MONTCLAIR, N.J. – On Saturday night at Sprague Field, the Montclair State University football team was defeated by Kean University, 16-13, in a closely contested game.
In a game where the Red Hawks came dangerously close to pulling off a thrilling comeback, an 88-yard return and a blocked extra point proved to be too much to overcome.
Montclair State (2-3, 0-2 New Jersey Athletic Conference) had a difficult start to the evening. Kean running back and kick returner Julian Jones set the tone early, returning the opening kickoff 75 yards to the Red Hawks’ 23-yard line. The ball was moved to the 11 after a personal foul, and it took only one play for Kean quarterback Rocco Pellegrini to find Jones wide-open in the flat for an 11-yard touchdown, giving the Cougars (2-3, 2-0 NJAC) an early 7-0 lead.
After several ineffective drives, the Red Hawks put together a promising series that took them deep into Kean territory, but an interception stopped their momentum. Kean quickly took advantage, as Pellegrini connected on a 19-yard touchdown pass to Christian Bujno, increasing the lead to 14-0 with 5:11 remaining in the first quarter.
The Red Hawks turned the ball over five times on Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Matt DeLuca Photo credit: Matt DeLuca
Head coach Mike Palazzo reflected on his defense – which was put in challenging positions due to early turnovers. “The defense played well. Those guys made some corrections. Early on, they got put in some bad field positions,” Palazzo said. “But those guys didn’t give up a scoring drive, and they kept us in it.”
In the second quarter, Montclair State eventually found their footing. Kean’s punter George Chrissafis’ rocky snap gave the Red Hawks excellent field position at the Cougars’ 26-yard line. With 9:51 remaining before halftime, Montclair State quarterback Aidan McLaughlin powered his way into the end zone from one yard out, cutting the Montclair State deficit to seven [14-7].
With neither team being able to muster offensive consistency, the second half became a defensive battle. Kean’s offense sputtered, unable to get anything going; however, their defense held firm, stifling Montclair’s attempts to close the gap. The Red Hawks had its chances but were ultimately unable to capitalize due to a fumble and a turnover on downs.
With just 1:38 left in the game, starting at their own five-yard line, the Red Hawks had one final opportunity.
McLaughlin seized that opportunity by putting together a spectacular 95-yard, six-play drive. The ball was moved into Kean territory after a 19-yard scramble by McLaughlin and a 31-yard pass to Jamie Hamilton along the sideline. Afterward, McLaughlin connected with his go-to junior receiver Anthony Roige on a 34-yard pass that ended at the five-yard line. In the very next play, Roige dipped for the pylon scoring the touchdown, cutting down Cougars’ lead to one with only 48 seconds remaining.
Roige reflected on the crucial catch, “I had a ball earlier in the game where it was the same route, same kind of coverage, and I lost it in the lights and dropped it,” Roige said. “So, it was good to get back… I knew, to get us down there, I had to make a big play.”
With all the momentum on the Red Hawks’ side, it just needed an extra point to tie the game. Shockingly, Kean blocked the extra point attempt and returned it 88 yards for a two-point conversion, zapping the air out of Sprague Field and crushing Montclair State’s hopes of going into overtime. After the Red Hawks’ onside kick attempt failed, Kean was able to run out the clock and seal the win.
While acknowledging the difficult finish to the game, head coach Palazzo’s focus remained on the future. “You see who’s made of what after this,” Palazzo said. “It’s easy to be a front-runner when you’re 5-0, but when you lose a game like this, a game you should have won, you see who shows up on Monday ready to work.”
With five turnovers in the game, the Red Hawks will look to rectify the turnover problem going into their next game.
On a positive note, a few players played a pivotal role of keeping the Red Hawks in the game Saturday.
Roige led Montclair and tied his career high in receptions with eight for 96 yards and a touchdown. Despite the defeat, Montclair’s defense held strong, led by outstanding performances from Nicholas Burgess, Jalil Terrell and John Nicosia.
Terrell recorded four tackles and broke up five passes, while Burgess recorded 11 tackles – marking his 15th game in his career with at least 10. Nicosia also made eight tackles, right behind Burgess.
To get back on track in NJAC play, the Red Hawks will now focus on their game against nationally ranked Salisbury on Saturday. It will kick off at 1 p.m.
