WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University football team scored 16 unanswered fourth quarter points en route to defeating rival Central Connecticut State 19-13 Saturday afternoon at Kessler Field on Monmouth's Homecoming. The win improves the Hawks' record to 8-1 on the season, and 4-1 in the Northeast Conference, while Central drops to 6-3 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
“I thought first and foremost our defense played a heck of a game,” said head coach Kevin Callahan. “I felt the defense dominated the action today and did a great job against a quality back (Hairston) and a quality rushing attack.”
The Monmouth defense held Central's Justice Hairston, who came into the game as the leading rusher in all of Division I-AA football, to 67 yards on 19 carries. The Rutgers transfer came into the game averaging 174.8 yards per game and led the nation with 1,398 yards coming into the game.
The game started off slow, as both teams traded punts. The action went back and forth until the four minute mark, when Monmouth appeared to gain offensive momentum as Leonard Brice (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) broke an impressive 39-yard run, but was stripped of the ball by Central's Michael Bailey and recovered by Stefon Benson inside the Blue Devil 20-yard line.
Monmouth's defense held Central, but couldn't muster any offense of their own and was forced to punt. On the ensuing Central drive, facing a third and six with 2:11 showing on the clock, Monmouth cornerback David Jiles (Paulsboro, N.J./Paulsboro) made a tremendous play breaking up a long pass by Blue Devil quarterback Ryan Holmes, stalling the drive.
With Central forced to punt, Adam San Miguel retrieved the kick and returned it 25 yards to the CCSU 35-yard line. The first quarter ended with Monmouth having possession and the game deadlocked in a scoreless tie, 0-0.
On the first play of the second quarter, Monmouth went for a fourth and two, but Brian Boland's (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) screen pass was batted down by Blue Devil Ernie Greywacz, giving the ball back to Central.
The Hawks' defense again held the Blue Devils, and on Monmouth's next possession Boland found Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J. /Pt. Pleasant Boro) on a 31-yard pass play on a third down and three to the CCSU 41-yard line. On the play, Boland became the third quarterback in NEC history to surpass 7,000 career passing yards.
On the next Hawks play, Boland kept a zone read off tackle and was rumbling towards the end zone before he fumbled the ball at the CCSU ten-yard line.
Monmouth's defense forced a Central punt, and on the ensuing Hawks' possession Boland tried to hit his tight end John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) in the flat but he slipped on the route and the pass was picked off by Blue Devil Anthony Wilson at his own 22-yard line with six minutes left before halftime.
The Hawks' defense again stepped up as Holmes was sacked by Erik Yngstrom (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Boro) and Chris Reed (Stewartstown, Pa. /York Catholic) at the CCSU nine-yard line on a third and long with 5:21 showing on the clock.
On the next Monmouth possession Boland hit David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, Pa. /Cedar Grove) on a screen pass and the redshirt freshman rumbled 56 yards down to the Blue Devil four-yard line with 3:40 left before halftime.
Monmouth looked to score the game's first points but Fred Weingert's (New Egypt, N.J. /New Egypt) 24-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Stefon Benson, keeping the game scoreless going into halftime.
On the opening drive of the second half, Mike Castellano (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) stripped Hairston of the ball and Matt Hill (Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong) recovered at the 35-yard line with 13:00 showing in the third quarter.
The Hawks responded to the turnover when on a third and 27 Boland found Adam San Miguel (North Bergen, N.J. /St. Peter's Prep) down to the four-yard line. That set up a 21-yard Weingert field goal to give Monmouth the game's first lead at 3-0 with 10:25 left in the third quarter. The field goal capped an eight-play, 38-yard drive.
On Central's ensuing possession, they botched an option reverse play and Yngstrom recovered the fumble deep in Blue Devil territory. Weingert's 25-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Stefon Benson, and Monmouth maintained a 3-0 lead with 7:20 left in the third. Weingert injured his knee on the play.
Central took the lead away from Monmouth on their next possession as Holmes hit Josh Vargas on a 44-yard touchdown strike on an option playaction pass. Ryan Heeney added the extra point and Central led 7-3 with 5:42 showing in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter began with Sean Dennis (Westampton, N.J./Holy Cross) drilling a 32-yard field goal to cut the CCSU lead to 7-6. The kick was Dennis's, who was kicking because of Weingert's injury, second career field goal. The first was a 37-yard field goal in last year's season opener at Lehigh as the first half clock expired.
On the next Central drive, Mike Nunziato (Carlstadt, N.J./Paramus Catholic) stuffed Hairston on a third and 1 with 9:30 left in game, giving the Hawks possession.
That led to Boland hitting San Miguel on a 38-yard completion down to the CCSU 27-yard line with 9:15 left in the game. The drive was capped off by a Sinisi five-yard touchdown run. The score tied the school record for consecutive games with a touchdown (9), but the two-point conversion failed, giving Monmouth a 12-7 lead with 7:20 left in the game.
The Hawks' held Central on their next possession, and Monmouth seized control as Boland scored on a 16-yard touchdown run to give Monmouth a 19-7 lead with 3:20 left.
Central's Holmes answered with an 11-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper, but Heeney's extra point attempt was blocked by Jamaal McClintock (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield), making the Monmouth lead 19-13.
Central attempted an onside kick, but Sinisi recovered the kick at midfield, and the game ended when the Hawks' kneeled down to end the game.
The Hawks' outgained Central 460-212, including 233-115 in rushing yards. Central came into the game averaging 292 yards per game on the ground. Brice led the Hawks ground attack with 98 yards on 10 carries, and Boland contributed 72 yards and the touchdown. Sinisi finished with 65 yards and a touchdown, and also caught four passes for 66 yards.
Boland was 16-of-31 passing for 227 yards and one interception. San Miguel had five catches for 92 yards, and Kiley contributed two grabs for 37 yards.
Anthony Addonizio (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel) led the defense with 7.5 tackles, including six solo. Castellano added 6.5 tackles, including one for loss, one forced fumble and one pass break-up. Hill recovered a fumble and added 5.5 tackles.
“We were able to come up with some key turnovers to create positive field position for the offense,” said Callahan.
Monmouth returns to action next Saturday, November 4 as they host St. Francis (Pa.) for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Kessler Field.
