WAYNE, N.J. – The Salisbury University football team bounced back in emphatic fashion on Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 56-3 New Jersey Athletic Conference victory over William Paterson University at Wightman Stadium. The Sea Gulls scored 14 points in each quarter, totaled 452 yards of offense, and limited the Pioneers to 183 yards to earn their sixth win of the season.
Salisbury (6-2, 3-2 NJAC) wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, putting together two touchdown drives in the opening quarter to take a 14-0 lead. The Sea Gulls opened the scoring with a nine-play, 74-yard drive. Dario Belizaire capped the possession with a seven-yard touchdown run at the 9:59 mark.
Salisbury struck again less than five minutes later. After taking over possession at the William Paterson 37-yard line, the Sea Gulls needed just four plays to find the end zone. Quarterback SyRus McGowan connected with Gavin Green for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 5:50 remaining in the first quarter, extending the lead to 14-0.
Belizaire found the end zone for the second time early in the second quarter, finishing a five-play, 66-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown run at the 14:17 mark.
William Paterson got on the scoreboard with a 20-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, but the Sea Gulls answered with another touchdown before halftime. Salisbury put together an eight-play, 46-yard drive, capped by a three-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Holbrook with 2:46 remaining in the half. The Sea Gulls carried a 28-3 lead into the break.
Salisbury continued its offensive success coming out of halftime. The Sea Gulls needed just four plays to cover 59 yards on their opening drive of the third quarter. McGowan connected with Tyler Orth for a 38-yard touchdown pass at the 10:49 mark, extending the lead to 35-3.
The Sea Gulls added another touchdown late in the third quarter. After a 10-play, 52-yard drive, Brody Strachan punched it in from three yards out with 2:29 remaining in the period. Salisbury kept the momentum rolling in the fourth quarter, adding two more rushing touchdowns to complete the scoring. Camron Riley broke free for a 19-yard touchdown run with 7:52 remaining, making it 49-3. The Sea Gulls closed out the afternoon with another explosive run. Shaun Howard took a handoff 27 yards for a touchdown with 3:38 remaining, completing the 56-3 victory.
Game Notes
- Salisbury finished with 452 yards of total offense, averaging 8.7 yards per play.
- McGowan completed all six of his pass attempts for 167 yards and two touchdowns. The Sea Gulls completed all seven team pass attempts.
- Salisbury rushed for 276 yards on 45 attempts, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and scoring six rushing touchdowns.
- Belizaire rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. He needs one touchdown to break the school record of touchdowns scored in a Sea Gull career.
- Salisbury recorded three sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Ellis Tompkins led the team with 2.5 tackles for loss, while Josh Gyamfi added a sack.
- The Sea Gulls held William Paterson to 183 total yards, including just 47 net rushing yards.
Salisbury continues NJAC play next Saturday, Nov. 7, with a road matchup against Kean University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Union, N.J.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 26 individual national championships, and 211 conference championships, and have produced 54 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
