League Notes
Defending NEC champion Albany continued along its torrid pace, downing Saint Francis (PA), 27-3, for its 10th consecutive victory in conference play. The Great Danes will face rival Monmouth next weekend at home in a battle of first-place NEC unbeatens. ... Coming off a bye, Monmouth built a 27-6 lead on Central Connecticut State in an eventual 30-20 triumph over the 2007 NEC runner-up Blue Devils to remain undefeated in league play and set up next week’s showdown at Albany. ... Robert Morris bounced back from its road loss at Bryant (Oct. 20) by handling Wagner, 35-3, on Grymes Hill. The Colonials had six takeaways, including a defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery, on their way to the victory. ... Sacred Heart remained one game back of Albany and Monmouth by downing Duquesne, 29-17, in Pittsburgh. At 7-and-1, the Pioneers are off to their best start since their undefeated, 11-and-0 2001 NEC championship season.
Running With the Best in FCS
A year after four Northeast Conference teams produced 1,200-yard rushers that each ranked amongst the nation's top 20, five NEC running backs currently stand amongst the top-12 rushers in Division I FCS this season with one leading the entire nation. Monmouth junior Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove), Robert Morris sophomore Myles Russ (Boca Raton, FL/West Boca) Central Connecticut State junior James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West), Albany junior David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute), and Sacred Heart senior Evin Jones (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic [PA]) are all on pace for 1,000-yard seasons (Sinisi, McCarty, and Mallory have already accomplished the feat) as their yards-per-game averages place them in elite company. Sinisi (161.9 ypg) ranks first in all of D-I FCS as do his 1,295 total rushing yards. McCarty ranks fifth overall (142.50 ypg), Mallory (138.50 ypg) sixth, Russ eleventh (118.25 ypg), and Jones (116.50 ypg) twelfth.
Below is a look at the five NEC rushers who rank amongst the nation’s Top 12.
Player (School) Season Total (Avg./Game) Nat’l Rank
Dave Sinisi (Monmouth) 207 car., 1295 yds. (161.90) 1st
David McCarty (Albany) 240 car., 1140 yds. (142.50) 5th
James Mallory (CCSU) 220 car., 1108 yds. (138.50) 6th
Myles Russ (Robert Morris) 154 car., 946 yds. (118.25) 11th
Evin Jones (Sacred Heart) 181 car., 932 yds. (116.50) 12th
Battle of Unbeatens Has Title Implications
Albany (2007) and Monmouth (2006) are the winners of the past two Northeast Conference titles and now find themselves facing each other at UA’s Alumni Field in Week Ten. The last two teams to not have suffered a conference loss this season will battle for sole possession of first place in the NEC standings. Prior to Albany’s 21-3 victory at Monmouth last season, the Hawks had won four consecutive annual meetings. Currently jockeying for position down the stretch, the two 4-and-0 programs sit tied atop the league, one game ahead of 3-and-1 Sacred Heart whose title aspirations strengthened with its 29-17 road win at Duquesne.
McCarty A Monster in Legaue Play
Neither Massachusetts nor New Hampshire could keep Albany tailback David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute) under 125 yards rushing when they faced the all-NEC tailback earlier this season. Now those two CAA programs know exactly how everyone in the NEC feels. If any player loves facing NEC competition it is McCarty. With Albany yet to lose a conference game that he has started at tailback, McCarty has carried the ball 254 times for 1,633 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 contests against league opponents dating back to last season.
Dukes’ Double-Digit Totino and Flash’s Lewis Two of FCS Best
Duquesne sophomore linebacker Nathan Totino (Pittsburgh, PA/Seton-LaSalle) made a 11 tackles (five solo) against Sacred Heart (Oct. 25) to extend his streak of double-digit (10 or more) tackle performances to seven. The sophomore has made 101 tackles (53 solo) over seven games for the nation’s second-best tackles-per-game average (14.40). Totino has a fellow NEC-er nipping at his heels in the form of Saint Francis (PA) sophomore Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/Bishop McCort), the 2007 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Lewis has made a NEC-high 103 stops for a 12.88 tackles-per-game average that ranks him fourth amongst Division I FCS leaders. Each of the two men have produced 23-tackle games this season, the top mark on the NCAA’s list of single-game season highs.
