THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – William Paterson (1-0) scored touchdowns in all three phases of the game, cruising to a 36-20 season-opening football victory at Maritime (0-1) Sept. 5.
Senior Matt Deiana (Somers, N.Y./Somers) rushed 19 times for 129 yards and a touchdown to pace the offense, and senior defensive lineman Pat Thomas (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) compiled a team-best nine tackles (six solo, 0.5 TFL).
It only took the Pioneers until their second possession of the season to find the end zone, as scrambling freshman quarterback Austin Fellows (Pennington, N.J./Hopewell Valley Central) heaved the ball down field and junior running back Darius Kersey (Dover, N.J./Dover) hauled it in, turning the play into a 65-yard score. Senior Robert Sinegra (Wharton, N.J./Morris Knolls) made the extra point and WP owned a 7-0 edge 4:58 into the contest.
A missed Maritime field goal and a string of punts marked the next 16 minutes, but Deiana started the next William Paterson possession with a quick burst and cut back, an off-tackle run that went for 57 yards and put the Pioneers at the Priavteer-11. Sinegra finished the drive with a 20-yard field goal, making it a 10-0 score at the 6:52 mark of the second quarter.
Place-kicker Diogo Dietrich's 49-yard effort set a new Maritime record and put the home team on the scoreboard (10-3, 1:49), and an interception on WP's next offensive snap gave the Privateers the ball back inside the Pioneer-25. William Paterson's defense did well to keep Maritime out of the end zone, but Dietrich converted again, this time from 28 yards out, to make it a 10-6 margin with 29 ticks still on the clock.
Junior Anthony DiMarsico's (Stony Point, N.Y./Suffern) 60-yard return of the ensuing kickoff gave the Pioneers one last chance to score before halftime, but Sinegra's 51-yarder fell just short as time expired.
After forcing a punt to begin the third quarter, William Paterson put together a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive, capped by junior Dwaine Dabney, Jr.'s (Summit, N.J./Summit) 17-yard sweep to the left sideline and footrace to the pylon. Sinegra's kick was good, and the Pioneers held a 17-6 lead with 8:46 remaining in the period.
WP's defense snatched the ball right back after the ensuing kickoff, as senior linebacker Ben Allen (Ventnor, N.J./Atlantic City) recovered a fumble caused by junior defensive lineman Quinton Witherspoon (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) at the Maritime 21-yard line. Three plays later, Deiana broke the goal line from two yards out. Sinegra's PAT was blocked, but William Paterson had expanded its margin to 23-6 with 7:20 on the clock.
On third-and-eight at the Privateer-5, junior linebacker Dennis Goodman (Somerset, N.J./Bishop Ahr) forced a fumble by Maritime running back Greg Caneparo that was recovered by junior linebacker Charles Larrier (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) in the end zone, handing the Pioneers a commanding 30-6 lead with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter.
The William Paterson defense forced a three-and-out, and the special teams got in on the scoring act when freshman linebacker Mujahid Fricke (Franklin, N.J./Blue Ridge [Va.]) blocked the punt and freshman defensive lineman Myles McMahon (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes) jumped on the loose ball for WP's fifth touchdown of the night. The extra point attempt was no good, leaving the score at 36-6 4:30 before the end of the third quarter.
A 76-yard Kyle Gardener run handed the Privateers their first touchdown of the season (36-13, 4:14), and a later Caneparo nine-yard carry finished the scoring with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter.
Fellows was 6-for-11 for 105 yards, a touchdown and an interception during his first college action. Dabney carried nine times for 64 yards and a score.
Goodman and senior defensive back Elijah DeGuzman (Pennsauken, N.J./Pennsauken) each finished with eight tackles for WP.
Zack Chilcott was 0-for-7 under center, and rushed 24 times for 93 yards. Gardener had 21 attempts for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Kameron Knight paced the Privateer defense with nine stops and a forced fumble.
William Paterson will play its home opener Saturday, Sept. 13, against Bridgewater State at 12:00 p.m.
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit http://www.wpupioneers.com, http://twitter.com/wpupioneers, http://www.instagram.com/thewpupioneers, http://www.facebook.com/wpupioneers and http://www.youtube.com/thewpupioneers.