PISCATAWAY, NJ — The Thunderbolts defeated the Generals 17-11 at the Generals’ home field on August 20 in their 2022 preseason Week 2 matchup.

The Thunderbolts set the tone early with a 76-yard touchdown pass from Douglas Lee to Floyd White just over a minute into the game. The successful extra point by Jose Ashford gave the Thunderbolts a 7-0 lead. A second touchdown came early in the second quarter on a run from Jacob Johnston, extending the Thunderbolts’ advantage to 14-0 after another Ashford extra point.

The Generals responded with three field goals from Mike Nugent, including a pair of long-range attempts from 52 and 47 yards out. These made the score 14-6 at halftime. The Generals, coached by Travis Washington, faced challenges converting in the red zone, having zero red zone visits and no touchdowns despite a strong ground game.

Offensively, the Generals relied heavily on their rushing attack, accumulating 212 yards on 39 carries, led by multiple effective runs but failing to find the end zone. Quarterback Carter Stallings contributed 68 passing yards but threw one interception. The team posted 140 total passing yards with 13 completions on 32 attempts, without any passing touchdowns.

The Thunderbolts’ defense applied consistent pressure, registering four sacks and forcing two fumbles, both recovered by the defense. Notably, Terrance Rose forced a fumble that helped maintain the Thunderbolts’ momentum.

Both teams struggled on third down conversions, with neither recording a successful attempt during the game. The Thunderbolts committed more penalties, seven for 55 yards, compared to four for 17 yards from the Generals.

In the second half, the Thunderbolts controlled the clock and field position with effective punting from Jose Daniels and maintained their lead despite a fumble by the Generals’ Keith Byars at their own 37-yard line. The Generals were unable to capitalize on turnovers, and the Thunderbolts’ defense held firm.

Piscataway’s Greg Nugent was a bright spot for the Generals, making all three of his field goal attempts and accounting for all 11 points scored by the home team.

Generals’ owner raidergreg69 commented, "We moved the ball on the ground but couldn’t punch it in. Mike Nugent did his part with three field goals, but we need to convert those drives into touchdowns. Our red zone execution has to improve if we want wins."

The Thunderbolts will look to build on their strong start as preseason continues, while Coach Washington and the Generals seek to improve offensive efficiency in upcoming games.