7-and-1 Pioneers See Fink Fall for First Time
After 31 quarters, and nearly eight full games, Sacred Heart has finally surrendered a sack of sophomore quarterback Dale Fink (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic). The Pioneers who had not allowed a sack over the season’s seven games, including a match up with preseason favorite Albany and its vaunted pass rush, saw Duquesne junior Mykol Gardiner (Cleveland, OH/Benedictine) dropped Fink for a 12-yard loss on the Pioneers’ first play of the fourth quarter during a 29-17 road win over the Dukes. Gardiner teamed up with sophomore Thaimu Bangura (Lanham, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) for a second sack of SHU’s signal caller later in the quarter. Sacred Heart’s offensive line -- made up of senior left tackle Ryan Arroyo (Roebling, NJ/Florence Twp.), sophomore left guard Justin Smith (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton), freshman center Dylan Larson (Barnegat Light, NJ/Southern), sophomore right guard Dan Plunkett (Quincy, MA/Catholic Memorial), junior right tackle Abel Malae (Pacifica, CA/Terra Nova) -- have been the league’s to unit in terms of pass protection this season.
Pioneers Passing in Record Numbers
Sophomore quarterback Dale Fink (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) and junior wide receiver Steve Tedesco (Mission Viejo, CA/Trabuco Hills) are helping each other etch their names into Sacred Heart history. Tedesco caught 12 passes, which ties a single-season program record, from Fink for 121 yards in Sacred Heart’s road win at Duquesne. Already having surpassed former teammate Corey Bundy (2004-07) for the program’s all-time career receptions crown thanks to six catches at Saint Francis (PA) on Oct. 11, Tedesco (1,796) moved ahead over Bundy (1,758) for the all-time yardage lead. With a career program record 23 touchdown receptions, Tedesco has helped his quarterback become SHU’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (41). Fink surpassed Justine Holtfreter (40, 2000-01) for Sacred Heart's all-time program lead with two scoring strikes on Saturday.
Dominating Defenses Power SHU and Albany to NEC Wins
Albany and Sacred Heart were the two stingiest defenses in the NEC this past Saturday, each holding their opponents to less than 200 yards of total offense on its way to a league victory. Sacred Heart Duquesne to 171... The Great Danes limited Saint Francis (PA) to 145 yards, the lowest total for an Albany opponent since Nov. 4, 2006. The Great Danes held the Flash to 68 net rushing yards, the third time this season the opposition has failed to reach the 100-yard mark against Albany. Meanwhile in its road NEC triumph, Sacred Heart held Duquesne to 171 yards of total offense, including only 107 passing yards for a potent DU aerial attack that features NEC-leading passer Connor Dixon (South Park, PA/South Park).
Next Up... Paterno and Bowden as Ford Keeps Truckin’
Albany head coach Bob Ford, currently in his 36th season at the helm of the Great Danes’ program, recorded his 230th overall career coaching victory when the defending NEC champions defeated Saint Francis (PA), 27-3, in front of a home crowd on Saturday afternoon. The Architect of Albany's program is third among active Division I FBS and FCS coaches in career victories behind Penn State's Joe Paterno (381) and Florida State's Bobby Bowden (379). With a 221-143 record at Albany, Ford has rebuilt the program from scratch after taking over in 1970 when the University reinstated the sport following a 46-year hiatus.
Hawks and Blue Devils Amongst Region’s FCS Best
Central Connecticut State and Monmouth each entered Saturday’s showdown (Oct. 25) with 34 wins since 2004, a frequency that ranks the two teams amongst the top Division I FCS programs in the region. The Hawks have taken a slight edge over the rival Blue Devils by notching their 35th victory during that time span by downing CCSU, 30-20, at Kessler Field. Monmouth’s 35 victories are the fourth-most among New England, New York, and New Jersey FCS schools. Only New Hampshire, UMass and Harvard have more than the two NEC programs. Both the Blue Devils and the Hawks each have two NEC crowns to their credit since 2004. The two teams split the 2004 NEC title before Central Connecticut State also earned a share of the 2005 crown with former conference member Stony Brook. Monmouth was the league's lone champion in 2006.
Keeping Tabs on Bryant
Poised to begin Northeast Conference competition in 2012 when its completes the NCAA-mandated reclassification process, Bryant is currently in transition from Division II to core NEC membership. In becoming acclimated with its future league, Bryant is on the schedules of six of the eight current NEC football programs.
