Sports
Kevin DelleDonne Returns Home (Sort Of) Saturday
Former Summit football standout Kevin DelleDonne leads Rowan into face Kean on Saturday
Like the famous U2 song (although he is not a big fan), A Sort of Homecoming is on tap Saturday for Kevin DelleDonne.
DelleDonne, the former Summit football standout, returns nine miles from his childhood home down Morris Avenue as Rowan (6-1) visits Kean (6-1) in a key New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup at Alumni Stadium in Union. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Both teams are tied for first place in the conference, with Rowan winning its last five games outscoring its opponents, 280-54, during that span. Kean has outscored its opponents, 203-69, during their six game win streak.
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DelleDonne, a 6-4, 225-pound sophomore tight end, leads Rowan in receiving with 16 receptions for 210 yards and two touchdowns in six games this season.
“My freshman year I had junior Derek Piccini playing in front of me and I was still learning the offense and getting adjusted to college life in general,” said DelleDonne, who is majoring in business management. “This year I'm much more comfortable with the plays and the offense and it's helped me out a lot.”
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A far cry indeed from his freshman season, where he played in just five games, having caught three receptions for 46 yards and no touchdowns.
“I think he did a great job for us last year,” said Rowan head coach Jay Accorsi, who is in his eighth season at the helm. “Every high school player goes through a learning curve and Kevin used last year as a learning experience. He put in a really good foundation for this year and it is paying off. He can stretch the field and is a great threat in both the run and pass game for us. Kevin’s best football is still yet to come as he continues to work and improve. He is a tall guy with a big frame and has been a really nice addition for us.”
DelleDonne, who was 1st team all conference and 2ns team all area his senior season at Summit High School under current coach John Liberato, is looking forward to playing in front of some very special people this weekend.
“Kean is definitely the closest game to Summit that I’ve played in. Some other ones are Montclair State and William Paterson,” said DelleDonne. “It’s a big game because a lot of people I know will be there. I’m hoping there's a good turn out, the whole family should be there."
