Despite turning the ball over twice on the goal line, the Hawks found themselves back just six with 2:11 to play in regulation, thanks in part to a Brett Burke (Wall, N.J./Wall) engineered touchdown drive that took just 1:28 off the clock. Monmouth got the ball back with 1:11 left to play, with Burke hitting David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) for a first down with 53 ticks left and the ball at the MU 42. Burke then completed a pass to senior Adam San Miguel (North Bergen, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) on the next play bringing the ball over midfield. A pass to Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Boro) got the ball down to the 29, with 14.4 left in regulation. An incompletion to San Miguel set Burke and his squad with a third and 10 from the 29 when Kiley drew a pass interference call, giving Monmouth one last shot at the endzone with 4.3 seconds left. Monmouth's comeback bid fell short as Burkes' pass to John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) fell incomplete, and MU was turned away with a 21-15 loss.
Burke's first career interception came ill-timed, just after he moved the ball to midfield with five minutes left and his team down 14-9. Following the pick, SBU marched down in four plays giving themselves a 12 point lead with under three minutes to play. After the kickoff Burke moved the ball the best he had all night, including throwing an eight-yard Ron Lauch (Wall, N.J./Wall) touchdown pass, to get the Hawks to within six, 21-15. MU failed to convert its second two-point conversion attempt of the night, and the comeback attempt was made much harder when the Blue & White was unable to get the ensuing onside kick.
Back by a 14-9 score with eight minutes left in regulation, Monmouth gambled on a fourth and inches in their own territory, coming up with a first down on a Brett Burke (Wall, N.J./Wall) sneak. MU was able to move the ball just four yards on the first two downs, when the Hawks got to midfield on a Burke to Troy Yudin (Stevenson Ranch, Calif./Hart Williams) catch. One play later Burke was intercepted by linebacker Tyler Santucci, who returned it to the MU 25. Four plays later Dudash found a wide open Kevin Halonski off a play action pass to put the game out of reach for Monmouth, 21-9.
Monmouth received the second half kickoff trailing 7-0, moving the ball to the 35 for a first down on a Burke sneak. On a first down the Hawks shot themselves in the foot again with a block below the knees penalty, On first and 25, Sinisi ripped off a 29 yard run out to midfield. Burke just missed San Miguel on their second would-be big play of the game, barely overthrowing the wide open slot receiver on first down. Two Burke rushes later MU punted on a fourth and two from the SBU 44.
Burke and company got their second shot of the half after the Hawk defense forced a three-and-out. Sinisi caught an 18 yard shovel pass converting a third and seven down to the SBU 29 yard line. Redshirt sophomore Bobby Giles (Burlington, N.J./Burlington) took off for a nine yard gain, which was turned into a first down on the next play, a Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Boro) run. A Yudin reception made it third and three, and the Hawks were forced to go for a field goal after Sinisi muffed a pitch out. Weingart booted the 31 yarder to make the score 7-3 with 6:49 left in the third quarter.
Cornerback Ayo Falae (Newark, N.J./Barringer) set the tempo of the next SBU drive, jarring loose a Dudash pass with a punishing hit on wide receiver Scott Kubrak. A dropped ball on third down forced another Stony Brook punt attempt, where the snap was muffed by Seawolve punter Powell. Giles was the first one in, leveling Powell at the Stony Brook 18 yard line.
Giles rushed for three yards on first down and a Burke pass intended Nalbone was knocked down on second down, setting up a third and seven. On third down Giles caught a swing pas, picked up the first down then fumbled through the back of the endzone causing a touchback, although it appeared he was down on the play,
The Seawolves moved to midfield when Dudash unleashed a 46 yard bomb to J.J. Cox to put Stony Brook up 14-3 with 1:51 to play in the third stanza.
