ORONO, Maine- Monmouth University's football team dropped its 2007 season opener to the University of Maine, 21-14, Saturday night.
The Hawks trailed by one score for the entire fourth quarter but had two chances at tying the game in the final eight minutes. Maine used a two-player rushing attack and solid special teams play to improve to 1-0 on the season.
“I thought for a young team there was a lot of good that came out of this game,” said head coach Kevin Callahan. “There were certainly bright spots. We put ourselves into some tough situations. Two special teams breakdowns led directly to scores. We got ourselves off schedule too many times on offense. When you're playing against a good football team, you can't do those things.”
It took the Monmouth offense four plays to erase a 14-7 halftime deficit, with quarterback Brett Burke (Wall, N.J./Wall) finding Adam San Miguel (North Bergen, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) for their first touchdown hookup. After a John Nalbone shovel pass converted a third down for Monmouth, Burke unleashed a deep ball that San Miguel hauled in after beating his defender for a 58 yard touchdown.
Burke went right back to work after a Hawk defensive stop, hitting Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Boro) for a first down pass. Two plays later Burke went back to Kiley, this time hooking up for a 20 yard completion. The Hawk drive stalled but punter Jack Daniels (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Don Bosco) pinned the Black Bears on their own five yard line with 7:01 left in the third quarter.
Maine's Jhamal Fluellen took a first down handoff off the right side for a 20 yard gain, getting the Black Bears out of their own endzone. The Maine rushing attack kicked into gear, moving the ball all the way to the Hawk 26, mainly on the legs of Fluellen. On second and long Black Bear Manzi Pierre made a circus catch on the right sideline keeping his feet in bounds for a first and 10 on the 12. One play later Fluellen took an inside handoff the distance to give Maine a 21-14 lead with 2:35 left in the third frame.
On the ensuing kickoff MU's top return man Brian Robinson gave the Hawks great field position when he took the kickoff to midfield. MU's offense was unable to get points out of the field position and Maine took over at their own 22. The Hawk defense held, forcing another UM punt.
The two teams traded punts over the next eight minutes and the Hawks found themselves with 7:32 left in the game and the ball on their own 31. Two incompletes and a false start penalty Burke found himself facing a third and 15. A screen pass to Sinisi went for nine yards and Daniels came on to punt
The Blue & White found themselves down back 21-14 with just 4:15 to play. Burke was sacked on first down. The senior scrambled to make up some of the yards but a false start set up the Hawks for a third and 14. Burkes pass was tipped on the next play as the 7,200 fans in attendance roared and the Hawks were forced to punt with just 2:29 left in the game. Maine took over at midfield and was able to run the clock out.
After Monmouth won the toss and elected to defer to the second half, Maine was set to receive the opening kickoff. Lamir Whetstone received the ball at the nine yard line and worked his way in and out of the defense finally getting stopped at the MU 22 yardline. Four plays later Black Bear quarterback Michael Brusko took a draw up the middle for a touchdown, giving Maine a 7-0 lead just 1:58 into the game.
Monmouth's first drive of the 2007 season started at the 35 yardline after Maine kicked the ball out of bounds. On third and six Burke hit Kiley on the near sideline for a 16 yard gain, but a roughing the passer call moved the ball down to the Maine 28 yardline. On the very next play Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) scooted untouched up the left side of the line, cutting towards the right sideline and taking the ball the rest of the way for a touchdown. Fred Weingart's (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 11:59 to play.
The Hawks had forced another third down on defense but Brusko took off once again for a 15 yard designed run up the middle. The Hawks held on a fourth and four with Brusko rolling out with Chris Reed (Stewartstown, Pa./York Catholic) on his heels forcing a errant pass. Monmouth was unable to convert two consecutive passes on first and second down and a sack on third down forced MU to punt the ball away.
Ayo Falae (Newark, N.J./Barringer) recorded his first interception of the season two plays later on a high pass that was tipped. MU was unable to get anything going and another special teams disaster struck for the Hawks as a poor snap caused Daniels to kick a low bouncing ball which was picked up by Mark Masterson who raced uncontested for a touchdown.
Two straight first down completions to tight end John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) set up Monmouth with a fresh set of downs on the Black Bear 28 yardline. The drive was all for nothing though as Weingart was unable to convert a 42 yard field goal. Monmouth's defense forced a three and out and Burke and company went back to work starting from their own 20. After a first down Monmouth's drive stalled as Burke was continually harassed by the Maine defenders.
A 15 yard penalty on the ensuing punt for kick catch interference started the Black Bear drive on their own 44 yardline. Working out the of the no huddle offense, Maine moved the ball into MU territory but a clipping call brought back a screen pass that went for a TD and the Hawk defenders buckled down forcing a punt. On the next possession Burke was sacked on a third and nine forcing Daniels to punt from his own endzone.
Maine worked their way down to the MU 32 but on fourth and two the Hawk defenders didn't bite on a play action pass and Brusko was forced to scramble and throw the ball away. Monmouth ran out the clock and went into the locker room down 14-7.
Fluellen led all rushers with 129 yards, while Brusko finished with 109. Monmouth held the Black Bear passing attack to just 64 yards on the night. Javon Belcher led Maine on the defensive end with 13 tackles, as the Black Bears recorded three sacks on Burke.
Burke finished 14-of-25 passing for 173 yards and one touchdown. Sinisi finished with 67 yards and extended his touchdown streak to 15 consecutive games. Kiley led the Hawks with five catches for 55 yards, while Nalbone finished with four receptions for 49 yards. San Miguel hauled in just two passes for 54 yards. Matt Sterner (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) finished with 14 tackles for the Hawks, with five other players recording 10 stops each.
Monmouth will look for its first win next week when it returns to Kessler Field to face Robert Morris at 1 p.m. on Sept. 8.
