Box Score


WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University football team put forth a total team effort and lit up the scoreboard in their 54-20 triumph over St. Francis (Pa.) Saturday afternoon at Kessler Field on Senior Day.

"It was important that we came out and played well in the game today, and I think out guys did that," said head coach Kevin Callahan.

The win improves the Hawks' to 9-1 on the season and 5-1 in the Northeast Conference. The 50 points scored at home marked the first time the Hawks have put up half the century mark since 1998, when they defeated Sacred Heart 57-26 on October 31.

The Hawks' blew the game wide open

On the first possession of the game, Monmouth held St. Francis (Pa.) at bay and forced a three and out. The ensuing Hawks' possession began with a bang when redshirt freshman David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) ripped off career-long 62 yard run, setting up a first and goal at the Red Flash six-yard line. Sinisi finished what he started and scampered into the end zone from four yards out. Mike Pizzuli (Oceanport, N.J. /Red Bank Regional) added the extra point to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead with 11:23 showing in the first quarter.

Sinisi's score marked his tenth straight game reaching the end zone, which set a new Monmouth record for consecutive games with a touchdown. The score extended the longest streak in Division I-AA football.

On the next Red Flash drive, senior running back Todd Jones was drilled by Monmouth's Mike Nunziato (Carlsadt, N.J./Paramus Catholic) and fumbled, and Matt Hill (Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong) recovered with 10:20 left in the quarter.

On Monmouth's next drive, Brian Boland (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) broke a 29-yard touchdown run but it was negated by an illegal motion penalty. On the very next play, Boland tried to find tight end John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) but he was hit by Andrew Ardestani and the ball went straight up and was intercepted by Vaitolu Tali with 9:00 left in the first quarter.

Red Flash quarterback Anthony Doria wasted no time and found wide receiver Antoine Rivera for 28-yard pass play over the middle, setting up a first down at the Hawks' 22-yard line.

Doria went right back to work and hit Michael Caputo for a 22-yard touchdown pass, but Adam Sciulli's extra point was blocked by Ayo Falae (Newark, N.J./Barringer), maintaining Monmouth's lead at 7-6 with 5:07 left in the opening quarter.

Monmouth went back on the offensive and Boland went deep to Adam San Miguel (North Bergen, N.J. /St. Peter's Prep) for a 57-yard touchdown pass. Pizzuli added the extra point to give the Hawks a 14-6 lead with 4:39 left in the first.

The scoring catch was San Miguel's 62nd grab of the year setting a new Monmouth record for catches in a season, surpassing Anthony Galella's previous record of 61 in 1998.

St. Francis (Pa.) responded with a Todd Harris 12-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. The Red Flash went for two and got it originally as Doria found Caputo, but he pushed off David Jiles and was called for offensive pass interference. St. Francis (Pa.) was then forced to attempt an extra point from the 18-yard line and Sciulli's kick bounced off the cross bar and was apparently no good, but the officials ruled it went through, making the score 14-13 at the end of the first quarter.

Monmouth began the second quarter the way they finished the first and Boland found Shane Sharpley (Oak Ridge, N.J./West Milford) for a 26-yard touchdown pass, giving the Blue and White a 21-13 lead with 11:52 left before halftime. The drive encompassed 8 plays and 65 yards.

On St. Francis (Pa.)'s next drive, David Jiles (Paulsboro, N.J./Paulsboro) picked off a Doria pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to give the Hawks a 28-13 lead with 9:14 left before intermission.

With the pick, Jiles became the all-time career leader in passes picked off at Monmouth with 12.

On the next St. Francis (Pa.) drive Monmouth's defense held and forced a punt, but San Miguel fumbled the punt and it was recovered by Maurice Sales at the St. Francis (Pa.) 44-yard line with 2:31

Erik Yngstrom (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Boro) sacked Doria, but on the next play the Red Flash signal caller found Sales for a 28-yard touchdown pass with less than a minute left before halftime, cutting the Monmouth lead to 28-20 at the intermission.

The second half began with Monmouth driving right down the field as Sinisi broke an 18-yard run down to the one yard line, setting up a Rob Lutz (New Cumberland, Pa./Trinity) one yard plunge with 11:18 left in the third quarter. The eight play, 77-yard scoring drive gave Monmouth a 34-20 lead as Pizzuli missed the extra point wide left.

On the next kickoff, Sinisi forced and recovered a Jared Colmer fumble at the Red Flash 41-yard line.

The Hawks went up top right away as Boland connected with Michael McClelland (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) on a 29-yard pass play down to the Red Flash one-yard line.

Walter Carter (Salem, N.J./Salem) found the end zone from one yard out and scored his first touchdown of the season to give the Hawks a 41-20 lead.

The Blue and White barrage continued as Boland found Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Pleasant Boro) on a 13-yard touchdown pass to increase the lead to 47-20 with 1:53 left in the third stanza. Pizzuli's extra point attempt was blocked.

Monmouth got on the board for the last time when Leonard Brice (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) scored a seven-yard rushing touchdown with 10:56 left in the game. Pizzuli added the extra point to give the Hawks a 54-20. Brice's score marked the fourth different rusher to find the end zone in the game for Monmouth.

The Hawks' were led by Sinisi's career-high 143 yards on 12 carries and a score. Lutz ran for 70 yards and a score and Brice rumbled for 57 and a touchdown. In all, the Hawks ran for 304 yards on 34 carries, good enough for an 8.9 yards per carry average.

Boland completed 12-of-17 passes to seven different receivers for 237 yards and three touchdowns.

San Miguel caught five passes for 128 yards and a score, and McClelland caught two passes for 38 yards.

Anthony Addonizio (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel) led the Blue and White defense with a career-high 14 tackles, including 11 solo and two tackles for loss. Nunziato added eight stops and Hill finished with seven tackles.

Doria finished 18-of-33 passing for 272 yards. Harris ran 31 times for 129 yards and a score and Caputo caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.

"I'm very excited for our seniors who are about to finish their careers hopefully with one more game here at Kessler," said Callahan.

The one more game refers to the Gridiron Classic, which will be hosted by the NEC Champion on December 2.

Monmouth concludes the 2006 regular season next Saturday, November 11 when they travel to the state capital of New York for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Pictured: Wideout Adam San Miguel