Box Score

WINTERS LIFTS FDU-FLORHAM IN SEASON OPENER PAST TCNJ, 42-41; QUARTERBACK COMBINES FOR 415 YARDS ON THE NIGHT

FINAL SCORE: FDU-Florham 42; The College of New Jersey 41
FDU-Florham (1-0) vs. The College of New Jersey (0-1)
September 5, 2008; Robert T. Shields Stadium; Madison, NJ

Madison, NJ (9/5/08) – Opening night of the 2008 football season saw the Lions of The College of New Jersey and the Devils of FDU-Florham combine for the most combined points on opening day in TCNJ football history and by night's end, the two squads tallied 83 points, surpassing the old mark of 71 points in a 37-34 loss to Upsala in 1986. By game's end, the Devils triumphed 42-21, snapping a 7-game losing skid that finished the 2007 campaign and a 0-9 streak against the Lions in the series history.

FDU-Florham's junior quarterback Billy Winters (Brick, NJ/Brick) rushed for four touchdowns, threw for two others and netted 415 yards of total offense to lift his team to the victory. Senior kicker Michael Barnard (Easthampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) broke the 41-41 tie with his point after with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.

TCNJ rallied in the late fourth quarter to take a 41-35 lead as junior quarterback Chris James (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) hit junior wide receiver Cameron Richardson (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) from 13 yards out with 1:46 left to play.

After finishing 2007 with a 2-8 record and riding a seven-game losing skid, the Devils would snap both the losing streak from last season as well as their winless streak against The College of New Jersey as they posted the win at Robert T. Shields Stadium on opening night. A year ago, TCNJ, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs, tallied a 53-7 rout of FDU-Florham after limiting them to just 139 yards of total offense.

FDU-Florham took a 7-0 lead as junior quarterback Billy Winters (Brick, NJ/Brick) hit senior Rob Eck (Macungie, PA/Emmaus) from 75 yards out for the touchdown on his first pass of the night at 11:06 in the first quarter. TCNJ would tie the score at 10:37 when junior quarterback Chris James (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) connected with junior Colin Weber (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) from 54 yards out.

Winters broke the tie with a 48-yard scramble run that put the Devils back on top at 9:24.
Senior Zach Rinaldi (Burlington, NJ/Florence) returned a punt 88 yards to open scoring in the second quarter as the score was knotted at 14-14. The punt return for a score was the first of his career. A year ago, Rinaldi led the Lions with his 33 punt returns for 213 yards.

TCNJ's junior kicker, Marc Zucconi (Marlton, NJ/Holy Cross), a transfer from Louisville, hit a 34 yard field goal at 6:38, giving the Lions their first lead of the night.

Minutes later the Lions capitalized on a Devil miscue collecting a safety at 5:05.
After the two teams exchanged interceptions and fumble, Winters ran for another score, this time from 19 yards out and a point after from senior Michael Barnard (Easthampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) gave the Devils a 21-19 halftime lead.

The Devils racked up 251 yards of offense in the first half, while limiting TCNJ to 130 and held just a 1:10 edge in time of possession. Eck had three catches for 85 yards and a touchdown, while Winters was 8-13 with one interception and 149 passing yards at the break. James was 5-13 with 96 passing yards and a score and shared time under center with junior Bill Picatagi (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West).

After Winters once again struck for a score on his first play of the third quarter, a 41-yard strike to Eck at 14:37 in the third, the Devils mounted a 28-21 lead before Picatagi rushed in from 31-yards out to pull the Lions within two points. In the finals seconds of the third quarter, Winters rushed in from one yard out to cap a six-play, 23-yard drive after standing at 4th and 19 on the play.

Leading 35-26 at the start of the fourth quarter, Zucconi pulled the Lions within six after hitting a 30-yard field goal at 9:49. Junior running back Dave Popek (Wallington, NJ/Wallington) rushed for a 2-yard score after a key holding penalty spotted the Lions at the Devils' 2-yard line. Zucconi's point after try was blocked by senior tackle Kevin Hatcher-Puryear (Richmond, VA/North Plainfield) leaving the score knotted at 35-35 with 6:57 left to play in the contest.

TCNJ rallied in the late fourth quarter to take a 41-35 lead as junior quarterback Chris James (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) hit junior wide receiver Cameron Richardson (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) from 13 yards out with 1:46 left to play. The Lions watched as FDU-Florham would make the most of their last possession and collect the win despite a valiant defensive effort.

For the game, James was 13-25 for 185 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns, while adding 55 rushing yards on 16 carries. Junior Mark Gardner (Flemington, NJ/Bishop Dunne, TX) added a career-high 51 yards receiving on five catches, while junior Jeff deZutter (Bedminster, NJ/Bernards) added 63 yards on four catches.

Winters was 17-30 passing for 272 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 143 yards with four touchdowns in the game.

On defense for the Lions, junior Paul Mychalczuk (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) led the team with his seven tackles, a pair of fumble recoveries, and two pass breakups, while junior tri-captain Marc Fabiano (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) also added seven stops with 2.5 sacks for -20 yards.