KINGSTON, R.I.- Monmouth University (0-1) dropped its season opener to Rhode Island (1-0) Saturday afternoon by a score of 27-24 but not before it rallied back from a 14 point first half deficit.
Back by 10 with just over three minutes to play, fifth-year senior Brett Burke (Wall, N.J./Wall) led the Hawks on a six-play, 72-yard drive that culminated in sophomore Troy Yudin's first career touchdown catch. With just under a minute to play John Nalbone (Lawrence, N.J./Lawrenceville) caught the onsides kick but the Hawks were hit with an illegal touching penalty that negated the play. URI was able to run the clock out to win their home opener for the sixth time in the last seven years.
“URI did a great job getting us in a hole early,” said head coach Kevin Callahan. “We struggled to get out of the hole but we went on the offensive early in the second half to give ourselves a chance.”
Down 17-3, Monmouth's Ayo Falae (Newark, N.J./Barringer) returned the second-half kickoff 50 yards down to the Ram's 35. Back-to-back Sinisi runs gave the Hawks a first down on the URI 11. One play later Sinisi broke three tackles en route to the endzone for the first Monmouth TD of the season. With the score, the senior running back broke Chris Reed's record for rushing TDs with 31 career touchdowns.
Derek Cassidy got the Rams moving with a 36-yard swing pass to running back Jimmy Hughes that set URI up with a first down from the MU 18. The Hawk defense held , forcing Louis Feinstein to convert his second field goal of the game as Monmouth trailed 20-10 with 10:11 to play in the third quarter. After another dazzling Falae return, Monmouth was set up with the ball on the URI 47 yardline. On third and long, Burke hit Giles on a screen for a 30 yard pickup, setting up a first down on the Ram 19. Four plays later wideout Nick Romeo (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) caught a tipped pass in the endzone and the Hawks cut the lead to 20-17 with 5:35 to play in the third quarter.
Backed up in their own end, the Hawks moved the ball out with a pair of Giles runs and a big Troy Yudin (Stevenson Ranch, Calif./William Hart) catch that moved the chains on third down. After a MU punt, URI took over on their own 28 with 7:41 remaining in the contest. Cassidy moved the Rams down to the Hawk 24 yardline hitting Joe Bellini over the middle for a pickup of 28 yards. Two plays later Cassidy connected with a wide open Shawn Leonard in the corner of the endzone for a touchdown. With 4:31 to play, Monmouth trailed Rhode Island 27-17, setting up the final scoring drive for MU.
Rhode Island took over first from their own 32 yard line, moved the ball to midfield but then could not convert a third and 21 after a sack by Garrett Culloo (Ocean, N.J./Ocean) and Joe Cella (Jackson, N.J./Jackson) on Cassidy. Burke and company took over from their own 34 after a shanked punt, and Sinisi took the ball up the middle for a first down pickup of 15 yards. However, on Burke's first pass of the game, the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by linebacker Matt Hansen and was returned to the MU 26 yardline.
URI got on the board with a play action pass on the first play following the turnover as Cassidy connected with wideout Tolbert Evans for a 26 yard TD with 10:20 to play in the opening quarter. The Hawks moved the ball on their next possession down to the URI 30, setting up a third and five for MU. Sinisi picked up three yards and the Hawks elected to attempt a 44 yard field goal which Fred Weingart (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) snuck over the crossbar, cutting the lead to 7-3 with 7:24 to play in the first.
URI started their next drive at the MU 32 after a great Terrence Glen kickoff return, which was complimented by a 15 yard facemask penalty on the Hawks. On a first down play from the MU13, Ram All-American Joe Casey had to be taken off the field on a stretcher after suffering a hit from Hawk safety Jose Gumbs (Queens, N.Y./Hebron Academy). Three plays later Rhody attempted a fake field goal but Hawk linebacker Joe Valenti (Bayonne, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) broke up the pass in the endzone.
After another MU punt, the Rams drove down the field, scoring their second touchdown of the game with 13:08 to go in the second frame on a Cassidy three yard run. The Hawk offense stalled again, setting up URI on the Blue & White's 43 yardline. Rhode Island expanded its lead to 17-3 with 9:42 as Feinstein drilled a 47 yarder. With time winding down in the first half, Burke moved the Hawks from their own 15 to the URI 45 but his next pass was intercepted by Terence Glenn to end the half.
Burke finished 18-of-26 for 180 yards with two touchdowns and the pair of picks. Nalbone led the Hawks with four catches for 20 yards, while Steve Dowens (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) grabbed three passes for 30. Sinisi had 138 yards on 21 carries for 138 yards, including a long of 24.
Falae finished with five solo tackles and 117 yards in kickoff returns. Ken Amsel, Gumbs and Cella led the Hawks with seven tackles each.
Cassidy threw for a career-high of 257 yards on 18-of-31 passing with a pair of TD strikes. Hughes led the Rams with 46 yards rushing on 15 carries while Leonard had six receptions for 80 yards. Hansen had a career-tying 10 tackles to lead all defensive players.
Monmouth returns to Kessler for the home opener against The University of Maine on Saturday, September 6th at 1 p.m.
