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(04/10/19 7:00pm)
By Maximillian Burgos
Staff Writer
In partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the College sponsored the “Out of the Darkness” campus walk on Sunday, April 7 at 10 a.m. in Alumni Grove. The walk showed support for those who have lost loved ones to suicide, as well as anyone struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts.
Representatives from AFSP attended the walk to deliver a message of unity, educate students and support the grieving community. The goal of the organization is to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide by 20 percent by the year 2025, according to its website.
President Kathryn Foster and Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Sean Stallings gave supportive remarks before the walk began.
“We recognize that suicide is the leading cause of death for young people,” Foster said. “We have an ethical responsibility to take a proactive approach to help prevent suicide and (promote) mental health awareness. We also recognize that we all play a key role in creating an environment that provides support and promotes healthy development.”
Participants included members of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, who took charge in fundraising. The group raised more than $3,500 in support of the cause.
The sisters also had a strong social media presence leading up to the walk in remembrance of Jenna DiBenedetto, a treasured member of the sorority who died earlier this year.
The College as a whole had raised $12,411, which more than doubled its goal of $5,000.
“I think that it is really important to see all the people here today,” said Dixita Malatesta, a learning specialist in the Disability Support Services department at the College. “Everyone here knows that this is an important cause that impacts everyone. To be out and support those who have been affected by suicide through the loss of a loved one and support those who have had thoughts of suicide is absolutely an important thing.”
Many participants wore different colored beads to show how suicide has affected their lives, whether through the loss of a loved one or through their own personal struggle.
Dan Martinez, a senior interactive multimedia major, opened up about his personal struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts.
“The way I climbed out of my darkness is different than most,” Martinez said. “I had a wake-up call during intense therapy and self-reflection. I realized that in order for things to change, I needed to proactively make them change. We can try and help people as much as we can, but the most important thing is to show them the value to life and help them move proactively toward that realization.”
(11/13/18 2:49am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The football team traveled to Buena Vista, Virginia to face Southern Virginia University for its last game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 10. The Lions won 33-30 in a thrilling back and forth affair –– they scored in the final minute of the game to pull ahead and win.
Freshman quarterback Dave Jachera’s abilities were on full display the entire game. Jachera, who ran 69 yards, passed for 196 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, led the Lions down the field in the fourth quarter to help capture the lead and win the game.
Head coach Casey Goff was proud of his player’s performance.
“Dave did a hell of a job for us,” Goff said. “His decision making and playmaking were on full display. Really his best complete game this season.”
The game started as a shootout, but did not end that way. The only scoring that took place in the first quarter was a safety. Both teams struggled to find footing in the game by trading punts and struggling to gain any yardage on drives.
Junior punter Zach Warcola managed to pin Southern Virginia down at the three-yard line with a tactful booming 50-yard punt. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Southern Virginia’s running back was bottled up in the endzone after recovering his own fumble, putting two points on the board for the Lions.
The Lions scored again early in the second quarter. After a shanked punt from Southern Virginia, the Lions were set up in Southern Virginia territory to start the drive. Freshman running back Colin Tong gashed the defense with a 33-yard run to start the drive, putting the Lions in the red zone. Two plays later sophomore quarterback Andrew Donoghue threw a dart to junior wide receiver Vinny Guckin, which put the Lions out to 9-0 lead.
Southern Virginia answered with a 40-yard field goal on its next drive and would later score a touchdown with less than four minutes to go in the half, tying the score 9-9 after missing the extra point. The Lions again moved the ball later in the second quarter and by punting the ball back to Southern Virginia with 2:08 to go in the half.
Southern Virginia capitalized by gashing the Lions’ defense with a 56 yard rush for a touchdown. The Lions answered the score with a field goal, making the score 16-12 going into the half.
On a long 14-play 55-yard drive deep into the third quarter, the Lions clawed their way into the end zone. Freshman running back Mark Pacini and Jachera’s legs were both utilized on the drive into the Southern Virginia redzone. Donoghue also contributed on the drive with his legs and also connected on a pass to wide receiver Jack Clevenger. Jachera was the one to cap off the drive with a three-yard rush for a touchdown, reclaiming the lead for the Lions.
“We took advantage of what they were giving us,” Goff said. “The offensive coaches did a great job making adjustments and it showed.”
In the final quarter, Southern Virginia scored first, putting the score at 23-19. Two drives later, Jachera hooked up with Clevenger for a 90-yard touchdown pass. Clevenger ran away from the defense, stretching the score out to 26-23 and reclaiming the lead for the Lions.
“The plan was definitely to get into the endzone,” Goff said. “I was nervously confident. Our offense answered the call all day. When plays needed to be made, they made them. Really that was the case defensively as well. We didn’t have a great day on defense, but when a play needed to be made, they made it.”
Jachera completed five passes on the final drive for the Lions, finding senior running back Connor Owen and Clevenger multiple times on the drive. Jachera found Guckin to cap off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown, giving the ball to Southern Virginia with 37 seconds left on the clock. After the opposing team’s desperate hail mary attempts fell incomplete, the Lions celebrated the win.
Goff commented on what the win meant for the seniors on the team, especially the five that played football during all four of their years at the College.
“The win was great for the seniors,” said Goff. “It’s been a rough year and an even rougher four years for them. I’m just excited that their last memory in the blue and gold is a victory. And to win in that thrilling fashion just adds to it. Our kids never quit and I think that has been the case all year.”
(11/06/18 4:18am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
Calling Donald “Donny” Klein, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the College’s football team, larger than life is an understatement. Known as a hard worker with a contagious positive attitude, his death on Oct. 30 deeply impacted the campus community.
Klein died in a car accident on I-95 in the early morning on Oct. 30, when his Jeep Wrangler veered off the road and struck a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision, according to NJ.com.
“When we all heard the news, we were just heartbroken,” said senior offensive lineman Michael Garcia. “Everyone is still so heartbroken on the inside and our coaches kept telling us to simply win the day.”
The Lions may have lost their last home game of the season against Christopher Newport University on Saturday, Nov. 3, but they won the day at Lions Stadium.
They played their hearts out, but the pain from their loss was readily apparent. The offense struggled to keep a rhythm going, but they pushed, tackled and hustled their way to the last whistle.
“I think as an offensive line, it hit us the hardest,” Garcia said. “We spent every day, every second of football with him and it’s just crazy to think he is gone.”
The news deeply affected the team and shook it to its core. Despite the sudden tragedy, the team rose to the occasion. After all, there was still a game to practice for.
“We have never had a week like this,” said senior offensive lineman Ryan Signora. “Finding out the news on Tuesday was definitely a blow to the team’s morale. Just like every other week though, we had to focus on getting better and keep preparing for the upcoming opponent, and I think we did that. It acted as an outlet for the emotions they were feeling all week.”
When the football team’s Head Coach Casey Goff was asked to comment on Klein both as a person and a coach, he paused for a moment before he delivered a deeply heartfelt response.
“Donny was just an absolutely amazing guy — that’s all you really need to know about him,” Goff said. “His ability to connect with people and to put a smile on your face was uncanny. He just loved life. He loved coming to work every day. He loved coaching these kids everyday. He poured everything he had into it.”
