Union, N.J.— The Western Connecticut State University Wolves showcased a dominant performance on both sides of the ball Saturday afternoon, rolling past Kean University 38–7 in non-conference football action at Alumni Stadium.
Junior quarterback Dylan Jackson led the way with 337 passing yards and five touchdowns, while defensive end Kile Jackson anchored the defense with seven tackles, 3.5 sacks, and an interception. With the victory, West Conn improved to 3–0 overall, extending its winning streak to six games. Kean dropped to 1–2 on the season.
First Half: A Defensive Spark
WestConn opened the scoring late in the first quarter, capping an 11-play, 79-yard drive with a 26-yard field goal by Marciel Do Amaral for a 3–0 lead. The Cougars briefly seized momentum in the second quarter when quarterback Rocco Pellegrini connected with Justin Leigh on a 12-yard touchdown pass, giving Kean a 7–3 advantage.
Moments later, Kean nearly stretched its lead after Chris Amos intercepted Jackson, and Christian Bujno returned a punt for a touchdown — only to see the score erased by a penalty. That missed opportunity proved costly.
On the very next series, WestConn’s defense flipped the script. Kile Jackson’s interception set the Wolves up at the Kean 17-yard line, and Dylan Jackson immediately cashed in with a 14-yard strike to rookie receiver Tamarion LaFortune. WestConn carried a 10–7 lead into halftime and never trailed again.
Second Half: Wolves Take Control
The Wolves extended their lead midway through the third quarter when Dylan Jackson found Markus Faucett for a six-yard touchdown, pushing the score to 17–7. Kean’s offense struggled to respond, stalling against relentless defensive pressure.
Early in the fourth, Faucett made a highlight one-handed catch in the back corner of the end zone for his second touchdown of the day, stretching the margin to 24–7. From there, the Wolves poured it on. Jackson connected once more with LaFortune, then closed the scoring with a touchdown toss to Jayden LeRoy (Danbury, Conn.), sealing the 38–7 victory.
What’s Next:
WestConn will turn its attention to conference play, traveling to Pennsylvania next Saturday for its first-ever Landmark Conference game against Juniata College. The matchup will be the middle game of a three-week road swing.
