By Anthony Caruso
Staff Writer
The College’s football team has now won two straight games. This Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, the Lions defeated the William Paterson University Pioneers, a New Jersey Athletic Conference competitor, 20-17, on the road at Wightman Stadium.
The Lions improved to 2-5 on the season, while William Paterson dropped to 2-6. The College’s conference record also improved to 2-4, while the Pioneers dropped to 1-6.
Junior quarterback Michael Marchesano went five for seven on passing for 58 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while sophomore quarterback Trevor Osler went two for eight on passing for three yards. William Paterson’s quarterback, junior Anthony DiMarsico, went 28 for 45 on passing for 308 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
The College’s senior running back Victor Scalici had 134 yards on 25 carries and sophomore running back Khani Glover had 48 yards, while their teammates had 26 yards total or less all game.
DiMarsico led William Paterson in rushing with 118 yards on 10 carries and the Pioneers’ junior running back Malcolm Robinson had 86 receiving yards while senior wide receiver Mike Vannucci added 69.
Marchesano hit sophomore tight end Chase Vena for a 20-yard touchdown — his first college career touchdown — for the early lead. The extra point attempt by sophomore kicker Brian Nagy failed.
William Paterson kicker, freshman Nick DeAngelis, connected on a 44-yard field goal to cut the Lions’ lead, 6-3. DiMarsico threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Pioneers’ junior running back Malcolm Robinson in the third, as William Paterson led 10-6.
The Lions struck back in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, as both of the Lions’ running backs scored. Glover scored on a four-yard run, bringing the College’s lead up 13-10 and Scalici also added a seven-yard run, increasing the lead to 20-10.
With 5:25 left, DiMarsico broke loose for a 67-yard run for a touchdown, minimizing the score to 20-17.
The College’s defense came up big in the final seconds of the game. On a fourth-and-goal attempt from the Lions’ nine-yard line, DeAngelis attempted a field goal with nine seconds remaining.
Seconds after the ball was snapped, sophomore defensive lineman Troy Domenick blocked the kick and helped seal the victory for the Lions.
With a two-game win streak under their belt, the team returns to Lions’ Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, to face off against another NJAC competitor, Southern Virginia University.