Many people have reached out to offer their condolences to Klein’s family on social media. Not only does the campus community feel the loss, but so does Klein’s family and residents of Manasquan, where Klein played football and lacrosse and later worked as a coach for both teams.
Klein was most remembered for the energy he carried and his love of life itself. In the Asbury Park Press, Klein was described as an indomitable spirit and a force of nature. His passing left a clear void in the coaching room for the Lions.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been around a harder worker,” Goff said. “He never complained, things like that simply just never entered his mind. He just wanted to make sure that playing football was an experience that these kids enjoyed every second of because that’s how much he loved it, and I think that’s what we’ll take out of this. The guy was a technician. He was the best offensive line coach that I’ve even seen in terms of his ability to teach the position.”
Klein will forever be a part of the College’s football community, and his loss was an unfortunate reality for a football team already so battered by adversity. In the past four years, the team has had four straight losing seasons with three different head coaches and has been plagued by a high rate of injuries.
The team will take time to heal from this shocking loss, but they will be left better for having known and been coached by Klein, according to Goff.
“The thing is we are all going to carry a piece of him because of the type of person he was,” Goff said. “The type of coach, the type of friend, the type of father he was for everyone. He was just a special kind of dude. He’s the type of guy this sport needs right now. More people have to step up and coach the way he did, bringing the passion and the love that he did. I know that’s what we are going to miss, that smile every morning when he came in because he loved being here.”
(11/06/18 1:23am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The football team struggled at home against Christopher Newport University, losing 38-13 on annual Senior Day. This week was riddled with adversity for the Lions as they lost their beloved offensive lineman coach, Donny Klein. Nevertheless, the Lions took the field and played their hearts out.
“Coach said just win the day,” said senior offensive lineman Michael Garcia. “Just win the day. Just to be out there ready to compete means we’ve already won the day.”
The Lions received the ball first and drove the ball down the field. Freshman quarterback Dave Jachera hit junior wide receiver Jack Clevenger with a 47-yard bomb to get into the redzone on the fourth play of the drive. Fans erupted into cheers.
Newport’s defense held firm and kept the Lions out of the endzone, forcing the Lions to kick a field goal. Freshman kicker Alex DeLeo cashed in the chip shot field goal to give the Lions their only lead of the day.
Newport responded with a two-play 68-yard drive that ended in a touchdown. The first play was a dime over the middle to a wide open receiver and the second was a rainbow connection to a wide open receiver down the sideline. The Lions’ defense looked stilted.
“To be honest that was a damn good Christopher Newport football team,” said Head Coach Casey Goff. “They are doing a lot of good things, especially on the defense side of the ball and today their offense really stepped up. To be honest, a few of their guys, once you saw them in person, they were better than we anticipated.”
The Lions came back on their ensuing drive and tried to answer Newport’s big play ability with a score of their own. The drive was snuffed out, but the Lions were bailed out by a muffed punt, giving them the ball deep in Newport territory. The Lions tried to capitalize on the gaff, but were shut down by the imposing Newport defense.
The Lions shut down Newport’s next drive and made some more noise toward the end of the first quarter. Jachera evaded defenders, broke tackles and dashed 26 yards before the defense even knew what was coming. After a few plays that went nowhere, Jachera stepped up again, running for another 12 yards getting into the 10-yard line for his team. The Lions fizzled out and went backward before missing the field goal.
The team managed to force two turnovers before the half and kick another field goal, but Newport’s offensive aerial raid proved too much for the defense. Newport scored two touchdowns before the half, putting them ahead 21-6. The score before the half seemed to suck the life out of the Lions, as they took the field with a less than six seconds left to go in the half and with a little less pep in their step.
“When it was third and 15, I was battling with the decision to call the timeout or not,” Goff said. “I didn’t know if they were comfortable with letting the clock run down or not. I was like you know what? We are going to fight. We are going to go after this. So, I called the timeout. Unfortunately, it bit us in the butt and they scored. It is what it is, that’s the game of football.”
Newport came out of the half, gashing Lions left and right with long passing plays, putting the score out to 28-6. The Lions’ defense did seem to have more life in it as they tried valiantly to get after the quarterback and stop the bleeding, but it was not enough to quell the growing amount of yardage.
Sophomore quarterback Andrew Donoghue came into the game in the third quarter like a man on a mission. After a two-second gain up the middle on the ground, Donoghue uncorked a 48-yard missile to junior wide receiver Vinny Guckin, stunning Newport’s defense. On the next play, Donoghue found junior tight end Vince Ratamess for a 10-yard touchdown grab. That would be the last time the Lions would score.
Later in the quarter, Donoghue hooked up with Guckin again for another 19-yard gash through the air, but it was too little too late and Newport kept its foot on the gas pedal, scoring twice more before the game ended to push the score out to 38-13.
“This is what happens when you are dealing with a team that is still growing,” Goff said. “We had a couple of guys that we challenged early and they did eventually rise up to the challenge, but we got burned with things early on. I felt like we were prepared. I felt like we were ready to go. But I am going to be looking back and ask as a coaching staff what could we have done differently? What more could I have done? You should be thinking that after every loss, but this one was tough.”
Donoghue finished the game 10-for-16 with 132 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Jachera finished the game with a 76-yard passing, an interception and 45 yards rushing. Guckin had four catches for 81 yards while Clevenger had four grabs for 74 yards. Ratamess had three grabs for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Senior offensive lineman Ryan Signora reminisced on his time at the College playing football and felt nostalgic after playing his last home game.
“You really just have to take everything day by day,” Signora said. “You really don’t think about the coming but you should enjoy the time you have left. I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything. I loved my time here, I love the College, I love this team and I love the sport of football. I am grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give it all I got one last time.”
The Lions will conclude their season when they travel to Buena Vista, Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 14th for a game against Southern Virginia University.
(10/30/18 12:56am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The Lions marched to a 24-7 win over William Paterson University for a dominant homecoming victory.
The Lions were in the driver’s seat the entire game, dictating the tempo of the game on offense and shutting down the opposition on defense.
“It’s the first time we put together a complete football game,” said Head Coach Casey Goff. “It’s a win we need for our program. After the start we had, to be able to chain together two wins is huge.”
The Lions started the game with a 10-minute, 17-play drive for 80 yards. The team leaned on freshman rushing back Mark Pacini and freshman quarterback Dave Jachera during the drive. Pacini carried the ball six times, getting the Lions’ much needed yards between tackles.
The cherry on top of the soul-crushing drive was Jachera’s pass to junior wide receiver Vinny Guckin in the corner of the endzone for a seven-yard touchdown.
The defense dropped the hammer on William Paterson’s offense, who was able to squeak out two first downs. Senior linebacker Jesse Streb stepped up and destroyed William Paterson’s running back in the backfield, taking the momentum away from the offense and forcing a third and long. The Lions held up on third down and forced a punt.
“I think we started to progress defensively for real after the Montclair game,” Goff said. “We let the Rowan game get away from us on a couple of plays that we’d like to have back but we feel like we are progressing in the right way.”
