Flash Lose Seventh Game of Year to NEC Foe Monmouth University, 47-17
Loretto, Pa. – Saint Francis University’s optimism after last week’s win and playing in front of a record-breaking crowd at DeGol Field for the Homecoming game were dashed by the surging Monmouth University Hawks on a final count of 47-17. Saint Francis moves to 1-7 for the season and 1-4 in the Northeast Conference during Senior Day and the final home stand of the 2007 season.
SFU’s handy junior wide receiver Antoine Rivera (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) broke the 100-yard mark for the fourth time this season on 5 catches Saturday afternoon as well as earning a career-high two touchdowns for the Red Flash. Sophomore tailback Calvin Williams (Cleveland, Ohio/South) also netted a career-high by rushing for 87 yards on 24 tries. The nation’s second leading tackler, Scott Lewis (South Fork, Pa./Bishop McCort), had his four game streak of leading the Flash in tackles snapped by his freshman counterpart Matthew Parker (Darlington, Pa./Blackhawk). Parker led the Flash with 15 tackles. Lewis’ season total for tackles was extended to 106; the first time a defender has earned 100 tackles in a season since 2000 when Daunte Neal finished with 138. Under center, sophomore George Little (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) broke the 200-yard mark for the fourth time this season with 204 yards despite throwing three interceptions. His 62-yard touchdown strike to Rivera marked the longest passing play in both their careers as well as the longest passing play from scrimmage for Saint Francis.
Monmouth received the ball to open the contest, but the Flash forced their punter Jack Daniels out on the field after three passing plays from MU signal-called Brett Burke. Saint Francis earned a first down on the succeeding drive, but the drive froze at their own 47-yard line. Junior punter Bobby Fuller (Mount Savage, Md/Beall) booted a 37 yarder to Monmouth and the opponent’s drive started at the MU 32-yard line. The Hawks gave SFU a healthy dose of their junior running back David Sinisi who came into the game as the conference’s 2nd leading rusher and 14th overall in the country. A 10-play, 68 yard drive was capped off on a 1-yard dart across the goal line to give the Hawks the early 6-0 lead with 6:39 left in the first quarter. A botched hold kept the extra point off the board.
On Saint Francis’ next possession, Little fired his first of three interceptions into the hands of Derek Bischoff, who proceeded to run for 28 yards down to SFU’s 5-yard line. Two plays later, MU’s Sinisi fired a scoring pass to tight end, John Nalbone, for the Hawks’ second touchdown of the day. MU’s kicker, Fred Weingart, came through on the PAT for a 13-0 lead with 4:46 to go in the first period.
The Flash assumed tenure on their 37-yard line, but Little turned the ball over again, this time to the Hawks’ Joe Cella. Cella dashed for 61 yards down to the SFU 24, but an illegal block in the back brought the ball back to the Flash’s 34-yard line. MU’s fourth possession of the game led to their third score on a 36-yard field goal off the foot of Weingart to make it a 16-0 game with 14:13 to go in the first half.
The Flash were given nice field position after freshman Omar Winston (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland South) made a 41-yard return to the opponent’s 48-yard marker. Yet, the Flash couldn’t capitalize and senior kicker Adam Sciulli (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) sprayed a 33-yard try on 4th and 11 wide right. Monmouth took over on the 20 and marched 80 yards on nine plays for their fourth score of the day. The touchdown came off of a five-yard run from Marion Easley after Sinisi busted out a 39-yard run on the previous snap. Weingart’s tack made it a 23-0 ball game. Easley’s scoring scamper would be the last points in the first half of play.
After two 3-and-outs from both teams to start the second half, Saint Francis made it on the board. Winston made catches of 21 and 32 yards, respectively, to set up a 31-yard Sciulli field goal to make it a 23-3 Monmouth lead with 6:30 left in the third quarter. Each team exchanged possessions after the Sciulli three-pointer, but a 47-yard Burke-Adam San Miguel touchdown connection at 2:58 of the third pushed MU’s lead to 30-3 after Weingart’s PAT.
Saint Francis stormed right back after freshman Jude Yearwood’s (Elkridge, Md./Howard) 22-yard return on the next play. Little escaped heavy Monmouth pressure, rolled out of the pocket to his right, and hurled a 62-yard rifle into the chest of Rivera for Saint Francis’ first touchdown of the day. Sciulli’s extra point still left SFU with a 20 point deficit, 30-10, with 00:19 remaining in the third.
The fourth quarter began with another scoring drive from the Hawks. On their own 42-yard line, Burke earned his second touchdown pass of the day to the same receiver as before. San Miguel caught a 58-yard pass in pressure and broke away for the tally. The PAT extended Monmouth’s monumental lead, 37-10.
Little threw his third and final pick of the afternoon into the hands of Kevin Walsh on the following exchange. Walsh scurried for 31 yards down to the SFU 45-hash mark. MU capitalized on the turnover six plays later when Burke threw for his final touchdown of the afternoon; this time finding Steve Dowens on a 10-yard touchdown heave at 9:09. Weingart made it a 44-10 affair.
Saint Francis took on their own 44, as Yearwood made four nice rushes to set up Rivera’s second touchdown of the day. Little discovered his favorite target wide open in the endzone with 5:04 remaining in the contest. Sciulli remained perfect on the year with his second PAT, but SFU’s second touchdown was futile. Weingart added on a 32-yard field goal to close out Saint Francis’ eighth game of the year with a final score of 47-17.
“We were just outmatched today,” stated sixth year head coach Dave Opfar. “We gave some of our reserves a little extra time today to see what they can offer us for 2008.”
Although Saint Francis put up 351 total yards, their highest offensive output on the season, bad turnovers cost Saint Francis the game.
The Red Flash will travel to Staten Island, N.Y. to take on Wagner College next Saturday, November 10th, at 1pm. Saint Francis’ second to last game of the season marks their final Northeast Conference competition of the year. Today’s event was Saint Francis’ final home game of the year.