Box Score Box score

Senior day insert

Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey football team played #23 Rowan University tough, but saw its four-game winning streak come to an end as the Profs downed the Lions 27-7.

TCNJ (5-5, 5-4 NJAC) battled Rowan hard, but four turnovers and a talented Prof defense did not permit the Lions to pull off the upset in their regular season finale. Rowan (9-1, 8-1 NJAC) earns a share of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship along with SUNY Cortland and possibly Montclair State University, depending on the outcome of their game against William Paterson.

The Lions jumped out to a 7-0 lead when senior co-captain Matthew Kreider (Delran, NJ/Delran) picked off a pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown at the 9:49 mark in the first quarter. It was Kreider's second touchdown this season.

Rowan, however, stormed back with 13 points in a 1:11 span in the second quarter, capitalizing on a fumble and an interception. Junior running back Steve Hevalow (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) ran for two of his three touchdowns on the day, taking the ball in from two yards and then four yards to stake the Profs with a 13-7 lead.

Trailing by just six points early in the third period, the Lions defense forced Rowan to punt from midfield. But an off-sides penalty on fourth down allowed the drive to continue. Quarterback Tim Hagerty (Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) then capped off a 15-play, 77-yard drive with a six-yard scoring strike to senior Justin Long (Sicklerville, NJ/Pennsauken). TCNJ was unable to recover and struggled to move the ball effectively in the second half.

The Lions, who entered the game leading the NJAC at plus-16 in the turnover margin, fell prey to their own strength as they coughed up a third fumble with 7:52 left in the game. Four plays later, Hevalow ran in his third score of the game from eight yards out Rowan to seal the game.

Greg Burns (Hamilton West, NJ/Hamilton) had an outstanding game on defense leading all players with 15 tackles (9 solo). The sophomore linebacker finished the 2010 season with 105 tackles, which ranks him seventh all-time in program history for tackles in a season, one behind Vinnie Dalli Cardillo who had 106 takedowns in 1993. Ex-Lion James Reilly holds the record for tackles in a season with 113 in 1996.

Kreider also had 13 tackles (5 solo), while junior linebacker Michael Lambert (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) finished with nine tackles in the game.

Junior quarterback James Donogue (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) and sophomore Nicholas Tyson (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Boro) led TCNJ in rushing with 35 yards each, while sophomore wide receiver Brian Mills (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) had a pair of catches for 25 yards.

Rowan sophomore running back Keith Corcoran (Atlantic City, NJ/St. Joseph Hammonton) led all rushers with 107 yards on 21 carries, while Hevalow rushed for 84 yards on 24 carries. Haggerty was 10-of-22 for 104 yards passing.

Senior defensive lineman Matt Hoffman (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Twp.) was a force on defense tallying seven tackles, two tackles for a loss of ten yards, and two forced fumbles. Senior defensive back Rocky Aliberti (Sewell, NJ/Clearview Regional) nabbed his fourth interception of the season and returned it 40 yards.

For the first time in his 34 years of coaching, Eric Hamilton completes his regular season with an overall .500 record at 5-5. It's the 26th season he's finished .500 or better in conference play (5-4).