The Lions got the ball back and fizzled out in William Paterson territory after some initial success on the team’s second drive.
William Paterson came out and immediately put itself in a bad position on the third down after throwing the ball away on first and getting stuffed in the backfield on second. On the third down, the defense swarmed the backfield, but in a play of sheer grit and athleticism, the William Paterson quarterback managed to complete the ball to one of his receivers who scored a touchdown on a 69-yard play.
The Lions answered on an ensuing drive, with Jachera getting it done both through the air and on the ground. In the drive, Jachera found junior tight end Vince Ratamess for a key 13-yard gain and a first down. Jachera then carved up the defense with a rush for 10 yards and then another for 30 yards, making defenders miss and shedding tackles along the way like a freight train off the tracks.
Unfortunately a few plays later, William Paterson picked off a pass intended for Guckin in the endzone, ending the spectacular drive.
William Paterson found a little bit of success on its third drive, but after trying a fake punt that was blown up in the backfield, the Lions were set up in great field position to score again. Jachera again used his legs to get the Lions down to the goal line, trucking and plowing through defenders. Pacini punched it in though on a five-yard run up the middle.
“Pacini is a workhorse,” Goff said. “He’s a real bright spot to watch play.”
Pacini carried the ball a total of 27 times for 94 yards and a touchdown. But it was Jahera who stole the show on offense for the Lions, rushing for 165 yards and a touchdown while also passing for 81 yards and another touchdown.
“The kid is special,” Goff said. “He is flat out a lot of fun to watch. He brings something different to the position to where we know if the pass isn’t there, he can tuck and go. He’s continuing to mature. I think he got a lot of maturity this week considering he had a rough go last week. For him to bounce back this week showed a lot.”
Despite his optimism, Goff hesitated to definitively say that he has found his man in Jachera to stand behind center.
“He is the guy we are going with right now,” Goff said. “He just had a phenomenal football game. So I’d say he’s our man right now.”
The Lions repeatedly dropped the hammer on William Paterson’s defense. Sophomore defensive back Jalen Harmon had two interceptions that ended William Paterson’s drives. He also had 59 yards in interception returns. Senior defensive linebacker and captain Max Busca also contributed to the Lions’ cause with a bone crushing sack, a clutch pass deflection and two tackles for losses.
Freshman kicker Alex DeLeo also made his mark on the game, kicking the Lions’ first field goal of the year in the third quarter to put the Lions up by 10.
In the fourth quarter, the Lions’ defense gave up a lot of ground to the William Paterson offense, which was trying to mount a comeback and capture its first win of the year. Time and time again, the defense seemed to fold, but stepped up in the red zone to keep them off the board.
“I’m still a little pissed at the defense for that last drive,” Goff said. “But to come back and knock that ball down in the end was big.”
The Lions return home to acknowledge the seniors on senior night on Saturday, Nov. 3, for a game against Christopher Newport University.
(10/25/18 6:15pm)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The football team lost to Rowan University in a heartbreaker 17-14 on Oct. 13, dropping its record to 0-5. This past weekend, however, the Lions pulled together a win against Kean University, 13-8, earning their first win of the year.
Both games were defensive struggles until the very end. Rowan’s defense shut the door on the Lions’ offense to end their potential comeback. Kean’s offense choked, allowing the Lions to pull ahead and achieve a win in the last minute of the game. In both games, the defense played much better than it had in weeks past, which Head Coach Casey Goff attributes to stability.
“For the first time in consecutive games we’ve been healthy,” Goff said. “This is the first multiple game span that we have had the same secondary each week.”
The Lions got off to a hot start against Rowan. Sophomore linebacker Gavin Liepe intercepted a pass in the red zone on the first drive of the game, but the heat was short-lived in the first half.
The Lions failed to score on their first drive, giving the ball right back to Rowan, who punched into the endzone, getting out to a 7-0 lead.
Before the half, Rowan intercepted an ill-advised pass by freshman quarterback Dave Jachera, putting its lead out to 14-0.
After the half, the Lions’ defense roared to life. Junior defensive lineman Erik Graham got a key sack on the opening drive on the half, setting up for junior linebacker Jeff Konzelman to tackle the punt deep in his own territory, giving the Lions a great field position.
Jachera picked the defense apart on the drive. He connected with freshman wide receiver Jaiden Elliot for a 10-yard completion on a critical third down play. Jachera later found junior Vinny Guckin for a seven-yard touchdown pass to put the Lions on the board with 4:38 to-go in the third quarter.
The Lions scored again on a 12-play 75-yard drive, cutting Rowan’s lead down to 17-14. On the drive, Jachera impressively converted a key third down with a 23-yard scramble that got the Lions deep into Rowan territory. On third and goal, Jachera again worked his magic scrambling all over the field, breaking tackles left and right, somehow keeping his balance and delivering a dime in the back of the endzone to Guckin.
A potential comeback was in the air, but Rowan’s defense did not bend much more in the end. Jachera finished out the day with 274 total yards, two touchdowns through the air and two interceptions. Junior wide receiver Jack Clevenger finished with six catches for 78 yards, Elliot finished with four catches for 54 yards and Guckin finished with five catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Goff discussed Jachera’s performance and development in the game against Rowan.
“Dave is an athletic freshman,” Goff said. “But he’s still a freshman. He’ll make a dynamic play and then one that makes you scratch your head, but that’s life with a freshman QB. What he brings consistently is a swagger, a confidence and an undeniable love of the game. The kid is just having a blast playing football and that’s contagious.”
Against Kean, the Lions’ defense again came out to play, shutting the door on Kean’s offense frequently and often, only allowing them to score eight points in the game.
To open the game, Jachera connected with Clevenger on a 46-yard bomb to put the Lions out to an early lead in the game with 9:07 to go in the first quarter.
After the first score in the game, both teams struggled to move the ball offensively. Kean’s only score came with a little less than 10 minutes to go in the first half. Kean blocked a punt from deep within the Lions’ territory and recovered it in the endzone. They converted a two-point conversion, taking the lead 8-7.
The defense had five sacks on the day, putting immense pressure on Kean’s passing game. Senior wide receiver and defensive back Ibn Bailey benefitted from that pressure and also made the difference in the game in the first half. On two drives where Kean made it into Lions territory, Bailey made two interceptions.
Goff spoke about Bailey’s transition from wide receiver to defensive back.
“He has been a big part of that stability in the secondary,” Goff said. “He’s done what’s asked, picked up quickly with the scheme and is making plays.”
The second half of the game was largely a defensive struggle. With less than three minutes left in the game, Graham made a clutch sack, ending Kean’s drive and forcing them to punt the ball. After a bad punt for Kean, the Lions were set up with a short field with two minutes to go in the game.
Sophomore quarterback Andrew Donoghue took the helm and drove the Lions into the endzone, finding Guckin for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Lions reclaimed the lead 13-8. Goff commented on Donoghue’s comeback drive.
“Andrew showed a lot of poise and maturity stepping in when his number was called and driving us down the field,” Goff said. “He showed the confidence we have been looking for from him.”
