Morrisville State football drops to #19 Kean, 23-16

Nationally ranked #19 Kean University posted the 26-13 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) victory over visiting Morrisville State College football Saturday afternoon in Union, New Jersey, behind a 157 yard rushing and two touchdown performance by Darius Kinney.



Morrisville State drops to 1-6 overall, 1-5 in conference play, while the Cougars improve to 6-1, 5-1 in NJAC action.



The Mustangs outgained Kean offensively, recording 370 yards total offense to the Cougars 320, fueled by quarterback Lemar Johnson (Ossining, NY) who tallied 197 yards in the air on 14-of-34 passes while adding 128 yards on the ground. Johnson connected five times with wide receiver Nate McConnell (Buffalo, NY) for 76 yards and a score, while hitting Josh Powell (Yonkers, NY) twice for 65 yards.



Defensively, TJ Barnaba (Marcy, NY) and Terrance Parson (Poughkeepsie, NY) each posted five solo stops to lead the Mustangs, with Austin Erlwein (Jeffersonville, NY) collecting an interception.



Kinney led Kean on the ground with 157 yards on 13 carries, including a 55-yard scoring run with 4:57 to go in the first quarter to give the Cougars the 7-0 lead.



Early in the second quarter, Tom D'Ambrisi hit Kinney for a 20-yard passing score to increase the Cougar lead to 13-0 heading into the break. D'Ambrisi completed 14-of-23 passes for 120 yards and two scores on the day.



In the third, Billy Daniels kicked a 40-yard field goal extending the lead to 16, but Morrisville State responded on the ensuing drive with a 26-yard passing score from Johnson to McConnell to complete the eight play, 75 yard drive to put the Mustangs on the board.



Daniels added a 27 yard field goal with less than four minutes to go in the quarter to regain the 13 point lead, and D'Ambrisi connected with TJ Denehy midway through the fourth for the commanding 26-6 advantage.



With less than five to go in the contest, Morrisville State added a final score as Earl Snead (Wappinger Falls, NY) capped off the nine play, 66 yard drive with a six yard scoring run.



Morrisville State returns to the field next Saturday, traveling to William Paterson for a noon kickoff.