On the next Blue & White possession Burke hit Steve Dowens (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) for a first down at midfield, A few plays later Burke hit San Miguel for a 37 yard pass down to the SBU five yard line. Two plays later Sinisi found the endzone for the 15th straight game on an eerily familiar third and one situation. Burke was sacked on the two-point conversion and Stony Brook held a 14-9 lead with 12:45 to play in the game. Burke was 7-for-7 on the drive, moving the Hawks 65 yards on eight plays, taking up just 1:28 of time.
Stony Brook worked its way down ot the MU 34, but two straight plays for a loss by the Hawk defenders forced a fourth down, eventually forcing a Seawolve punt. Burke threw his first career pick on the next MU possession, setting up the drama of the final five minutes.
Stony Brook won the opening toss and began working out of the no-huddle offense. After moving into Hawk territory, the MU defense held, forcing a punt. On its first possession the Hawks were unable to convert a third and one deep in their own territory forcing a Jack Daniels (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Don Bosco) punt. After a pass interference penalty gave SBU a first down, University of Pittsburg transfer Brandon Mason ran 22 yards untouched for a Seahawk touchdown.
Down 7-0 with 7:19 to play in the first quarter, MU went to work at their own 30 but were forced to punt after their second straight three and out. After a Seawolve first down, Kevin Walsh (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) darted in untouched on second down to drop Cuttino for a loss. Two plays later Monmouth's defense held and MU's offense was handed the ball at their own 36. The Hawk offense was once again stopped on third down, forcing Daniels' third punt of the first quarter.
Dudash moved Stony Brook down to the MU 16 yard line, passing for first down yardage on two separate third downs. A holding penalty set SBU back 10 yards, then Cerezo broke up a end around setting up a second and 33. Dudash was sacked by Walsh on the very next play and Stony Brook was forced after a draw to Mason was snuffed out by David Kennedy (Fort Lee, N.J./Patterson Catholic).
It took until the 10:20 mark of the second quarter for MU to earn a first down, as Burke hit San Miguel for a six yard gain. After an illegal procedure call pushed Monmouth back to its own 15. Three runs later, two by Sinisi and one by Kiley and the Hawks had their second first down. Burke laid out a long ball to San MIguel on first down but Stony Brook's Corey Giddings broke the pass up at the last second. On third down Burke was forced to scramble, getting stopped just one yard short of a first.
A defensive stop gave MU the ball back with 5:28 left in the half, but on third and one Sinisi ran directly into the pile forcing another Blue & White punt. On second down of SBU's next possession Chris Reed picked off his first career pass on a tipped ball, eventually fumbling where it was recovered by the Hawks on the Stony Brook nine yard line. The first pllay was a pitch to San Miguel who appeared to have room to run but was stopped at the line of scrimmage by SBU linebacker Milo Otis. On second down Sinisi dragged his way to the one yard line, Sinisi stretched out on the next play for touchdown but the ball was knocked out of his hand and Stony Brook recovered on their own one. After converting a third down with just over a minute to go, Stony Brook ran the clock out, taking its 7-0 lead into the lockeroom.
Sinisi led all rushers with 115 yards on 24 carries with a touchdown. Burke had a career day in completions (25) and yards 193, with the touchdown pass to Lauch. San Miguel's six catches for 58 yards led the Hawks, while Dowens had five catches for 39 yards. Yudin's four catches for 23 yards were both career-highs, while Lauch caught the first three balls of his career, finishing with 24 yards.
Walsh led the team in tackles with seven, including three tackles for a loss (one sack). Joe Cella (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) finished with six tackles, including two for a loss, while Matt Sterner (Bethlethem, Pa./Liberty). Reed four tackles and the interception for MU. Monmouth led in time of posession for the first time all season, while out-gaining SBU 366-261. MU had 19 first downs compared to Stony Brook's 17 and was nine-of-19 on third down, compared to the Seawolves' five-of-13.
Monmouth heads into Newark, Del. next saturday night to face nationally-ranked Delaware at 7 p.m.