Kean tried to reclaim the lead with under a minute left to play. Trying to get too much on one play, Kean’s quarterback heaved a deep pass that was intercepted by sophomore defensive back Jalen Harmon. The game ended 13-8, giving the Lions their first win of the season.
“Build on the positives and keep improving,” Goff said. “It’s one win, we still have massive improvements that have to be made in every phase.”
The Lions return home to play William Paterson University Oct. 27th for their homecoming matchup.
(10/09/18 3:43am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The football team lost its third straight road game against Montclair State University this past weekend 28-0. The Lions fell to 0-5 as a result.
Montclair State entered the game with an undefeated record, and looked to stay perfect on the season. Montclair State’s defense seemed insurmountable in the first half, as the Lions only totaled 10 yards of total offense. The Lions didn’t record their first first-down until the third quarter.
Both teams had offensive struggles in the first half, as each team took turns punting the ball to each other. Out of the 14 total possessions in the first half by both teams, 10 of them ended with a punt, but Montclair did just enough to score 21 unanswered points in the half.
Montclair State made the game a 28-0 affair when it punched in the fourth touchdown late in the third quarter on a 10-play 83-yard drive that killed six minutes and 20 seconds of valuable time on the clock.
The Lions responded by having their best drive of the game, led by freshman quarterback Dave Jachera and junior running back Connor Owen. The Lions managed to get into Montclair State’s red zone after a 10-yard rush by Jachera, setting up first-and-goal for the Lions. On the next play, Montclair State halted the Lions’ drive and stripped the ball away from Owen to preserve the shutout.
The Lions played hard until the end. On the last play of the game, the team drove 66 yards on 10 plays and managed to get back into the red zone. After a few passes to the end zone that fell incomplete, it was too little too late.
There were a few bright spots for the Lions. Freshman running back Mark Pacini won his second Offensive Rookie of the Week award by the New Jersey Athletic Conference. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry for 29 yards on seven attempts for the Lions. Pacini ranks 12th in rushing within the conference. With this award, the football team has now earned six NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week awards.
On defense, freshman linebacker Sal Tardogno led the Lions with eight tackles. Sophomore linebacker Gavin Liepe totaled four tackles with two for losses.
Junior punter Zach Warcola continues to be the national leader in punting, averaging 39.5 yards on eight punts, two of which were for 50-plus yards and three landed inside the 20.
The Lions finally return home after a stretch of away games on Oct. 13 to play NJAC opponent Rowan University for a 6 p.m. start.
(09/25/18 4:00am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The football team traveled to Salisbury, Maryland this week, where they played Salisbury University in a lopsided game. Salisbury won 38-7, as the Lions dropped to 0-4 on the season.
To start the game, both teams scored on their opening drives. Salisbury scored first on a three-play drive ending in a quarterback run of 69 yards.
The Lions, unphased by the score, came back and sustained a 13-play 75-yard drive where sophomore quarterback Andrew Donoghue completed six passing attempts.
The drive ended with a 26-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Vinny Guckin. Guckin and freshman wide receiver Jaiden Elliot both caught two passes on the drive, helping the team get downfield. The Lions also had to convert a fourth-and-one play in order to kept the drive alive.
After this early, success, the Lions struggled to get more offense going. There were some glimmers here and there, but the Lions would not score again. Even with the struggles, head coach Casey Goff felt as if the team was getting closer to finding its identity.
“I think we are closer,” Goff said. “Now they just have to start believing they belong.”
In the first half, the Lions held Salisbury’s dangerous triple option to only 17 points, but in the second half, the Salisbury pulled away, scoring three more touchdowns.
Goff felt there were positives to pull out of the game. “We continue to fight and the young guys will continue to gain experience, both the good and the bad,” he said. “They can grow from all those things.”
The team excelled defensively. Freshman defensive back Michael Siwak intercepted a pass early in the third quarter and returned it for 29 yards, showing the Lions’ resilience on defense. Sophomore linebacker Gavin Liepe led the team with 11 tackles. Siwak and senior linebacker Max Busca both accumulated 10 tackles in the game.
Offensively, Donoghue had his best game statistically, going 17-for-25 for 159 yards and a touchdown through the air. Elliot led the team in receptions with eight for 55 yards. Junior wide receiver Jack Clevenger had five receptions for a team-high 69 yards and Guckin had four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown reception.
The Lions look to rebound after falling to 0-4 on Saturday Oct. 6, against Montclair State University. They will use the break from their bye week to rally the troops and begin the second part of their season.
“We rally them just like we did last year when we fell to 0-5,” Goff said. “The big difference is last year we had 16 seniors to help with that process, but we have leaders that are stepping forward. The bye is here at a great time.”
(09/18/18 4:53am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The football team faced Wesley College, ranked seventh in NCAA Division III football, on Friday, Sept. 14 in Dover, Delaware. The Lions were shut out 62-0, diminishing their overall record to 0-3.
“They (Wesley and Frostburg State University) are both top five caliber teams not just ranked,” said Head Coach Goff. “The positive is, I don’t think we ever quit and our kids weren’t intimidated. We just aren’t there yet.”
Wesley established its dominance early in the game, scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions of the game, pushing the score to 27-0 in the first quarter.
“We are struggling everywhere right now,” Goff said. “But we’re going to keep pushing to get better. We’re three games in now and no one in the country has done a two game stretch like we just did. That experience will start to pay off.”
Senior linebacker Jesse Streb had a day for the Lions, despite the final score. Early in the second quarter, Streb intercepted a pass and got it down to Wesley’s 12-yardline. The Lions struggled to capitalize on the field position and turned the ball over on downs.
“(Streb) is flying around on film,” Goff said. “He’s a guy we will start to lean on. There is a reason he is wearing the No. 1 jersey.”
Streb made his presence known again late in the third quarter, forcing a fumble that was recovered by freshman defensive back Luke Young. The Lions were gifted with great field position, but simply couldn’t capitalize turning the ball over on downs again.
Streb finished the game with five tackles, a forced fumble and an interception.
The Lions’ offense struggled to consistently move the ball against another stout defense this week. Freshman running back Mark Pacini did manage to lead the team in rushing with 59 yards on 18 carries.
Junior punter Zach Warcola had another notable performance, averaging 45.6 yards on eight punts. His longest punt of the day was an impressive 56 yards. He also made three punts that were inside the 20, helping his team in the field position battle.
“We just need to find what works for us,” Goff said. “We have to find this team’s identity.”
The Lions are still looking for their first win of the season, and hope to rebound next week against another tough opponent, Salisbury University, when they travel to Salisbury, Maryland for a match on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.
(09/10/18 11:56pm)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The Lions played Frostburg State University for their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 8. Frostburg State, ranked eighth in the nation by D3football.com, were in the driver’s seat the entire game, winning 47-7, to the Lions’ dismay.
Frostburg State came out swinging on their first drive, gashing the Lions’ defense with a long run and then burning them deep with a pass over the middle.
