BUFFALO, NY (Buffalo State Media Release) —Wet weather and wind gusts in excess of 40 miles-per-hour helped ground both offensive attacks, but big plays on defense and special teams catapulted William Paterson (4-4/3-4) to a 33-7 win over host Buffalo State (1-7/1-6) in an NJAC contest today at Coyer Field.
The Pioneers pulled away, scoring 26 points in the final 17:33 of the game and limited Buffalo State to just 52 yards of total offense.
Matt Marshall (Burlington, NJ/Burlington City) managed the Pioneers’ offense, going 11 for 22 for 136 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Marcus McKinney (Paterson, NJ/JFK) led the ground attack with 22 carries for 74 yards and two scores, and Dawys German (N. Arlington, NJ/N. Arlington) had 13 carries for 64 yards and a score. Keith Sayball (Milford, CT/Foran) anchored the Paterson defense with nine tackles and two sacks.
Buffalo State was unable to complete a single pass on the day as Ryan Lehotsky (N. Royalton, OH/N. Royalton) was 0 for 10 with an interception. Matt Pacana (N. Tonawanda/N. Tonawanda) led the Bengals defense with 16 tackles. Joseph Perez (Corning/Corning West) added 10 stops, and Eddie Weiser (Grand Island/Grand Island) had eight tackles and his fourth interception of the season.
Buffalo State jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, taking advantage of a short field after a Pioneers’ punt, scoring on a 5-yard quarterback keeper by Lehotsky.
William Paterson evened the score at 7-7 in the second quarter with a 25-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Bruce Katkowski (Saddlebrook, NJ/Paramus Catholic) from Marshall. The Pioneers kept the drive alive converting on a fourth-and-17, picking up 19 yards on a screen pass to McKinney.
Buffalo State had a great drive start late in the third quarter, beginning on the Paterson 20, but the Pioneers reversed their fortune with an 89-yard interception return to the Bengals’ 1 yard line by German Decena (Union City, NJ/Emerson). McKinney punched it in on the next play.
Hadxian Matthews (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) blocked a punt on the Bengals’ next possession and Paterson was in business again with a drive start at the Buffalo State 13. McKinney registered his second 1-yard touchdown run of the day just five plays later pushing the lead to 20-7.
The Pioneers added another touchdown with an 18-yard strike from Marshall to Joel Rivera (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) midway through the fourth quarter, and Paterson completed the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run by German.
Buffalo State will travel to Morrisville State next Saturday for a noon kickoff.
