Football wraps up 2017 season
By Greg Patuto | Published by Jan. 29, 2018
Charles App looks for an open receiver to throw to. Photos by Larry Levanti
The Kean University football team wrapped up their season on Nov. 11 with a 28-27 loss to Rowan University. This brought their overall record to 4-6 and their conference record to 4-5.
Throughout the season, Kean played a tough schedule which included games against nationally ranked Springfield College, Wesley College and Frostburg State University.
Kean was able to pick up conference wins against Southern Virginia University, TCNJ, Christopher Newport University and a shutout victory over William Paterson University on homecoming.
The Cougars finished with 12 all-conference selections including senior Darin Hungerford who was named the Sam Mills Defensive Player of the Year in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Hungerford finished the season with 124 tackles, 80 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Senior David Jimerson II joined Hungerford on the first team defense as senior Brian Matthews and junior Chris Vurchio were first team offensive selections. Senior Damian Corredor was the final first team selection in the special teams category.
Darin Hungerford chases down the ball carrier looking to make a tackle. Photos by Larry Levanti
Seniors Charles App, Ben Guarino and Dante Focarelli were selected to the second team offense and junior Nick Sachs was the lone selection for second team defense.
Honorable mention selections were seniors Marquis Oliver and Chris Weber and junior Kyle Rooney.
“For the other nine coaches in our conference to recognize our student- athletes is very rewarding,” head football coach Daniel Garrett said. “This is only the second time in program history that we had the defensive player of the year awarded to one of our guys. All players were deserving of all-NJAC.”
The Cougars will be losing a lot of key players this year. Now that the season is over, the coaching staff will begin to fill those holes but Garrett says it is impossible.
“This group was special, you can’t replace them you can only hope that people will follow in their footsteps and the legacy they left behind,” Garrett said. “Recruiting will be the same as it is every year. We want good people who want to go to school and who want to play football; I want good people in this program.”
Despite the 4-6 record, the Cougars were able to stay together as a team. Returning players gained experience they can use for next season as well.
It is easy for a team to lose their composure when things are not going their way, but with Kean that was not an issue.
“This season was frustrating for everyone but I am extremely proud of this group,” Garrett said. “Our locker room is what kept our team headed in the right direction each and every week. We take great pride in our culture that we have established here.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.