The Lions managed to hold Frostburg to a field goal on that first drive, but it had little impact. Head coach Casey Goff spoke about the progress that the Lions needed to make defensively and about the matchup overall.
“We still have a lot of headway to make on that side of the ball,” Goff said. “We need to play fundamental football. We were probably a little overmatched today, but it is what it is. We play who we play and we have to be ready to roll.”
The Lions offense came out on their first drive with a clear energy, ready to answer Frostburg State’s early success with some of their own. Sophomore quarterback Andrew Donoghue completed quick passes to junior wide receiver Jack Clevenger for a first down and some decent yardage.
Freshman running back Mark Pacini managed to gain five yards on the ground, continuing the Lions momentum, but it stalled after that.
After the Lions’ first drive, Frostburg State set out to prove why they were ranked eighth in the country.
“They are number eight for a reason,” Goff said. “We have a lot of young guys out there and we are not where we want to be yet. In a game like this, we can see some progress, but we have long way to go. I think we knew that.”
The Lions offense found little success throughout the game. Both Donoghue and freshman quarterback Dave Jachera were under constant duress while playing. Both quarterbacks showed unwavering heart trying to make something happen for their team.
“Until we can learn to protect either of them, we will continue to use both of them,” Goff said. “Number four (Jachera) can make more plays with his legs. Number seven (Donoghue) is a really intelligent kid back there. We have to find the balance between the both of them. But we need to learn how to protect them. That’s the first priority, learning to protect them.”
Donoghue finished the game 6-for-13 for 49 yards through the air with an interception. He also had 8 yards on the ground rushing. Jachera finished the game 4-for-7 for 28 yards through the air and 47 yards on the ground.
Freshman running back Mark Pacini had a better second game, rushing for 80 yards. Fellow freshman running back Aydon Chavis rushed for 14 yards and the Lions’ lone touchdown.
The defense was put in some difficult positions all game. In the second quarter alone, the Lions turned the ball over three times. Two of the three times left the defense in a tough position, having to defend a short field.
“We were put in some tough positions,” Goff said. “But we have to respond defensively. We have to decide that we are going to be that team that responds when the ball is turned over. We just got some things we have to iron out.”
Senior linebacker Max Busca and junior defensive back Xavier Santos both led the defense with nine tackles each in an effort to trying to keep the game competitive.
Two bright spots for the Lions were on special teams. Junior Zach Warcola managed to get four punts off for an average of 40.3 yards per punt. Senior wide receiver Ibn Bailey averaged 21.6 yards per return on kickoff, showing some true talent and speed.
“We’ve been waiting for Ibn to do something like that,” Goff said. “He’s a kid with tremendous amount of talent. He’s just gotta have the confidence to do that every week. I’m glad we are starting to see that from him. He made some tough plays and some tough catches. That’s progress.”
The Lions have fallen to 0-2 on the season, losing both of their first to games against quality opponents.
“I think the team still fights,” Goff said. Even when we are in a hole they fight. We are going to continue to make changes. If we continue to fight we will continue to progress.”
The Lions will attempt to bounce back from this loss when they face Wesley College on Friday, Sept. 14. The team will travel to Dover, Delaware to contest against Wesley College under the lights. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
(09/04/18 3:07am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The football team traveled to Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Park Campus to open their season on Friday, Aug. 31.
FDU torched the Lions in the first half, 28-7. The Lions managed to claw back to 35-21, but their attempt at a comeback happened too late in the game.
The season opener for the Lions is a tale of two halves. In the first half the Lions couldn’t get out of their own way. In the second, the team came out to play, determined to mount a comeback. Junior defensive back Xavier Santos talked about the Lions’ resilient spirit and the change of play from the first half to the second.
“The first half didn’t play out how we expected,” said Santos. “But the second half was a time to come out on the field and show that our team will keep fighting to the last second.”
In the first half, the Lions’ first seven drives ended with three punts, three turnovers and a turnover on downs. FDU capitalized, building a 28-0 lead before the Lions could crack the scoreboard late in the second quarter.
The Lions attempt to even the score. (Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk)
On their only scoring drive of the first half, the Lions drove down the field on 66-yard, five play drive. On the drive, sophomore quarterback Andrew Donoghue threw a pass to junior wide receiver Jack Clevenger for a 22-yard gain. Three plays later, Donoghue found freshman wide receiver Jaiden Elliot in the middle of the field for a 29-yard touchdown.
The second half was a different game for the Lions. The third quarter was scoreless. The Lions’ defense stood strong, but so did FDU’s defense.
In the fourth quarter, FDU scored early, extending the lead to a seemingly insurmountable 35-7. The Lions showed heart, though — with nine minutes to go in the game, the Lions scored on twice.
On the first scoring drive for the Lions, Donoghue connected with his receiver three times in a row, torching the FDU secondary. Clevenger caught two of those passes to get the Lions to the FDU three-yard line. From there, Donoghue took it in himself, bringing the score to 35-14.
Later in the game, freshman quarterback Dave Jachera led the Lions their second scoring drive of the fourth quarter. He rushed for 24 yards on three different scrambles, then threw a rope to Elliot for another 25 yards, getting the Lions to the FDU seven-yard line.
Two plays later, freshman running back Mark Pacini punched in his first career touchdown.
Although the Lions fell 35-21, there were notable performances amongst all players.
Donoghue finished the game with 12 completions for 178 yards, one rushing touchdown, one passing touchdown and two interceptions. Jachera finished the game with two completions for 37 yards and 37 yards rushing to lead the Lions.
On defense, junior punter/kicker Zach Warcola had a good game with seven punts for an average of 50.6 yards, three of which landed inside the 20-yard line to pin FDU deep in their own territory.
Santos finished the game with 11 tackles.
“I hold myself to great expectations everyday I put on the pads,” Santos said. “I want to show the other guys no matter what that they can depend on me.”
The football team will continue back into action on Saturday, Sept. 8. The Lions will face eighth-ranked Frostburg State University for their first home game of the season at 1 p.m.
“In the second year under (Head Coach Casey) Goff we were picked as the dark horse,” Santos said. “We expect to show all NJAC teams every game what we’re all about. We have a lot of talent on this team and we just have to show it.”
(08/29/18 3:17am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
In year two under head coach Casey Goff, the College’s football team will try to build on the foundation set last year.
Last year, Goff looked to improve upon the team’s previous season. He helped lead the Lions to a 4-6 record, winning two more games than the previous year. With Goff came the largest recruited freshman class that the team has had in years. Last season, after shutting out Southern Virginia University at home, Goff commented on what the win meant for the team.
“It’s huge for our seniors. It’s huge for our program. If you told me after our first five games that we would be sitting at 4-6, I’d say, ‘I don’t know.’ But these guys battled week in and week out. They never gave up. They continued to get better and they showed it here today,” Goff said.
Coming into this season, the Lions were voted the seventh place “dark horse” by coaches of the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
Goff remains cautiously optimistic, as the team has a lot of young players.
“We’ll see how the season shapes up,” Goff said. “We’re young, but we feel like we have some talent that will be running around out there. Only time will tell where we fit in to things.”
