STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.- Monmouth played a near flawless game to defeat local NEC rival Wagner 28-7 on the road on Saturday.
“We played a complete game,” said MU head coach Kevin Callahan. “The team did a great job of running the football. I am pleased that we didn't turn the ball over and we had no offensive penalties.”
The Hawks had 338 yards of total offense and forced three Seahawk turnovers to avenge last year's loss. Quarterback Brian Boland (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) threw a pair of touchdowns to move into a tie for first on MU's all-time career passing touchdowns list.
After forcing a punt on Wagner's opening possession, the Hawk offense was unable to convert a first down but a 62 yard punt by Sean Dennis (Westampton, N.J./Holy Cross) put the Seahawks at their own 1 yard line to start their second drive. The Monmouth defense held, forcing a punt that traveled 70 yards to start Monmouth's second possession on their own 29.
The MU drive stalled drive for the Hawks found Wagner earning their best field position on the day. The Seahawks moved the ball to midfield before Wagner tailback Jason Butler took the ball on the left side and ran to the MU 29 yard line. A delay of game call and a snuffed out run play gave the Seahawks second and long from the Hawk 30. A Butler carry made it third and six before Erik Yngstrom (Freehold, N.J/Freehold) chased Wagner quarterback Matt Abbey, forcing an incomplete pass. On fourth down the NEC's best kicker Peter Czech missed a 32 yarder, preserving the 0-0 score.
Monmouth picked up a first down on the ensuing drive, their first one of the day with just under three minutes to play in the quarter. On first down Boland hit Shane Sharpley (Oakridge, N.J./West Milford) on a crossing rout for a 14 yard completion at the MU 45 yard line. Boland came back and threw a strike to Michael McClelland (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) for a 27 yard completion. At the start of the second quarter the Hawks were faced with a first and 10 from Wagner's 14. On third and five, Boland dropped back and hit senior Adam San Miguel (North Bergen, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) on a screen and the senior bobbed and weaved his way into the Seahawk endzone to give Monmouth a 7-0 lead.
The two teams traded punts over the next eight plays, with Wagner taking over at their own 27 yard line. The Hawk defense held again, with the defensive line harassing Abbey and senior Jamaal McClintock (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield) breaking up a third down pass to force a punt. On MU's first play of the drive, Boland botched a handoff, caught the loose ball mid-air and scrambled for a 12-yard gain. An 11-yard reception from Boland to tight end John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) converted the third Monmouth third-down of the game. Four plays later Dennis came on to punt, booming the ball to the Wagner 18 yard line, where it was fair caught.
A holding call on second down hampered the Wagner offense, forcing a punt and the Hawks took over at their own 44 with under three minutes to play in the half. On second down Leonard Brice (Philipsburg, N.J./Philipsburg) picked up 11 yards to move the ball into Wagner territory. Two plays later Boland scrambled away from a sack and hit junior Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Point Boro) near the sideline, who cut back to the inside and out-ran the Seahawk defense for a 40-yard touchdown reception, giving the Hawks a 14-0 lead. The touchdown pass was Boland's 50th, tying him with Dan Sabella for first in the Monmouth record books.
Monmouth received the second-half kickoff, moving the ball to their own 45 on a third-down completion to Sharpley. On the following second down Boland barely overthrew a streaking San Miguel that would have most likely been a MU touchdown. Nalbone grabbed his second catch of the game, which was good enough for a MU first. The Wagner defense held on the following third down, forcing a Monmouth punt.
Wagner seemed to be moving the ball along but on second down Abbey was pressured by the MU front line and tossed up a ball that MU defensive back David Jiles (Paulsboro, N.J./Paulsboro) grabbed. The interception was Jiles' third of the season, tying him for first in career-picks all-time at Monmouth. The Blue & White were unable to convert but Wagner's Al Phillips mishandled the bouncing kick, which was recovered by longsnapper Neal Haynes (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro). MU set up shop on the 11 yard line and on second down McClelland caught his second ball going down to the Seahawk two yard line. Boland took the ball himself on the next play, running a draw into the endzone to give MU a 21-0 lead with 3:33 left in the third quarter. It was the first time Wagner gave up a rushing touchdown all season.
Wagner started on their own 26 and moved the ball all the way down to the Hawk 30. A Warren Barnett run to the right setup a first down for the Seahawks at the MU 16 yard line. Two runs later, Abbey ran a QB draw that set up a first and goal from the Hawk five. On the final play of the third quarter, linebacker T.J. Cerezo (Stanhope, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) tossed Butler back for a seven yard loss, forcing a second and goal from the 12. A fade on the next play was broken up by Marcus Shell (Westampton, N.J./Rancocas Valley), with the Seahawks facing a third and goal. Abbey dropped back on that play and was chased out of the pocket by Yngstrom and tried to force a ball over the middle which was picked off on the five by safety Matt Hill (Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong).
A trio of David Sinisi (Ceder Grove, N.J./Ceder Grove) runs gave the Hawks some breathing room. After McClelland picked up his fourth catch of the game, the Blue & White faced a second and five from their own 34, where after two plays the drive stalled. Starting from their own six, Wagner moved the ball out to the 36 using a no-huddle offense in just four plays. The Hawks held on the first two downs and on third down Abbey missed his target high, forcing a Seahawk punt. MU used a mixture of runs and short passes to drive the field before moving the ball out to the MU 47 on a third and one pass to Nalbone for 15 yards. On third down Monmouth gave up their first sack of the game and a bad snap forced Dennis to run on the punt attempt, but he fell four yards short of the first.
Wagner took over just inside of their own territory and moved it to the MU 30 after a qb scrambled ended with a late-hit penalty. On the next play Monmouth senior defensive lineman Vinny Fonte (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) sacked Abbey setting up a second and long. After a complete pass, Butler took a handoff up the middle and ran 22 yards untested for the Wagner score. With 3:11 left in the game, Monmouth held a 21-7 advantage.
McClelland recovered the onside kick attempt, giving the Hawks the ball inside Seahawk territory. On the first play, Sinisi carried the ball for the 19th time, setting a career-high, which was also a season-high for a Monmouth back. Two more carries by the Ceder Grove, N.J. native coupled with a personal foul call set up the Hawks with a first and goal at the Wagner six yard line. Two plays (both Sinisi carries) later, the redshirt freshman picked up his ninth touchdown this season, giving Monmouth a 28-7 lead. Wagner ran out of time on the following possession, with the Hawks winning by 21.
Butler led the Wagner ground attack with 77 yards on 15 carries, with Abbey going 13 of 31 with 121 yards and a pair of interceptions. Chris Turner led the Seahawks on the receiving end with 61 yards on five catches.
Sinisi led all ball carriers with career-highs in rushes, 23 and yards, with 107 and a touchdown. Brice was second on the team with 29 yards on seven carries. Boland had two touchdowns passing and one rushing as he completed 15 of his 23 passes for 163 yards. McClelland led the Hawks in receptions and yardage with four catches for 44 yards.
The Hawks were led defensively by Hill who had seven tackles and an interception. Ayo Falae (Newark, N.J./Berringer) also had a solid game at cornerback, picking up six tackles, five of which were solo. The Hawks had two sacks in the game but had five tackles for a loss in the win. Monmouth's defense held the Wagner offense to just two-of-13 on third down.
The Hawks, now 6-1 on the year and 2-1 in the Northeast Conference will play Robert Morris on the road next week in Moon Township, Pa. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