Bryant could not pull a shocker in Amherst, falling to No. 17 Massachusetts, and defending CAA champion, 42-7. The game was Bulldogs sixth against a FCS opponent this season. After earning its first victory over a Division I FCS program in six tries when it stunned Wagner, 24-14, in Staten Island, NY on Sept. 27, Bryant made it two in a row against NEC foes with a 20-7 home victory over Robert Morris (Oct. 20). At 4-4 overall, their only losses have come to DI FCS members (Monmouth, CCSU, Marist, Massachusetts). After dropping a 42-35, season-opening decision at 2007 NEC runner-up Central Connecticut State, the Bulldogs rebounded with back-to-back victories over Merrimack and Southern Connecticut State. Next is a home date with Duquesne (Nov. 1).
Week NINE (9) By The Numbers
10-10 are the Great Danes in NEC games when tailback David McCarty eclipses the 100-yard rushing mark. Albany has won 10 conescutive conference games dating back to the start of its 2007 NEC title run with McCarty rushing for more than 100 yards in each of the victories.
41 touchdowns passes in less than two full seasons for Sacred Heart quarterback Dale Fink who is now the Pioneers’ all-time career leader. Fink, who led the NEC with 23 TD strikes last year, threw for two scores in Saturday’s 29-17 win at Duquesne to surpass Justine Holtfreter (2000-01) for the Pioneers’ all-time lead. Fink’s 18 TD passes place the sophomore atop the NEC leaderboard once again.
60 receptions thus far this season for NEC leader Steve Tedesco. The Sacred Heart junior receiver tied a program record with 12 catches in Saturday’s win at Duquesne to surpass the 59 receptions he led the conference with last season. Tedesco owns the Pioneers’ all-time career records for receptions and receiving yardage.
102 points thus far this season for Monmouth’s Dave Sinisi. The Walter Payton Award candidate, who entered the season with 198 career points, has found paydirt 17 times to pull into a tie with former Wagner great Rick Sarille atop the NEC’s career scoring list.
9 assisted tackles by Albany defensive end Eddie Delaney led all rookies this week. The freshman lineman, who plays without a left hand and wears an insulin pump to control diabetes, continues to make the most of his starting opportunity for the defending NEC champion Great Danes. Delaney, who won NEC Rookie of the Week honors last week, has made 18 tackles to go along with three pass breakups in three games as a starter.
Monmouth’s Dave Sinisi Runs Onto Walter Payton Watch List
Monmouth junior tailback David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) has recently been added to the Walter Payton Award Watch List. Becoming the second NEC player in three years to attain that status, Sinisi joins former Central Connecticut State NEC all-star Justise Hairston (finished sixth in 2006 voting).
The winner of the 22nd Walter Payton Award, symbolic of the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) will be announced at the annual Sports Network Awards banquet on Dec. 18 in Chattanooga, TN at the Marriott Hotel. The Eddie Robinson Award, which goes to the top coach in FCS, and the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top FCS defensive player, will also be awarded the night before the NCAA Division I football championship game.
“Dave Sinisi is possibly the most complete football player that I have seen in my more than 30 years of college coaching,” said head coach Kevin Callahan. “Dave’s individual performances over the last three seasons have contributed to our team’s success more than any other factor.”
Sinisi leads the nation in rushing yards with 1,295 yards, while averaging a national-best 161.9 yards per game. The Cedar Grove, N.J., native is first in FCS in total touchdowns with 17, surpassing Western Illinois’ Herb Donaldson thanks to his four-TD effort against Central Connecticut State (Oct. 25). He has recorded at least 100 yards rushing in six of seven games this season, including his school record setting performance of 247 yards in a win over Saint Francis.
Last season he set the FCS record for consecutive games with a touchdown, scoring in his first 20 games for the Blue & White. Sinisi has started every game for the Hawks since his redshirt freshman year, scoring in 27 out of the 29 contests. In just two-plus years, he owns every career rushing record at Monmouth, including rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, 100-yard rushing performances, and surpassed current Dallas Cowboy Miles Austin for the top spot in scoring at Monmouth.
Off the field, the junior has spent numerous hours serving in leadership roles for other student-athletes and volunteering for various community service initiatives. He was one of the co-authors of Monmouth’s Student-Athlete Code of Conduct, and currently serving as the Vice President for MU’s Peer Leadership Program. Sinisi has represented Monmouth two times at the NCAA’s Apple Conference, presenting Monmouth’s Code of Conduct project to three hundred peers including NCAA President Miles Brand.