Two of the Lions’ star defensive players look to make a return and contribute this season. Both senior linebacker Max Busca and junior defensive back Xavier Santos earned NJAC honorable mentions last year and look to make an impact on the field again this year.
On offense, returning junior wide receiver Vinny Guckin also has an NJAC honorable mention. Senior receiver Ibn Bailey and junior wide receiver Jack Clevenger also look to make an impact offensively.
Special teams has its notable player in first-team All-NJAC junior punter Zach Warcola, returning to help the Lions win the field position battles. Warcola is ranked 15th nationally, averaging 41.0 yards per kick.
The Lions kick off their season on Friday, Aug. 31, at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham Park Campus.
The excitement in the locker room is palpable for the Lions and their upcoming season.
(02/27/18 4:42am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The wrestling team traveled to Ithaca, New York on Saturday, Feb. 24 for the NCAA Mideast Regional championship, where the Lions took fourth place out of 17.
Five Lions placed in the tournament, with sophomore Dan Kilroy taking first at the 174-pound weight class for the second consecutive year. Kilroy was also the only All-American for the Lions, continuing the wrestling team’s long standing tradition.
With this win, Kilroy punched his ticket to Cleveland to wrestle in the NCAA national tournament. In the championship round, Kilroy won by pin versus senior Jaison White of Ithaca College, who was ranked No. 8 nationally according to InterMat wrestling.
Head coach Joe Galante was impressed by Kilroy’s determination to win.
“Kilroy dominated in all of his four matches,” Galante said. “Dan is very goal-oriented and focused. He’s constantly preparing with his strong daily routine. (In wrestling) You need to be strong, fast and conditioned.”
Senior James Goldschmidt placed fourth at the 133-pound bracket. In the semifinals, he fought hard, but ultimately fell to SUNY Oneonta senior Austin Sisco.
In the wrestlebacks, Goldschmidt managed to win by a slim margin, but lost the following round.
Senior Ryan Budzek lost to SUNY Brockport’s Sean Peacock at the 149-pound bracket, who was nationally ranked No. 9 according to InterMat wrestling. Budzek lost again in the wrestlebacks, but won his last bout of the day to finish fifth overall.
Freshman Robert Dinger won a spectacular bout at 141 in wrestlebacks at the fourth minute mark with a stunning pin.
He then lost to Centenary University junior Maxwell Nauta by a slim margin, with a final score of 6-5. He finished the tournament with a pin to take fifth place.
Senior Luke Balina won a bout at 165 by technical fall in the wrestlebacks. He then continued his momentum by winning his next bout, 10-2.
He followed up his previous performance with another win of 19-7, but his momentum was halted by sophomore Alex Herringshaw of SUNY Oswego State, who was nationally ranked No. 9 according to InterMat wrestling. Balina ultimately lost in a close 8-5 bout. Balina ended up placing fifth with a 6-4 win to finish the tournament.
Galante is thankful for the contributions made by the senior class.
“Balina, Budzek, Cocozza, Gallo, Goldschmidt, Maltez, Schinder and Whitney have made the program and system better overall,” Galante said. “I wish them the very best in their futures.”
(02/13/18 5:30am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The wrestling team had a bittersweet weekend, devastating Delaware Valley University on Friday, Feb. 9, with a final score of 33-5. The next day, the Lions travelled to Grantham, Pennsylvania to face Messiah College, who narrowly defeated the College by just two points.
The Lions, ranked No. 19 nationally, managed to win eight out of the 10 bouts against Delaware Valley, ultimately securing the win. Sophomore Dan Ortega got the Lions off to a quick start at the 125-pound bout by pinning his opponent in less than two minutes. Senior James Goldschmidt continued the momentum by winning his match 8-3 at the 133-pound bout.
After dropping a match at 141, the Lions rebounded with a major decision win at 149 by junior Eric Friedman. The Lions continued their success until losing a 184-pound bout.
Seniors Pat Schinder and Kyle Cocozza ended the night. Schinder pinned his opponent in one minute and 46 seconds at the 197-pound bout, while Cocozza shut out his opponent, 4-0, at the heavyweight match.
Cocozza attributes the team’s success to an intense training regimen during the season.
“We’ll been training hard all semester,” Cocozza said. “We practice more than twice a week, not many teams do that.”
Cocozza, who formerly attended Delaware Valley, was glad to have the opportunity to compete against the school.
“This match was special to me because I transferred from Delaware Valley after my first semester,” Cocozza said. “It was pretty cool.”
On Saturday, Feb. 10, the Lions competed against Messiah College in a match that came down to the wire. The Lions stumbled initially, losing the first bout of the night. Goldschmidt claimed the lead by getting a major decision over his opponent and putting the Lions up, 4-3.
Freshman Robert Dinger contributed to the lead at the 141-pound bout after pinning his opponent in four minutes and 29 seconds. The Lions then dropped a bout at 149, but freshman Dominic Fano pinned his opponent at 157 in four minutes and six seconds, putting the Lions at a 16-6 lead.
The Lions watched as their lead dwindled over the next four bouts. By the time Cocozza stepped up to the mat, he needed to pin his opponent or at least get a technical fall to tie the match. Cocozza pulled out a win, but it wasn’t enough to get the Lions a victory.
After this weekend, the Lions’ record stands at 15-5, a vast improvement over last year’s record. The wrestling team looks forward to the NCAA regionals which will take place on Feb. 24.
(02/06/18 7:37am)
Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The wrestling team continued to show their dominance this past weekend, winning their fifth consecutive dual meet on Friday, Feb. 2, against Wilkes University, 42-6.
The Lions also excelled at the Messiah College Open tournament on Saturday, Feb. 3, in which eight Lions placed and two were champions. With this past weekend’s performance, the Lions are now 14-4 on the season with only two dual meets to go.
The Lions got off to a roaring start on Friday. Sophomore Dan Ortega got the momentum on the Lions’ side early, with his 10-0 major decision victory at 125 over his opponent. Senior James Goldschmidt also came up big at the 133-pound match by pinning his opponent and putting the Lions up 10-0 after the first two bouts of the night.
After conceding a pin at 141, the Lions proceeded to shutout Wilkes. The Lions won their next six bouts. Junior JT Beirne and senior Pat Schinder both earned pins for the College at the 157 and 197 respectively. Sophomore Dan Kilroy and senior Kyle Cocozza both earned major decisions at the 174 and heavyweight brackets respectively as well. The Lions ended the night winning 42-6, and earning their 14th win of the season.
The Lions traveled to Messiah College on Saturday to wrestle in the Messiah College Open tournament. Freshmen Anthony Rua and Jacob Falleni both took first place at their respective weights of 133 and 125.
Falleni earned a major decision, a decision, a technical fall and pinned an opponent to take home first. Both wrestlers went a perfect 4-0 on the day.
Sophomore Anthony Gagliano worked his way to the finals at the 149-pound bracket. In the process, he earned a decision, a major decision, a technical fall and a pin, but came up short in the finals losing by just one point. Nevertheless, Gagliano left the mat with second place honors.
Freshman Dominic Fano placed third at the 157-pound bracket. Fano went 4-1 on the day, earning two pins, including one in his final match to take home third.
