CORTLAND, N.Y. – Rowan junior Withler Marcelin (Ocean Township, NJ) rushed for 245 yards and three touchdowns as the Profs defeated Cortland, 38-14, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) contest.
Marcelin scored on 54-yard and 75-yard runs in the first eight minutes of the first quarter and added a 28-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. He averaged 9.4 yards per carry on 26 attempts. Also for the Profs (2-2, 1-0 NJAC), junior quarterback Bill McCarty (Williamstown, NJ) completed 14-of-25 passes for 140 yards and two scores.
Russ Forchion (Clementon, NJ/Hammonton) caught six passes for 67 yards and a score and Warren Oliver (Palmyra, NJ) also caught a TD pass. Linebacker Darren Dungee (Morristown, NJ) led the Profs with 12 tackles and linebacker Tyler Jenkins (Woodbury, NJ) made 10 stops. Eddie Davis (Camden, NJ) recorded four pass breakups and Bobby Barbieri (Hammonton, NJ) intercepted a pass.
For Cortland (0-4, 0-2 NJAC), junior quarterback Lou Buschi (East Meadow) made his first start and passed for 135 yards and a touchdown. He completed 14-of-35 passes and also ran 13 times for 45 yards. Junior John Grassi (Oceanside) entered in the fourth quarter and went 11-for-21 passing for 78 yards and a score.
Junior Jack Delhunty (East Northport/Northport) caught seven passes for 81 yards and a TD and sophomore Jon Mannix (Elwood/John H. Glenn) had seven receptions for 35 yards and a score. Senior defensive end Gabe Ostrow (Nanuet) led the team with 11 tackles, two for losses, and junior defensive end Jake Ceresna (New Fairfield, CT) made 10 tackles, 2.5 for losses. Junior linebacker Matt Ambrose (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) finished with nine tackles, 1.5 for losses, and a forced fumble.
Marcelin opened the scoring with 8:52 left in the first quarter when he broke free up the middle for a 54-yard TD run. Rowan started its next drive on its own 25-yard line, and on the first play Marcelin again ran basically untouched up the middle for a 75-yard score and a 14-0 lead.
Cortland scored on its next possession when, on 3rd-and-15, Buschi hit Delahunty on a 48-yard TD pass down the left sideline and the Red Dragons trailed 14-7. Later in the quarter, however, McCarty connected with Forchion on a screen pass for a 42-yard TD and the Profs led 21-7 after one quarter.
The score stayed that way until the third quarter. Barbieri's interception on Cortland's first drive of the second half set up the Profs on the Cortland 44-yard line. Rowan eventually stalled at the 17-yard line and Tyler Knighton (Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) made a 34-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-7.
The Rowan advantage grew to 31-7 on Marcelin's 28-yard TD run with 10:02 left in the game. Later in the quarter, after Ambrose forced a fumble that Troy Beddoe (Endicott/Union-Endicott) recovered on the Rowan 41-yard line, Grassi led the Red Dragons to a scoring drive that was capped by his 5-yard pass to Mannix. After the extra point, Cortland trailed 31-14 with 7:54 remaining.
After the teams traded possessions, Rowan finished the scoring with a 5-play, 55-yard TD drive. Marcelin opened the drive with a 39-yard run and McCarty completed it with a 14-yard scoring pass to Oliver with 2:36 left.
Rowan outgained Cortland in total offense, 430-299, and held a 36:31-23:29 advantage in time of possession. Rowan punter Mark Diedrichsen (Wayside, NJ/Ocean Township) averaged 41.5 yards per punt on six kicks.
Cortland will play at The College of New Jersey next Saturday at noon, while Rowan hosts William Paterson Saturday at 1 p.m.