Sinisi, along with two other newcomers joins 13 other players, all holdovers from the original list announced in August, on the revised list. The Payton Award watch list will undergo one further revision in November, and the final ballot will be announced at the end of the regular season.
Team-by-Team Notes
Albany (5-3, 4-0 NEC)
Last Game: ALBANY 27, SAINT F RANCIS (PA) 3 (Albany, NY - Alumni Field)
Next Game: November 1 vs. MONMOUTH, 1:00 pm (Albany, NY - Alumni Field)
• Albany posted its fourth consecutive win with a 27-3 triumph over Saint Francis (PA) before a home crowd of 5,284 at University Field. … The Great Danes, who scored their most points (21) in the opening quarter since Oct. 20, 2007, improved their Homecoming record to 25-11 all-time. … UAlbany has registered four or more conference victories in all 10 seasons as an NEC member and is currently riding a 10-game win streak against league opposition. … QB Vinny Esposito (Demarest, NJ/Northern Valley) threw two first-quarter touchdown passes, including a 58-yard strike to WR Tim Bush (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs). Esposito became the fourth UA quarterback to surpass 3,000 career passing yards (3,098). … TB David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute) extended his touchdown streak to 16 straight games by scoring on a 22-yard reception in the first period and a one-yard run in the fourth quarter. McCarty, who rushed for 122 yards on a natural grass field that deteriorated in a driving rain, has moved to ninth on the program's career scoring chart with 150 points. McCarty, who has run for 100-plus yards in 13 of his last 14 starts, is fifth in rushing (142.5 ypg) and third in all-purpose yards (180.1 ypg) among the Division I FCS national leaders. McCarty has 15 career 100-yard rushing games. … TB Justin Gannon (Sussex, NJ/Vernon Twp.) scored on a 45-yard burst in the opening stanza, the longest run of his career. … UAlbany's defense allowed 145 total yards, the lowest figure by an opponent since Nov. 4, 2006. Saint Francis (PA) was held to 68 net rushing yards, the third opponent under the 100-mark this season. … ILB Mark Peretore (Apalachin, NY/Vestal) tied a season-high with eight tackles, including 1.5 for losses, and had one PBU. Peretore leads all active UAlbany defenders with 151 career tackles. … DE Eddie Delaney (Holtsville, NY/Sachem) accounted for a career-best nine tackles vs. Saint Francis (PA). The redshirt freshman has combined for 18 tackles and three pass deflections over three games as a starter. … CB Daniel Avery (Cooper City, FL/Miramar Everglades) and ILB Nick Krajacic (Farmington, NY/Victor Central) each picked off his first career pass last week. … Senior punter Chris Lynch (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst) tied the fourth-longest punt in school annals with a 70-yarder for a touchback in the fourth quarter. Lynch, who is 35th nationally with a 40.6 average, also eclipsed the career standard for punting yardage (7,982), a mark Dave Hardy held since 1982. … Head coach Bob Ford recorded his 230th career win at the collegiate level. The Architect of Albany's program is third among active Division I FBS and FCS coaches in career victories behind Penn State's Joe Paterno (381) and Florida State's Bobby Bowden (379). ... UAlbany hosts Monmouth in battle of conference unbeatens on Nov. 1. The Great Danes have won six of the previous 10 meetings in the series, while four contests have been decided by three points or less. … UAlbany will be involved in their fourth NEC contest with title implications, games that feature two teams with perfect league records.
