With the 15th season of Monmouth football kicking off this August, www.GoMUHawks.com will revisit the 15 greatest football victories of the past 14 years, with one game released each week until the Hawks open the season against Maine on Sept. 1, 2007.
MU FOOTBALL 13th GREATEST VICTORY: OCT. 30, 2004
MONMOUTH DOWNS CENTRAL CONNECTICUT ON
FINAL PLAY OF THE GAME
Steve Andriola Boots Game-Winning 29-Yard Field Goal
Fresh off of a 27-10 win over the Patriot League's Georgetown University the week before, Monmouth headed into the ninth week of the 2004 season with a 7-1 record and their eyes on the NEC title.
Senior Kicker Steve Andriola converted a 29-yard field goal as time expired to give Monmouth a 9-6 victory over Northeast Conference rival Central Connecticut State before a homecoming crowd of 3,743 on October 30, 2004 at Kessler Field.
With the game tied at 6-6 in the 4th quarter, Monmouth sophomore linebacker Mike Castellano hit CCSU senior quarterback Scott Dolch as he threw, resulting in a short fluttering pass that was intercepted by Hawks' senior linebacker Dan Blazosky at the Blue Devil 46 with 2:54 remaining.
“We have had some great games with Central Connecticut, and this game was no different,” said MU head coach Kevin Callahan.”
“We knew that Central was a very good team and every time we play them, it's a battle. Also, the fact that it was Homecoming added to the excitement that day,” said MU defensive back Rob Lomoriello.
Monmouth sophomore quarterback Brian Boland, just 4-of-20 prior to the final drive, hit juniors Tim Hiltwine and Miles Austin on back-to-back completions of eight and 10 yards, respectively, to the CCSU 28. The Hawks used the next five plays to run time off the clock, rushing five times for an additional 16 yards, to set up Andriola with two seconds remaining.
The Blue Devils tied the game earlier in the fourth when junior kicker Derek Pearson hit a 25-yard field goal at 9:03 of the period, capping a 10-play, 72 yard drive.
Central Connecticut outgained Monmouth 351-222, but the Hawks' stingy defense came up with four takeaways to keep the Blue Devils out of the end zone.
Monmouth senior defensive back Rob Lomoriello intercepted two passes, including one in the back corner of the end zone to snuff out Central Connecticut with 3:59 left in the third quarter and MU up 6-3.
“As a defense, we knew they would take their shots down the field, and we had to be ready as a secondary,” said Lomoriello. “I remember they were in the red zone and the receiver ran a flag route, I went underneath and the ball wasn't throw high enough, so I was able to pick it off. As big as the turnover was, stopping them from putting points on the board was our first priority.”
Late in the second quarter Castellano set up MU's second score, forcing and recovering a fumble with 34 seconds left in the first half. Three plays later, Andriola added his second field goal of the day, from 33 yards, to give the Hawks a 6-3 halftime lead.
In the first quarter, the teams traded field goals, with Monmouth getting a 43-yard boot by Andriola and the Blue Devil answering with a 32-yard strike by Pearson.
Central Connecticut sophomore running back Cory Harge fired the Blue Devil offense most of the day, gaining 141 yards on 26 carries. Dolch completed 17-of-32 passes for 171 yards, but threw three costly interceptions. Coming into the day, Dolch had thrown a total of three interceptions on the season.
For Monmouth, senior running back Joe Migliore rushed for 52 yards on 17 carries while fellow senior Bobby Smith ran 12 times for 41 yards.
“Both teams played very well,” said Callahan. “I was impressed by our poise and our ability to create an opportunity for the win in the fourth quarter.”
With the last second win, Monmouth became the first team since the NCAA began I-AA classification in 1978 to win three games on the final play of the game in one season. On Sept. 18 the Hawks beat Robert Morris, 29-27, on a Boland to Hiltwine 32-yard touchdown pass. On Oct. 16, the Blue and White shocked Albany, 25-24, on a 23 yard field goal by Andriola.
“We were confident in each other that if we fought hard, we could make plays down the stretch of games,” said Lomoriello about the three last-play victories in 2004. “We were better conditioned and better prepared than our opponents, and as long as could keep it close, we knew we had a chance.”
The win improved the Hawks to 8-1 overall and 4-1 in the NEC and move into a first place tie with CCSU. Monmouth would wrap up the final two games with a pair of wins, to finish the season with a 10-1 record and the NEC title. The Blue & White finished its 2004 campaign as the top-ranked team in I-AA Mid-Major football, earning the Sports Network Cup.
