MILTON, MA…Quarterback Steve Santos (Taunton, MA/Taunton) completed 9-of-15 passes for 281 yards and tossed four touchdowns as Curry College (8-1) tied a 1986 school record for wins, as the Colonels defeated New Jersey City University, 34-21, in a non-conference game at D. Forbes Will Field. The Gothic Knights (1-6) still lead the all-time series, 2-1.
The Colonels jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. With 6:26 left in the period, freshman running back Bradford Dick (Georgetown, MA/Georgetown) caught a deep-in floater over the NJCU secondary from Santos for a 27-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Curry attempted a successful, surprise onsides kick on the next possession, but could not score on the possession gained by the trick play. NJCU got the ball back. But, on a 3rd-and-three from their own 27-yard line, freshman defensive back Alfonzo Dixon (Fall River, MA/Northfield-Mount Hermon) intercepted a deep pass down the middle from junior quarterback Corey Valentine (Brooklyn, NY/Lincoln (NY)) at the NJCU 48-yard line and weaved his way downfield for a 14-0 lead at 2:02 of the first stanza.
At 7:33 of the second quarter, junior kicker Bill Lovendale (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) attempted a 40-yard field goal that would have given Curry a 17-0 advantage. But sophomore linebacker Konrad Roslonek (Union, NJ/Union) blocked the kick, which was recovered by junior Dashaun Gourdine (Somerset, NJ/Franklin) and returned to the Curry 31 yard line. After two incomplete passes, junior quarterback Ralph Feliciano (Clifton, NJ/Paterson Catholic), who replaced Valentine at the end of the first quarter, hit freshman wide receiver Wiley Williams (Edison, NJ/Edison) with a 29-yard pass that was hauled in on the two-yard line on an amazing diving effort at the far left sideline by an outstretched Williams. The spectacular catch set up a one-yard touchdown burst by freshman Joel Townsel (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City), who excelled for the Knights in place of injured running back Frankie Sinclair (Newark, NJ/Lincoln (NY)), the NJAC rushing leader. It was Townsel’s first career touchdown.
Curry wasted no time in regaining the two-touchdown lead. On the second play from scrimmage, Santos hit senior wide receiver Jeff Lang (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) with a 78-yard bomb down the right sideline.
But with the Knights trailing, Feliciano helped engineer a 13-play, 78-yard drive that culminated when the quarterback plunged in from one-yard out to close the gap to 21-14 just nine seconds before halftime. It was the fourth straight game in which NJCU trailed by a touchdown or less at the intermission.
But Curry opened the game up with two touchdown passes in a stretch of 3:32 late in the third. A 19-yard completion on 4th-and-5 gave Curry a 1st-and-goal on the NJCU 10. Three plays later, Santos found Lang on a 10-yard post floater for a 28-14 edge at 5:19. It was Lang’s seventh touchdown of the year. Three plays into their next possession, Santos completed a 67-yard screen pass to sophomore running back Raphael Zammit (Saugus, MA/Saugus), who beat two defenders on a cross-field run to the goal. For Santos, the four TD throws gave him a school-record 16 for the season.
NJCU would score again. Gourdine intercepted a Santos pass at the NJCU 37. After Feliciano (11-for-20, 161 yards) found Kelvin Holmes (Irvington, NJ/Immaculate Conception) on a 19-yard screen pass, and Holmes rushed five yards to the three, Townsel rumbled in from three yards out for this second touchdown of the game, to trim the lead to 34-21 with 4:18 remaining in the final quarter.
But the NJCU onsides kick was not successful, and Curry ran out the clock to secure the 34-21 win.
Curry accumulated 403 yards of offense behind Santos. Lang had four receptions for 135 yards.
Zammit rushed for a game-high 66 yards on 15 carries.
Holmes had 16 carries for 52 yards in his first career start at tailback. Townsel carried nine times for 29 yards. Williams made five catches for 96 yards.
Senior left defensive end Nick Smith (Hopatcong, NJ/Pope John XXIII) led all defenders with 13 tackles (two solo) and three quarterback hurries. Senior cornerback Sharif Battle (Newark, NJ/Newark-East Side) added nine tackles (three solo), while junior safety Troy Winds (Newark, NJ/Essex Catholic) also had nine stops (two solo). Junior right defensive end Dan Tyler (Columbus, NJ/North Burlington) had seven stops (three solo), one forced fumble, and one sack. Junior linebacker Terrence Norve (East Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) led the Colonels with nine tackles, including seven solo stops, with two for losses, and one fumble recovery.
NJCU will return to action on Saturday, November 3 at 12:30 pm when they visit Montclair State University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game in Upper Montclair. MSU is ranked sixth in the nation. The game was originally scheduled for 7 pm but has been changed to the earlier starting time.
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