Central Connecticut State (5-3, 2-2 NEC)
Last Game: MONMOUTH 30, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE 20 (West Long Branch, NJ - Kessler Field)
Next Game: November 1 at ROBERT MORRIS, 1:00 pm (Moon Township., PA - Joe Walton Stadium)
• Central Connecticut State fell two games back in the NEC title race by stumbling, 30-20, at league rival Monmouth. … The Blue Devils ran for 254 yards against Monmouth to mark the 19th time in 30 games under head coach Jeff McInerney that CCSU has gained more than 250 yards on the ground. The Blue Devils, who had a season-best 5.6 yards-per-carry average against the Hawks, have eclipsed the 250-yard mark four times this season. The Blue Devils are averaging 236.20 yards per game on the ground. They are ranked first in the NEC and eighth in the nation in rushing offense. … Junior James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark by totaling 134 yards to go with three touchdowns at Monmouth. After becoming the 17th player to reach 1,000 career yards earlier this season, Mallory became the seventh player to reach 1,000 yards in one season. He has 1,108 yards on 220 carries this year and has six TDs over the past two games. … Sophomore Nick Delgado (Windsor, CT/Windsor) got to Monmouth's punter twice in the loss, earning two blocks, giving him three of the Blue Devils' seven blocked kicks (five punts) this season. … Sophomore Joe Izzo (Southington, CT/Southington) missed his first extra point of his career. He had been 28-of-28 on the season and 29-of-29 for his career. … Junior Hunter Wanket (Rancho Santa Fe, CA/Palomar JC) threw the first interception by a Blue Devil quarterback since the season-opener. Classmate Aubrey Norris (Staten Island, NY/Hargrave Military), who splits time with Wanket, has not thrown a pick in 11 games. … Central Connecticut State forced one turnover in the 30-20 loss to run their season total to 14 takeaways. The Blue Devils have only turned it over seven times for a +7 turnover margin that ranks them 22nd in DI FCS. … CCSU has 59 tackles for loss on the season, including a NEC-best 18 sacks. The Blue Devils lead the NEC in TFL and are 17th in the nation in that category led by senior captain Mike Cooke's (Brooklyn, NY/Lackawanna JC) team-high 9.0 TFL. … Sophomore Jeff Marino (New Britain, CT/New Britain) continues to lead the Blue Devils in tackles. He had four against Monmouth, putting him at 58 for the season. … Central Connecticut's 34 wins are the fifth most victories among New England, New York and New Jersey FCS schools. Only New Hampshire, UMass, Harvard and Monmouth have more. … Entering this season, Central Connecticut was 22-0 when scoring first. They are now 22-2 after losing at Albany and Monmouth after posting drawing first blood.
Duquesne (2-5, 1-4 NEC)
Last Game: SACRED HEART 29, DUQUESNE 17 (Pittsburgh, PA - Rooney Field)
Next Game: November 1 at Bryant, 12:00 pm (Smithfield, RI - Bulldog Stadium)
• Duquesne jumped out to a 17-0, but fell at home to Sacred Heart, 29-17, in a NEC contest. Sacred Heart, which was intercepted at the Duquesne 11 and in the DU end zone on its first two possessions, scored on its next four possessions (sandwiched around a one play "take a knee" at the end of the first half) to score 29 unanswered points. ... SHU held the ball for 12:17 of the third quarter on its way to a 39:20 to 20:40 time of possession advantage for the game. ... Duquesne held Sacred Heart's Evin Jones, who entered the game as the nation's eighth-leading rusher at 122.57 ypg., to 74 yards on 26 carries (2.8 ypc.). ... Duquesne's loss ended its streak of consecutive winning seasons at 14. At 2-5 and only three to play, the Dukes can only hope to reach the .500 mark. Only two other FCS schools - Eastern Kentucky and Montana - entered the 2008 season with longer streaks of the sort. ... The current four-game losing streak is DU's longest since the 1993 team (its first season after moving from Division III to I-AA non-scholarship) dropped five in a row in finishing 4-6. 1993 was also DU's last non-winning season ... Sophomore quarterback Connor Dixon (South Park, PA/South Park) completed 5-of-5 passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns (29 and 4 yards) in the first quarter as DU jumped out to a 14-0 lead. He was 4-of-19 for 35 yards and was picked off three times over the final three quarters. Dixon's 107 yards passing were a season-low. Despite the rough outing, Dixon still managed to throw multiple touchdown passes for the sixth time in seven games. He now has 18 TD tosses this season. ... Junior tailback Cleodis Williams (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) rushed 17 times for a game -high 81 yards (4.8 ypc). ... Sophomore safety Willie Milhouse (Waldorf, MD/Thomas Stone) made a game-and-career high 13 tackles (eight solo) to go along with his first career interception. The interception, which was made in the end zone, led to a 41-yard field goal that put the Dukes up 17-0. ... Sophomore linebacker Nathan Totino (Pittsburgh, PA/Seton-La Salle), extended his double-digit tackles streak to seven games with 11 stops (five solo). It was the first time Totino, who is averaging 14.4 tackles per game, did not lead DU in tackles this season. Freshman safety Akeem Moore (Pittsburgh, PA/Brentwood) returned a first-quarter interception 79 yards to the Sacred Heart 10. Moore leads the Dukes with three picks on the season. ... Junior tight end Sean Bunevich (North Ridgeville, OH/North Ridgeville) was forced to leave the game with 12:00 left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Bunevich, who had two catches for 35 yards, entered the game with a team-best average of 18.2 yards per catch.
