BUENA VISTA, VA – The Rowan University football team registered the first 17 points of the contest and did not look back on the way to a 17-7 triumph at Southern Virginia University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Saturday.
It was the first-ever trip to SVU for the 24th-ranked Profs, who improved to 5-1 overall and 4-1 in the conference. The Knights are 1-5 with a 0-5 NJAC mark.
Running back Gawain Bragg (jr. Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Twp.) led Rowan with 139 yards and two scores on just 19 carries. Running back Anthony Diorio (so. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) added 53 yards on 13 attempts. Quarterback Dante Pinckney (jr. Lawnside, NJ/Haddon Heights) completed four passes for 39 yards and wide receiver Dashown Waller (jr. Somers Point, NJ/Mainland Reg.) had three receptions for 30 yards.
Linebacker Ryan Brenner (sr. Northfield, NJ/Mainland Reg.) had a team-high 10 tackles and also forced a fumble. Defensive linemen Anthony Rizzolo (sr. Green Brook, NJ/Watchung Hills Reg.) and Kevin Stokes (so. Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) notched nine tackles apiece. Stokes totaled two tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
For Southern Virginia, quarterback Ty Jones (fr. Kamas, UT/Snow College) ran for 78 yards on 19 carries and also completed three passes for 25 yards. Running back Malakai Solovi (fr. Rose Park, UT/East) rushed five times for 46 yards and a touchdown. Running back Michael Frye (sr. Reston, VA/James Madison) added 46 yards rushing on nine attempts.
Defensive back Neil Davis (fr. Salem, UT/Snow College) led the Knights with 10 tackles while defensive back Mitch Orme (fr. Firth, ID/Idaho State) and linebacker Marcos Garcia (so. Pleasant Grove, UT/Snow College) each had eight stops. Defensive lineman Ty Clegg (fr. Kamas, UT/South Summit) recorded seven tackles with one sack.
In the opening quarter, Southern Virginia moved the ball to the Rowan 31 yard line. On third and one, Jones' pass was incomplete then Jones fumbled on a fourth down play and the Profs took over on downs. The Profs advanced to the SVU 35 but Pinckney's third down pass was incomplete and Rowan was forced to punt.
Rowan's first drive of the second stanza started at its own 43. On third and four from the Profs 49, Diorio had a five-yard run for a first down. Pinckney followed with a 24-yard scamper to the SVU 22. Diorio took the ball to the 11 but Rowan managed just four yards on the next three plays and had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Knighton (jr. Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) and a 3-0 lead.
With 1:35 to go before halftime, the Knights took over at their own 22. On the first play of the drive, Stokes stripped Jones and recovered the fumble at the 21. Bragg then had three consecutive rushes, with the final carry for a three-yard touchdown and Knighton's extra point made the score 10-0 heading into the intermission.
The Profs forced a Southern Virginia punt on the Knights' first drive of the third quarter. Rowan started at its own 21 and Pinckney hit Waller for a 29-yard gain on the second play. Bragg followed with his second score of the day, a 48-yard sprint to the end zone. Knighton's point after gave the Profs a 17-0 advantage with 5:41 to go in the period.
Southern Virginia responded with a 15-play, 89-yard scoring drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Solovi. The extra point made the score 17-7 with 13:01 to go in the contest. The Rowan defense forced a punt and made a fourth down stop on the final two drives by the Knights to finish off the win.
The Profs return home to host conference foe Wesley College on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.