Senior Austin Maltez and sophomore Mike Plaska both took home fourth at their respective weights of 125 and 133. Sophomore Nic Mele and freshman Jake Giordano earned sixth and seventh place finishes.
The Lions dominated this weekend, and look to keep the momentum going at Packer Hall on Friday, Feb. 9 against Delaware Valley University. They then travel to Messiah College for their last regular meet on Saturday, Feb. 10.
(01/30/18 9:49pm)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The wrestling team continued its strong performance this past week, beating No. 20 Roger Williams University, according to InterMat Wrestling, for the second time at the Metro/New England Duals on Saturday, Jan. 28. On Friday, Jan. 26, the Lions traveled to Massachusetts and dominated Springfield College, winning 27-9.
Lions got off to a fast start, emerging victorious in their first three bouts against Springfield. Sophomore Dan Ortega got things started for the Lions, winning his bout, 8-2, at the 125-pound bracket. Senior James Goldschmidt continued the Lions’ momentum and won his bout, 6-2, at the 133-pound bracket. Freshman Robert Dinger helped push the Lions lead out to 10-0 with a major decision victory at 141.
After giving up a decision at 149, the Lions picked up where they left off, prevailing in five of the next six bouts to win the meet. Freshman Dominic Fano kept his opponent scoreless at 157, winning the match, 4-0. Junior JT Beirne narrowly won his match, 5-4, in the 165-pound bracket, pushing the Lions lead to 16-3.
The Lions continued to rout Springfield after sophomore Dan Kilroy dismantled his opponent, winning by a technical fall at 174, solidifying the Lions’ lead. Freshman Thomas Anderson furthered the team’s success by winning his bout, 7-0, in the 184-bracket. Senior Pat Schinder also won the 197-pound bout, 3-1, contributing to the Lions’ overall score. Ultimately, the Lions won 27-9, winning eight of the 10 bouts.
On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Lions started off the day by defeating nationally ranked No. 20 Roger Williams University, 19-12. The match was close, but the Lions started off on the right foot, winning the first three bouts of the match. Ortega won his bout 10-5, earning the Lions’ first three points. Goldschmidt continued the momentum winning his bout 6-0 and getting the Lions another three points.
Dinger won his bout by major decision, pushing the Lions team score to 10-0. Roger Williams then won decisions at the 149, 157 and 165-pound bouts, bringing the score to 10-9. Kilroy won by decision, adding to the Lions’ lead. Anderson also won at 184 to add some more breathing room for the Lions. Senior Kyle Cocozza won his heavyweight bout, 7-0, winning the match for the team.
The Lions went on to prevail in their next two matches of the afternoon. They beat Williams College by 35-6 and won eight of 10 bouts. They also held Bridgewater State University scoreless, triumphing with a score of 47-0. Against Bridgewater State, Fano scored a technical fall while Kilroy, Schinder and Cocozza all pinned their opponents.
Kilroy and Anderson both went undefeated, winning all three of their matches. Cocozza, Schinder, Goldschmidt and Dinger all went 2-0. With their performance, the Lions climbed to No. 19 in the country, according to InterMat Wrestling. The Lions improved to 13-4 for the season.
(01/24/18 12:25am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Staff Writer
The wrestling team won nine straight matches from Dec. 9 to Jan. 13. The Lions swept their competition at the Mariner Duals at the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Dec. 9, then defeated King’s College and Muhlenberg College in back-to-back duals on Jan. 5.
The team also took second in the Budd Whitehill Duals on Jan. 12 before losing to Centenary University, 24-15 on Friday, Jan. 19.
The team began their winning streak by dominating the competition in the Mariner Duals. Sophomore Dan Kilroy and freshman Robert Dinger led the way as they won two bouts apiece.
Dinger got two pins at the 141-pound bracket while Kilroy received a pin and a win by injury default at 174. Kilroy’s pin against Nassau County College came in just 33 seconds into the bout. Freshman Dominic Fano also earned his first college win at the 157-pound bracket with a pin against USMMA.
Afterward, the Lions defeated New York University in the Mariner Duals, 24-17. At the conclusion of last year, NYU was ranked 10th in the country.
The Lions managed to beat them with wins from Fano, sophomore Dan Ortega at 125, senior Ryan Budzek at 149 and juniors Alex Mirabella at 197 and Kyle Cocozza at 285. The Lions handled USMMA with ease, winning 29-9. They then ended the day with a win against Nassau County Community College, 37-6.
On Jan. 5, the Lions traveled to King’s College where they won 45-6. King’s College only won one bout during the match. Kilroy, Fano, Dinger and junior Mark Gerstacker, all got pins for the Lions against King’s College.
On the same day, the Lions went to Muhlenberg College for another dual. The team got out to a quick 19-0 lead against Muhlenberg. Ortega and Dinger both got pins in the first four matches to help the Lions take the lead. Senior James Goldschmidt also recorded a major decision at the 133-pound bout. Decision wins by Kilroy, freshman Thomas Anderson and Mirabella helped seal the match for the Lions. The Lions ultimately won 28-12.
On Jan. 12, the wrestling team traveled to Williamsport, Pennsylvania to wrestle in the Budd Whitehill Duals hosted by Lycoming College. On the first day of competition, the Lions swept their opponents, winning three straight. Kilroy, Dinger and Goldschmidt all won three matches to lead the Lions to victory. Ortega also won both of his matches at 125.
In the first day of competition, the Lions beat Ohio Northern University 23-12, State University of New York, Oswego 28-13 and No.18 Wesleyan University 26-19. A pin by Kilroy and a decision victory by Anderson also contributed to the Lions’ win.
In the second day of the Budd Whitehill Duals, the Lions began with a victory against No. 17 Roger Williams University. Cocozza and Dinger both won their matches on the second day, making Dinger 5-0. In Cocozza’s heavyweight bout during the Roger Williams match, he was in danger of getting pinned and giving up back points, but managed a reversal with sheer grit and determination. Shortly afterward he pinned his opponent, turning the tables on Roger Williams and sealing the 26-19 victory for the Lions.
In the championship match, the Lions faced off against Messiah College, ranked No.11 in the country according to InterMat Wrestling. In the match, the Lions jumped out to a 12-0 lead early, but lost the following six matches. Cocozza earned a victory to end the match, but it was not enough to beat Messiah. Ultimately, Messiah won 26-15 and broke the Lions nine-match winning streak.
On Friday, Jan. 19, the Lions traveled to Hackettstown, New Jersey to wrestle Centenary University, ranked No. 19 in the country according to InterMat Wrestling. The Lions fought hard establish an early 6-0 lead, but Centenary then won two straight, taking a lead at 9-6.
Junior JT Beirne tied the match for the Lions with a decision victory at the 157-pound bout, but Centenary then won three matches straight, putting the match out of reach for the Lions. Cocozza won the last match of the night by decision, but it was too late for the Lions to mount a borderline miraculous comeback.