Monmouth (5-3, 4-0 NEC)
Last Game: MONMOUTH 30, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE 20 (West Long Branch, NJ - Kessler Field)
Next Game: November 1 at ALBANY, 1:00 pm (Albany, NY - Alumni Field)
• Monmouth improved to 5-3 overall and remained undefeated in conference play (4-0) with a 30-20 win over Central Connecticut State on Homecoming Weekend. The Hawks scored 27 unanswered points after going down 6-0 in the first quarter to propel themselves to a victory. … Monmouth running back David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) scored all four of Monmouth's touchdowns on runs of 30, 17, and three (twice). Sinisi averaged 6.7 yards per carry throughout his 194-yard performance (29 carries). The junior tailback scored his 300th career point to tie former Wagner running back Rick Sarille for the most points in Northeast Conference history. Sinisi now has scored 50 career touchdowns in 30 career games. His assault on the NEc record book did not stop there. Needing just 14 yards entering the game to become the NEC's fourth all-time leading rusher, Sinisi accomplished the feat on his third carry, which went for 19 yards. The record-setting Hawk passed Sacred Heart's Ed Pricolo and has 3,233 career yards, 181 yards away from third place (SFPA's Todd Harris). … Redshirt junior Bobby Giles (Burlington, NJ/Burlington) carried the ball eight times for 78 yards (9.5 ypc). Giles tore off a career-long run of 52 yards in the second quarter to set up a MU field goal attempt. … Redshirt junior Ken Amsel (Demarest, NJ/Northern Valley) picked off his third pass of the season in the fourth quarter against Central. Amsel was part of a defense that held Central's quarterbacks to 7-of-27 passing for 62 yards in the rain. … Monmouth also mustered less than 100 yards passing in the conditions with Brett Burke (Wall, NJ/Wall) going 8-of-17 for 93 yards. … Senior tight end John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) led the Hawks in reception yardage (58) on three catches, all in the first half. … The Hawk defense held CCSU to 4-of-14 on third down conversions, including a 0-for-4 mark in the second half. … Monmouth was four-of-six in the redzone. Coming into the game the Hawks had only squandered two opportunities all season (Both when time ran out at the end of the game). … Monmouth sophomore Eric McCutcheon (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) connected on his first career field goal, converting a 24 yarder in the fourth quarter. … Junior David Kennedy (Fort Lee, NJ/Patterson Catholic) recorded the game's only sack of the day, dropping Central's quarterback for a six-yard loss. Kennedy ended with four total tackles, 1.5 for a loss. … Monmouth's Kevin Walsh (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) had four tackles in his first game back from an injury, including 2.5 for a loss. … Sophomore linebacker Joe Valenti (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) had a team-high seven total tackles (four solo). … The win set up this weekend's matchup of unbeatens (in conference play) when the Hawks travel to face Albany at on Nov.1 at Alumni Field. Last season the Great Danes defeated Monmouth in West Long Branch, 21-3, en-route to their NEC crown; a reversal of 2006 when the Hawks won their fifth NEC title on Albany's field with a 19-0 victory.
