three for three for 19 yards. At 6:15, Gaines crossed the goal on a one yard carry. On the previous play, linebacker Jerome Gordon blocked a punt which the Profs brought back to the Mustang one yard line. Kicker Mark Getsinger nailed a 24 yard field as time expired to give Rowan a 51-0 halftime advantage. The Profs started on the Mustangs’ 38 yard line. Wilczynski completed three passes for 31 yards.

Hagerty took over at quarterback in the third and scored on a 13 yard touchdown run at 14:19. Rowan started on the Morrisville 27 yard line after Barone forced a fumble and Wall recovered it. Gaines had one yard carry before Hagerty found the end zone. On the first play of the Profs’ next possession, Tejada had a 40 yard touchdown rush. Tight end Michael Wojceichowski blocked a Morrisville punt out of the back of the end zone for a safety at 8:05 in the fourth.

Rowan hosts Buffalo State College in its Homecoming game on Saturday, October 17 at 1:30 p.m. At halftime, the Profs will honor former head coach Richard Wackar by naming their newly renovated facility Coach Richard Wackar Stadium.

Rowan has a 1-0 record against Morrisville State winning 58-14 in Glassboro last year. Since Morrisville’s stadium is undergoing renovation, the Profs will travel to play the Mustangs at Colgate University.

Morrisville lost its home opener to William Paterson, 14-2. Sophomore quarterback Jamieson Crast had 17 completions in 31 attempts for 154 yards. Running back Peter Enriquez rushed for 21 yards on six carries. Wideout Hodges Sneed had seven receptions for 57 yards. Wide receiver Joe Shue added four catches for 48 yards. Linebacker EJ Maeweather had 13 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss. Defensive end Sam Pelham followed with 10 tackles. Defensive back Tommy Moyon added nine stops. Maeweather, Pelham and Moyon all forced one fumble. Cornerback Sean McDaniel had a 48-yard fumble recovery. The Pioneers went ahead 7-0 at 13:29 in the second quarter on a three yard touchdown run. At 9:55 in the fourth, Moyon forced a fumble that was recovered in the end zone by the William Paterson quarterback. Cornerback Josh Rose tackled him for the safety. The Pioneers capped the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run with 1:14 remaining.

With only three seniors on the roster, the Mustangs are very young. Both running back Maurice Mitchelson and Crast are sophomores. Mitchelson leads the team with 304 rushing yards. In his first year as the starter, Crast has thrown for 1,162 yards and 12 touchdowns with 104 completions in 183 attempts. He also has 98 yards rushing and one TD on 65 carries. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Brown and Moyon, a junior, are solid on defense. Brown is first on the team with 42 tackles. Moyon follows with 39 stops.

In the conference statistics, Crast is fourth in passing (193.7), pass efficiency (123.1) and total offense (210.0). Mitchelson ranks second in all-purpose yards (130.0), eighth in kick return average (20.7) and 11th in rushing (50.7). Shue is 12th with 49.7 receiving yards per game. Running back Devon Jordan’s 23.1 kick return average is seventh in the NJAC. Maeweather is ninth intackles for a loss (7.0), while linebacker Anthony Brown is 10th (5.5).

The Mustangs are fourth in the conference in passing offense (199.7), pass efficiency (120.4) and punt return average (9.7). Morrisville State ranks sixth in total defense (371.5), rushing defense (162.7), pass defense (208.8) and kickoff return average (19.9).

Last week the Profs set the school mark for most points scored in a game and tied the record for most touchdowns scored by rushing and passing with 10. Rowan also topped the marks for most yards gained (653), most yards gained rushing (432) and most rushing TDs (6). DelleDonne set the school record for most yards gained by a tight end in a game (69) and tied the mark for most catches by a tight end (4). Getsinger tied the Rowan records for most PAT attempts (10) and most PATs made in a game (9).

Wilczynski leads the NJAC in rushing (110.8) and scoring (12.0). He is second in pass efficiency (150.7), third in total offense (282.8) and all-purpose yards (110.8) and sixth in passing (172.0). Leafey is sixth in rushing (66.8) and 10^th in all-purpose yards (86.2). Getsinger is tied for second in field goal percentage (80.0), tied for third in field goals (0.8), third in PAT percentage (92.6) and fourth in scoring (7.4). Safety Mike Barone leads the conference with four interceptions and he is fourth in passes defended (1.2).

Morrisville has only one win, a 25-17 victory against Western Connecticut. The Mustangs are near the bottom of most statistical categories in the NJAC, and are very similar statistically to Western Connecticut. The question for Saturday is what will Morrisville try to take away. Last week, the Colonials attempted to stay in coverage and defend the pass. When they did that, Wilczynski ran wild on the spread out defense. I don’t think the Mustangs will be able to effective shut down one part of the Rowan offense without turning the other part loose.

The Profs defense has demonstrated superior speed over its opponents this year. I expect more of the same on Saturday. We should see significant substitutions in the second half again, as Rowan pulls away early.