Saturday, October 26, 2013

WIDENER FOOTBALL ROLLS TO 59-14 VICTORY OVER FDU-FLORHAM

Chester, PA – Widener put up 42 points in the opening half and the defense once again played solidly in a 59-14 Middle Atlantic Conference win over FDU-Florham at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium.

A mere 32 seconds was needed for Widener to open a 7-0 lead.  One play after catching an 11-yard pass, junior Couve LaFate (Wilmington, DE/Henderson) rushed the ball down the right sideline 44 yards for a score and his third rushing touchdown of the year.


The running game again played a key role on Widener’s next scoring drive thanks to sophomore Richard Brown (Trenton, NJ/Conwell-Egan Catholic).  He had the last five carries on the 70-yard march that included a two-yard plunge for a 14-0 lead with 3:31 remaining in the period and his team-leading fifth rushing touchdown of the season.

The second quarter was more of the same as Widener put away the contest.  Robert Getz (Kunkletown, PA) barreled in from one yard early in the stanza and fellow sophomore Colby McMaster (New Oxford, PA) added a two-yard burst with 10:39 left for a 28-0 margin.

Though Widener’s defense had another outstanding game, it was breached with 6:10 to play in the half when Craig Kimbrough ended a 79-yard drive with a two yard run for a 28-7 margin.

That merely was an interruption of the Pride’s solid afternoon.  Freshman Seth Klein (Wernersville, PA) hit junior All-America Anthony Davis (Upland, PA/Chester) on an eight-yard pass to start the next drive and then connected with him on a 52-yard touchdown strike for a 35-7 Widener lead.

The Pride then got a fortuitous break with 91 seconds remaining in the half.  Klein’s pass over the middle was deflected by a Devils linebacker and hauled in by freshman Blaine Price (Jefferson, MD) for a 16-yard score and a 42-7 halftime margin.

This culminated a half in which the Pride owned a decisive 412-192 edge in total offense, amassed a 22-10 advantage in first downs and limited the Devils to just 76 yards rushing.

Klein, who only played in the first half, completed 22-of-24 passes for 276 yards.  This gives him 200 completions on the season, just the sixth player in school history to reach this.

Sophomore Ryan O’Hara (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) booted a 32-yard field goal early in the third quarter for a 45-7 margin.  After Sean Titus (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Catholic) returned an interception 21 yards to the FDU 10 yard line, fellow freshman Rashon Sorrell (Port Norris, NJ/Millville) ran one in on the next play for a 52-7 contest.

Anthony Ognibene had a one-yard touchdown run for the Devils and senior backup quarterback Michael Thompson (Massapequa, NY) followed suit for the Pride to end the scoring.

Davis had all of his production in the first half, getting five receptions for 101 yards.  He moves into fifth in school history with 158 career receptions and fifth with 2,427 career receiving yards.

LaFate ended with nine carries for 69 yards for the Pride, who closed with a 609-318 edge in total offense and were playing the Devils one week after notching their 666th win in program history.

Sophomore Vaughn Nichols-Taylor (Newark, DE) and junior Brandon Harper (Blackwood, NJ/Highland) had five tackles each for Widener, which allowed just 156 rushing yards.

Michael Santos completed 19-of-32 passes for 162 yards and Mike Mancino amassed 12 tackles for FDU-Florham (1-6, 0-6 MAC).

Widener (5-2, 5-1) now is in a three-way tie for first place in the MAC with Lebanon Valley and Lycoming.  All three teams already have played each other and are 1-1 in the mini season.

The Pride are on the road next Saturday at Albright, starting at 1:00 pm.