Robert Morris (3-5, 2-2 NEC)
Last Game: ROBERT MORRIS 35, WAGNER 3 (Staten Island, NY - Wagner College Stadium)
Next Game: November 1 at vs. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE, 1:00 pm (Moon Township, PA - Joe Walton Stadium)
• Robert Morris snapped a six-game road losing streak contests dating back to the 2007 season with a 35-3 victory at Wagner. The Colonials forced six Wagner turnovers on the afternoon, recovering four fumbles and recording a pair of interceptions. ... The 32-point victory is RMU's largest since posting a 49-13 win over Butler (Sept. 17, 2005), the inaugural game at Joe Walton Stadium. ... The 35 points are a 2008 season high for the Colonials with the club improving to 56-4 all-time when eclipsing 30 points scored. ... Robert Morris improved to 5-3 against the Seahawks on Staten Island, NY. ... Sophomore cornerback Rolf Bathold (Naples, FL/Lely) gave RMU an early 7-0 lead by intercepting Matt Abbey during the first quarter and racing 65 yards untouched to the end zone for a touchdown. The interception return is the third-longest in school history. ... Sophomore halfback Myles Russ (Boca Raton, FL/West Boca) finished with 39 yards rushing on 13 carries for RMU. ... Senior quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, OH/Shadyside) finished 11-for-22 passing for 126 yards and two touchdowns. ... Russ paced the Colonial receiving corps with four receptions, compiling 17 yards, while senior split end Sherrod Evers (Philadelphia, PA/Mastbaum Area) finished with three catches for 72 yards and freshman tight end Shadrae King (McKeesport, PA/McKeesport) three receptions for 32 yards and two scores. Evers returned to the starting lineup after missing the last four games with an ankle injury. ... Junior linebacker Adam Lawrence (Big Run, PA/Dubois Area) paced the Colonial defense with nine tackles (four solo) while sophomore linebacker Alex DiMichele (Pittsburgh, PA/Sto-Rox) recorded eight stops (five unassisted). ... Junior safety Michael Landers (Springdale, PA/Springdale), as well as his two fumble recoveries, added six takedowns, a forced fumble, and two pass breakups. ... Freshman safety David Pittman (Jupiter, FL/William T. Dwyer) recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter, returning it 56 yards before being tackled at the Wagner 14-yard line. ... Lawrence and senior defensive lineman Shannon Smoot (Columbus, OH/Bishop Hartley) came up with RMU's other pair of fumble recoveries. ... Robert Morris returns home to Joe Walton Stadium for a two-game homestand, welcoming Central Connecticut State (Nov. 1) and Albany (Nov. 8) in consecutive weeks before wrapping up its 2008 campaign at intra-state rival Saint Francis (PA) (Nov. 15).
Sacred Heart (7-1, 3-1 NEC)
Last Game: SACRED HEART 29, DUQUESNE 17 (Pittsburgh, PA - Rooney Field)
Next Game: October 31 vs. WAGNER on NEC-TV (MSG-Plus and FCS-Atlantic), 7:00 pm (Fairfield, CT - Campus Field)
• Sacred Heart dug itself out of an early 17-0 hole with 29 unanswered points to post a 29-17 win at Duquesne. The Dukes had won the prior two series meetings. … Sacred Heart returns home to Campus Field Friday night to host Wagner in a special "Halloween" NEC-TV broadcast that can be seen live on MSG-Plus. … SHU quarterback Dale Fink (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) overcame two first-quarter interceptions in the red zone to finish 27-of-34 passing for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Fink threw picks on SHU's first two possessions, leading to 10 Duquesne points before making for a record-setting afternoon. In throwing two touchdown passes to run his career total to 41, Fink surpassed Justine Holtfreter (40- 2000-01) for Sacred Heart's all-time program lead. Also, his 27 completions moved him past Tyler Arciaga (2005-06) into second place for career completions (328). … Junior wide receiver Steve Tedesco (Mission Viejo, CA/Trabuco Hills) caught 12 balls for 121 yards. That performance allowed Tedesco to tie the single-game program record for catches, move into first-place all-time on the Pioneers' career receiving yardage annals, and set a program record for receptions (60) in a season. Tedesco (1,796) leapfrogs Corey Bundy (1,758 yds) and DeVeren Johnson (1,748 yds) to the top of the yardage list while also breaks his own record for receptions in a season. … The SHU defense came up with four takeaways. Junior defensive back Andre Isla (Brookhaven, NY/Bellport), senior linebacker Rich Marrone (Brooklyn, NY/Poly Prep), and rookie lineman Justin Embler (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) all made interceptions, and junior lineman Bill O'Brien (Lafayette, NY/Lafayette) recovered a fumble that sophomore linebacker Brian Flumere (Milford, MA/Milford) forced. … The Pioneers allowed only 171 yards of total offense. … Junior fullback Brian Friedman (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Boro) twice revived a late second-quarter scoring drive that trimmed Duquesne's once 17-point lead to two heading into halftime. With the Pioneers facing a fourth-and-two in punt formation, Friedman successfully executed a fake punt by taking the direct snap and rumbling eight yards for a first down. When the drive stalled at Duquesne's 13-yard line, Friedman turned what appeared to be a field goal attempt into a touchdown. Holder, and starting quarterback, Dale Fink faked the field goal and found the junior fullback wide open for the score. … The Pioneer offensive line surrendered their first sack of the season as Dale Fink went down twice in the fourth quarter. The streak went seven games or covered 31-straight quarters.
