Rowan Football Back To Its Winning Ways With Victory Over TCNJ, 17-14

EWING, NJ – The Rowan University football team got back on the winning track after they edged The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) 17-14, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Saturday. The Profs move to 4-2 (3-2 NJAC) on the season, where the Lions drop to 0-6 (0-5). Rowan scored all 17 points in the first half en route to its victory over TCNJ. The Brown and Gold's first points came late in the opening quarter after the defense forced TCNJ back to its 2-yard line and a change of possession. After a run from running back John Mannion (sr. Verona, NJ/James Caldwell), quarterback Riley Giles (so. Deptford, NJ/Deptford Twp.) punched the ball in on a one-yard carry to take a 7-0 lead. Both teams went back and forth in the second frame before the Profs pulled away 14-0. Defensive back Travelle Curry (sr. Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech.) stepped up on defense when he intercepted a pass and returned it 63-yards to the end zone. On the next possession, the Lions threated Rowan by moving the ball into the red zone. Safety Malachi Winters intercepted the pass and took it 84-yards to the TCNJ 26. Rowan closed out the quarter when kicker Ethan McCarren (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) hit a 41-yard field goal post a 17-0 lead heading into halftime. The Lions battled back in the final half scoring 14 points to threaten the Profs. TCNJ's first score came when Quarterback Dave Jachera (fr. Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Twp.) found wide receiver Vinny Guckin (jr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill E.) for a seven-yard touchdown. Jachera connected with Guckin again in the fourth for a 14-yard score to now trail, 17-14. The Rowan defense locked down and stopped the Lions on their final three drives to hold onto the win. Giles completed seven of 13 passes for 62-yards. Mannion ran for 84-yards on 16 carries, while running back Messiah Divine (so. Trenton, NJ/Montgomery) rushed for 31-yards on 10 attempts. Linebacker Godwin Asamoah (sr. Edison, NJ/Edison), defensive back Joe DiBari (jr. Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) and defensive lineman David Gajderowicz (jr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) all registered six tackles. The Rowan football team travels back to Glassboro when it faces off against Wesley College on Saturday, Oct. 20, with kickoff set at 2 p.m.