LaSalle Explorers vs. The College of New Jersey Lions
Saturday, September 20, 2003—Lions’ Stadium, Ewing NJ
FINAL SCORE:LaSalle 28-TCNJ 27
Records after the Game: LaSalle (1-2), TCNJ (2-1)
LaSalle’s Second Half Heroics Stymies Lions, 28-27 as Marynowitz Stars
Ewing, NJ…LaSalle University’s sophomore quarterback Ed Marynowitz (Coral Springs, FL/Pope John Paul II) engineered a 28-27 win over The College of New Jersey in football on Saturday night in the first ever meeting of these two clubs. After the Lions had a 24-7 halftime lead, the Explorers reeled 21 second half points to hand the No. 24 ranked Lions a 28-27 loss, their first of the year. With the win, LaSalle improves to 1-2, while TCNJ drops to 2-1.
Marynowitz finished the game with 331 passing yards with two touchdown passes. The first a 78 yard strike to sophomore wide receiver John Zabel (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. Hebron) to put the Explorers on the scoreboard after the Lions capitalized on their first possession. With 6:02 left in the first quarter, the game was tied 7-7 after the Lions scored first at 12:31 as sophomore Leeaire Brown (Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro) rushed in for s 21 yard score.
The Lions would lead 24-7 at the half, only to watch that lead gradually slip away. The only points the Lions would manage in the second half was a 35 yard field goal by sophomore kicker Blake Abbot (Rumson, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven). Abbot would later miss a 30 yard field goal in the fourth quarter (4:57 left) that would have been the game winner for the Lions.
In the fourth quarter, freshman back Josh Brumfield (Chester Springs, PA/Owen J. Roberts) added back to back scores at 13:55 and 3:38 to put his Explorers in the lead after a one yard and a 36 yard scamper. He would net 37 yards on the night on just four carries, while junior Ken Triboletti (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) netted 80 yards on 10 carries.
TCNJ’s senior running back Jon Hedgepeth (Lower Egg Harbor, NJ/Holy Spirit) racked up a career-best 130 rushing yards on 27 carries with a score. The effort was his second career 100 yard rushing performance after gaining 100 yards in week one as the Lions defeated Norwich, 28-17. Brown picked up a career-best 49 yards as well on 11 carries as the Lions had 239 rushing yards and 216 passing yards.
TCNJ’s senior quarterback Bob Schurtz (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) finished the night with a 15-27 effort for 216 yards with one TD, while also being sacked twice. Schurtz added another TCNJ passing record to his growing resume as he surpassed the program’s career complete pass mark with his first throw of the game. He surpassed the mark set by Pete Harteveld's (1995-97) as he entered the game tied with his him for 281 completed passes. His first strike of the game was a 34-yard completion to senior tight end Joe Franzone (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood). By game’s end, Schurtz would up his career total to 296 completed passes.
Franzone netted 81 yards receiving on four catches as the Lions racked up 430 yards of total offense and the Explorers had 513 yards as well.
LaSalle’s junior linebacker Jason Zurn (Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) racked up 16 tackles with a key sacks for minus six yards to lead his team on defense. Senior Ronald Carthon (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) added 14 hits as well, while senior defensive back Kevin Smith (Philadelphia, PA/Conwell Egan) added 12 stops.
TCNJ’s junior linebacker James Smith (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Township) had a career night for the Lions as he had nine hits with two coming for a loss, while Steven Vogt (Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean Township) and Scott Paterson (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) each added eight tackles. Junior lineman Michael Sykes (Absecon, NJ/Holy Spirit) added two sacks for the Lions to up his team-leading total to six.
The game, which was originally scheduled for Friday, September 19 was postponed due to a power outage on TCNJ’s campus that sent the campus into darkness the entire day after high winds from Hurricane Isabel moved through the area. This marks the second time the Lions have had a Friday night football contest effected by a hurricane, the last in 1999 as Floyd changed the game date as the Lions faced William Paterson.
TCNJ will be in action again next week facing another first-time foe as they travel to the University of Southern Virginia (Buena Vista, VA) for a game on September 27. LaSalle travels to Duquesne for a MAAC contest also on Saturday.
 Box Score