Saint Francis (PA) (0-8, 0-5 NEC)
Last Game: ALBANY 27, SAINT FRANCIS (PA) 3 (Albany, NY - Alumni Field)
Next Game: November 9 at CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE, 1:00 pm
• Saint Francis (PA) could not end its current winless slide, falling on the road to defending NEC champion Albany. The Red Flash have now lost 10 straight contests against the Great Danes. … The Flash made a change at starting quarterback, handing the reigns to freshman Colton Sipe (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin). As most rookies would against a championship-caliber club, Sipe struggled at times but flashed brilliance at others. He finished 9-of-25 passing for 77 yards with two interceptions in poor weather conditions up in New York Capital Region. ... The Red Flash scored in Albany for the first time on UA's Alumni Field since Oct. 26, 2002 thanks to a 34-yard field goal by rookie placekicker Zak Campbell (Munhall, PA/Steel Valley). The kick was the longest of Campbell's career. … Sophomore Ryan Zarnich (Rochester, PA/Rochester Area) made three catches for a team-high 40 yards. … Sophomore linebacker Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/Bishop McCort), the 2007 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year), led the defense again with 15 tackles, including two TFL. The second-year linebacker ranks second in the NEC, and fourth in the nation, with his 12.88 tackles-per-game average. … The Flash had nine first downs and 145 yards on 63 offensive plays. … Saint Francis (PA) will enjoy a bye week before traveling to New Britain to take on Central Connecticut State (Nov. 9) in its road finale.
Wagner (3-5, 1-3 NEC)
Last Game: ROBERT MORRIS 35, WAGNER 3 (Staten Island, NY - Wagner College Stadium)
Next Game: October 31 vs. SACRED HEART on NEC-TV (MSG-Plus and FCS-Atlantic), 7:00 pm (Fairfield, CT - Campus Field)
• In a game that featured a host of statistical anomalies, Wagner dominated in every area except the scoreboard in dropping a 35-3 home decision to opportunistic Robert Morris. The Seahawks outgained the Colonials 374-198, led in rushing yards 182-72, in passing yards 192-126, first downs 21-10 and in time of possession 35:46-23:06. … Winning the ever-important turnover battle, Robert Morris returned an interception 65 yards for a TD, a fumble 59 yards for a TD, and had a 50-yard fumble return that set up a 14-yard TD drive. … Wagner, which forced the Colonials into seven three-and-outs, is now ranked second nationally in pass defense (127.88 ypg) and moved up to 10th in total defense (224.25 ypg). … Offensively, junior QB Matt Abbey (La Canada, CA/ St. Francis) was 21-of-40 passing for 192 yards against the Colonials. The 40 attempts were the second-most in his career (47 at Sacred Heart on Sept. 30, 2006) as he continues to etch his name in the record book. Abbey has now completed 332 passes in his career and to claim second on the Seahawks' all-time list, behind only John Sciarra (473, 2004-05). Against RMU, he became just the fourth QB in Wagner history to surpass the 4,000-yard passing mark. … Sophomore TE Morgan Mizell (Mount Vernon, NY/Fordham Prep) had a career-high four catches for 29 yards. … Junior WR Lon Woods (St. Petersburg, FL/J.P. Taravella) had a 25-yard diving catch, which was the 86th reception of his career, leaving him 10 shy of entering the Wagner all-time top 10. … The game marked the return to the lineup of Seahawk freshman RB Prince Young (Neptune, NJ/ Fork Union) who suffered an elbow injury vs. Marist (Sept. 19). Young showed little rust in gaining 74 yards on 14 carries. … Junior RB Shane Smith (Susquehanna, PA/Milford), who returned from a two-game absence (hamstring) last week at Saint Francis (PA), led all rushers with 94 yards on 20 carries. He added another 51 yards on three receptions. … Sophomore DB Frantz Placide (Miami, FL/Archbishop Curley Notre Dame) had a career-high nine tackles while senior LB Jason Haskins (Cliffwood Beach, NJ/Matawan) added six stops. … Wagner will have a short week coming up as the Seahawks return at Sacred Heart for a NEC-TV Halloween broadcast on Friday (Oct. 31). This Halloween night affair will be televised live locally on MSG-plus and delivered live to a national audience on Fox College Sports Atlantic.