Sep 02, 2023
UNION, N.J. – For the second time in as many seasons, SUNY Morrisville football opened the season slate with a 10-point victory over Kean University, this time picking up a 24-14 win on the road in Union, New Jersey.
THE BASICS:
- Final Score: Morrisville 24, Kean 14 (halftime: Morrisville 17-0)
- Location: Kean Alumni Stadium, Union, N.J.
- Records: Morrisville 1-0, Kean 0-1
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Visiting SUNY Morrisville football posted a first half shut out over host Kean University Saturday afternoon in Union, New Jersey, en route to a 24-14 season opening win for a second time in as many seasons over the Cougars.
- Morrisville came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, outgaining the Cougars 356-to-179 yards total offense on the day, while dominating possession of the ball with nearly 37 minutes time.
- A majority of the Mustangs offensive game came in the air raid to its receiving unit, with senior quarterback Steven Frerichs (Wilson, N.Y.) connecting on 18-of-29 passes for 235-yards and two touchdown scores.
- Six of those went to fellow senior Jarrell Chaney (Albany, N.Y.) who added 97 yards and a score to his first outing in 2023, with another 77-yards on four-receptions to sophomore Xavier Gaines (Pomona, N.Y.).
- Joey Chirurgi (Yonkers, N.Y.) added 30-yards on three receptions.
- Morrisville collected 121-yards in the running game, Frerichs leading the way with 52-net yards and a score on 16 attempts.
- Jordan Eveillard (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 32, with a long scramble of 12, on seven attempts, while Chaney added to his offensive total with 22 yards gained.
- Kean's Robbie Nungesser completed 11-of-32 passes for 83 yards and two scores, while adding 57 on the ground in 10 attempts.
- Anthony Summey had 24 rushing yards on nine carries.
- Evan Salvaggio (Geneseo, N.Y.) led the Mustangs defense with nine total stops, including a pass break up, while fellow defensive back Omar Jarvis (Rochester, N.Y.) added five.
- Barrett Masi (New Windsor, N.Y.) picked up five in his collegiate debut at linebacker while Darrius Fulton (Rochester, N.Y.) and Joshua Williams (Yonkers, N.Y.) each collected four alongside two pass breakups by Williams.
- Gabe Robles and Nick Sura led the defensive efforts with eight stops for the Cougars.
- The Mustangs had a quick three-and-out series on their opening drive, but the defensive unit returned the favor on the ensuing host possession, limiting Kean to just three plays without allowing the Cougars to move downfield.
- Morrisville found their rhythm on their next possession, as Frerichs connected with Chirurgi for a 10-yard gain, before hitting the junior wide out a third time later in the drive on a 14-yard pass play to midfield.
- Frerichs then connected with Chaney for a 45-yard gain into the red zone, where he capped off the seven-play, 79-yard drive with the dump to Ed-Son Jean Baptiste for the 6-0 lead.
- Owen Cole (Maspeth, N.Y.) completed the point after for a 7-0 visitor lead.
- Kean attempted to generate an offensive game on two more possessions throughout the opening quarter but were limited by the Mustangs defense to just 17-yards total offense, 16 of which came on a drive that started at the 4:09 mark of frame and ended with a punt.
- Morrisville carried a late first quarter drive into the second, where Frerichs hit Gaines with the long ball for 44-yards, bringing the Mustangs down to the Kean one.
- Cole added to his point total on the day with a 19-yard field goal, extending the Mustangs lead to 10-0 to compete the 86-yard scoring drive.
- Morrisville headed into the locker room with a 17-0 lead, adding to their total late in the quarter with a 31-yard strike from Frerichs to Chaney.
- Kean struggled to move the ball against the Mustang defense in the first half, mustering 39-yards total offense across seven drive attempts.
- Kean put together their longest drive of the contest early in the third to get on the board, capping off the 10-play, 80-yard drive with the four-yard toss from Nunsegger to Summey, cutting the Mustang lead to 10.
- After the Mustangs defense limited Kean to just nine-yards across two drives, Frerichs gave Morrisville a spark heading into the final quarter of play with a 10-yard rushing gain, before hitting Gaines on a 20-yard strike to advance the ball to the Kean 24.
- Alex McBurnie (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pounded the ball towards the goal line on three straight plays, picking up 14 yards rushing, before Frerichs snuck in for a score on the quarterback keep behind the line to regain the 17-point lead.
- Kean made a mid-quarter push in an effort to get back into the contest after scoring on a 14-yard pass play from Nungesser to Bryant and attempted to regain possession with an on-sides kick attempt, but Chad McBurnie (Brooklyn, N.Y.) snagged the ball at midfield where Morrisville chipped away time on the clock keeping the ball on the ground to collect the win.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- Morrisville returns to the road next Saturday, traveling to Hobart College for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Geneva.
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