(12/08/17 9:19pm)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The College’s wrestling team had a rough afternoon on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the New Standard Invitational. Out of 17 teams, the Lions placed 11th in the tournament overall, with a score of 43.5 points. Only two Lions wrestlers placed within the top five of their bracket in the entire tournament.
Freshman Jacob Falleni began the day wrestling at 125 for the Lions. He lost his first bout, 11-4, but managed to rebound and pin two opponents straight in the lower bracket. His day ended early when he lost his fourth bout, giving him a record of 2-2. Freshmen Jake Giordano and Anthony Rua wrestled in the 133-pound bracket for the Lions. Giordano had a challenging day, losing his first bout.
Rua wrestled his heart out for the Lions, and won two straight bouts before losing a close match. He managed to win two more bouts, placing third overall in his bracket. Rua went 4-1 on the day, giving him not only the highest place for the Lions but the best record as well. Sophomore Anthony Gagliano wrestled for fifth place at 157. Gagliano won his first three bouts of the day.
He won the first by major decision, while the next two were won by decision. He then lost two bouts, but won his last with a 3-2 decision to earn fifth place. Senior Mark Gerstacker also wrestled in the 157-pound bracket, but did not have the same success as Gagliano.
He pinned his second opponent and won his next two bouts by decision. He ultimately lost his last, ending his day early. Although he didn’t place, he did go 3-2. Sophomore Dan Kilroy got off to a hot start at 174, but couldn’t keep the momentum going throughout the tournament. He pinned his first two opponents, but then lost twice, eliminating him from the tournament.
There was a bout between two Lions in the 184-pound bracket. Freshmen Daniel Surich and Thomas Anderson both lost their first match that day, leading to a match between the two in the lower bracket. Surich won the match 4-1.
Of the 17 Lions wrestlers, only two placed. Despite wrestling with intensity, many Lions ended their day early in the face of stiff competition.
(11/28/17 11:03am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The College’s wrestling team fell 23-10 on Nov. 18 on the road against York College of Pennsylvania. The Lions came out strong, accumulating a 10-0 lead to start off the match, but York College proved to be too much for the Lions through the upper weights.
“We were competitive in a lot of those matches,” said head coach Joe Galante. “There was a heated overtime match and a lot of matches were decided by a takedown. Our guys train really hard and I expect them to make the necessary adjustments to compete a little harder and get those victories.”
Freshman Jacob Falleni kicked off the match with a win at 125 in his first collegiate bout. Falleni faced off against stiff competition. He managed to edge out his opponent, 5-4, in a back-and-forth match. With the win, the Lions started with a 3-0 lead.
“Jacob wrestled really well,” Galante said. “At the end of every period he was able to score points. He was fierce and he was poised. He didn’t let anything rattle him. He did a really great job.”
Freshman Jake Giordano also wrestled hard for the Lions at 133. He won his match 4-2, earning his first collegiate win.
“Giordano knows how to wrestle a match,” Galante said. “He knows how to compete. He’s slick and getting tougher by the day. I really like the way he is adding up.”
Veteran junior Ryan Erwin had the best match of the day for the Lions at 141. Erwin wiped the floor with his opponent coming in two points shy of a tech. With Erwin’s 18-5 major decision victory, the Lions advanced to a 10-0 lead.
“Erwin is pretty steady,” Galante said. “He is low and forward all the time. With wrestling and in life he is always focused and hardworking. He is a pleasure to coach. I think if he keeps working hard good things will happen.”
The rest of match proved far different for the Lions. They dropped each of the remaining bouts. The team struggled with their ranked opponents both at the 184-pound and heavyweight bouts.
Sophomore Dan Kilroy, the 2017 All-American, lost an intense match at 184 against York’s Frankie Krauss. Kilroy ultimately lost his match, 11-6.
Senior heavyweight Kyle Cocozza also had a rough match against Stefanos Karpontinis. Cocozza fought hard against the Trenton native, but lost 11-5, concluding the match. The Lions lost the match 23-10, which dropped their record to 0-2.
“I sent the guys a text about the Eagles being 10-1, but they have never won a Super Bowl,” Galante said. “They are 10-1 for the fourth time in franchise history, but have still never won a Super Bowl. It just goes to show you, it’s not about how you start but about how you finish. I think that the captains will step it up now and help right the ship. These guys are ready to get things done.”
(11/14/17 10:07pm)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
Everyone has a defining moment in life. A moment when you sit back and take account of everything that has happened, and figure out where to go moving forward. Sometimes one can feel overwhelmed by this moment of uncertainty in their lives. It is disorientating to say the least.
Some life-defining moments are dramatic and awe-inspiring. Others are more subtle and have more internal consequences.
My defining moment came early in my sophomore year. I was at an all-time low in almost all aspects of my life. I was broke, and I felt isolated, alone and lost here at the College. I spent some nights in sheer terror wondering how I was going to pay some of my bills or keep up with my classes.
I felt the walls of every room was closing in on me and felt like my world was actually ending. For a moment in time, I thought that college wasn’t for me and that I should just get a job and live check-to-check like many of my family members. I felt like I was not meant to do anything special with my life, and being poor was just something I would have to get used to.
I felt a constant squeeze in my day-to-day functions. I felt like everyday that I spent on campus was another day wasted on inadequacy and mediocrity. In my mind, it came down to two choices — leave college and forever wonder what I could have amounted to, or pick myself up and give it one last push.
Obviously, since you are reading this, I made the second choice. I chose to tackle college with every last scrap of defiant will I had left. My first steps were to seek out people that could help me. I went to CAPS and got into an amazing group that gave me an outlet to talk about the problems that I was encountering at home and at school. I also reached out to the Center of Student Success where I was received with open arms, essentially saving my academic career.
Eventually I switched majors. I couldn’t stand being an engineer any longer. My passion is writing. Suffering through hours of what felt like pointless science classes had become agonizing. I did not connect with any professors in the engineering program and upon leaving, I could not have felt more relieved.
I made the shift to interactive multimedia and I haven’t looked back since. One thing led to another and I started writing for The Signal in February 2017. To say it was a good choice is an underrated statement. Covering sports for the paper gave me a chance to further my love for sports.
I don’t play football anymore but covering it allows me to experience highs and lows alongside the College’s team, something that I miss feeling firsthand on the field.
I’m not going to get all cheesy and say that The Signal saved my life because it didn’t, but it did help me find a new way to do something I really like doing. Being an editor and staying up for hours on Sunday and Monday night is not fun, but telling the stories of each game through my articles has been a magical experience for me.
I’ve always loved to write, and being able to share my stories with the students here at the College is special. Seeing your name in black ink is just a feeling that I cannot really describe with words. It just feels good. It feels right.
In this last year, I went from feeling like I didn’t belong here at the College to feeling like there is hope for me and my future. For the first time, I belong here at the College and The Signal played a part in that.
After everything's all said and done, some of my fondest memories will be watching our teams and putting out those stories for everyone to read. Some of those memories will even include being in The Signal office to the crack of dawn working on the newspaper.
I don’t know if I can say I’ve grown close to the people in the office, but being a staff member has been an interesting experience — even if most of my time in the office has been spent in a sleep-deprived delirium.