newjerseynewsroom.com

BY JEREMY SCHILLING

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Everyone involved knew this was a big game. If Monmouth football wanted to be able to control their destiny to the FCS playoffs the rest of the way they needed to beat Albany, the perennial power in the Northeast Conference.

That is why, in big games like this, sometimes one play that swings momentum from one team to the other can have such an impact. The Hawks were on the losing end of one of those momentum-shifters today, and ultimately played a major part in their (3-2, 2-1) 55-24 loss to Albany (4-1, 2-0) today in Albany, New York. 55 points is the most a Monmouth team has ever given up in this, their 20th season of existence.

“I think Albany proved they are an outstanding football team and they proved why they are getting votes for the top 25,” said head coach Kevin Callahan. “This game was completely one-sided, they were in control of the game from the start. We made a little bit of a push to get ourselves back in there in the beginning of the fourth quarter but after closing to within 10 we weren’t able to capitalize on anything after that. It is hard to find one area of the game that we won.”

Monmouth got the opening kickoff and came out firing. Quarterback Kyle Frazier led them on an impressive 12-play, 82-yard drive, leading to a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tyler George to make it 7-0 Hawks. That was George’s first touchdown catch of the year.

On the ensuing possession for Albany the Monmouth defense picked up right where they left off last week against Sacred Heart, forcing Albany into a three-and-out. It was a perfect start for Monmouth.

But as soon as the defense could get off the field to start commending each other on the defensive stop, Albany pulled off a fake punt and Kevin Chillis ran 77 yards for the tying touchdown.

The momentum had suddenly shifted. Monmouth ultimately never recovered, as Albany scored on their next two possessions, and before anyone blinked the Hawks were in a hole too deep to come back.

Monmouth cut it to a two-score game late in the third quarter but the margin was just too much to overcome.

The first of the two consecutive touchdowns came from Chillis again, this time on the receiving end of an 81-yard touchdown pass from Albany quarterback Will Fiacchi.

The second was arguably the more frustrating one for Monmouth. Showing a wildcat formation on a first-and-10 at the Albany 39 yard line, Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan called a timeout, presumably to make sure everyone knew their proper assignments.

Whatever was said in the timeout failed to work, however, as Drew Smith ran it 61-yards to the endzone for another Albany touchdown and it was 21-7 Great Danes with just over a minute left in the first quarter.

The absence of linebacker Bill Lauch and safety Pat Gray, both due to injuries, really hurt the Hawks defense on a day when at times Albany could absolutely move the ball at will.

In the second quarter the two teams traded field goals on consecutive possessions, as Albany kicker Sean Kenny kicked an 18-yarder, and Monmouth kicker Eric Spillane answered back with a 38-yarder of his own. The kick was one for the record books, as Spillane set a new program record for most made field goals by one player, kicking his 32nd to make it 24-10. That was also the halftime score.

Albany scored first in the third quarter when, on their second possession of the period, a six-play, 41-yard drive ended in another Smith touchdown. This one was a run from six yards out, and with 11:08 left in the third quarter it was 31-10 Albany.

After a Frazier interception by Tramaine Wilson, Albany added a 49-yard field goal from Kenny and suddenly it was 34-10 Albany.

But that’s when Monmouth mounted a little bit of a comeback. First, Frazier hit Neal Sterling for a 38-yard touchdown strike to make it 34-17.  Then, after a fumble on the kickoff was recovered by the Hawks’ Nick Carroll, Julian Hayes ran it in from one-yard out to cut the deficit to 10, 34-24.

Hayes finished with 23 yards rushing on 12 carries and the one touchdown.

However that is as close as the Hawks would get. Monmouth attempted an onside kick, which was recovered by Albany, and four plays later, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Fiacchi hit Chillis once again, this time for a 44-yard touchdown strike, to make it 41-24 with 14:55 left.

Monmouth’s last gasp of hope was snuffed on their next possession as Frazier was picked off by Dean Mercuris at the Albany 15-yard line. Smith ran in for another score several plays later to make it 48-24.

Albany tacked on another touchdown to up the score to the game’s ultimate final, 55-24.

Frazier finished 33-of-52 passing for 274 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Hawk defense gave up a whopping 511 total yards, including 248 passing yards, as Fiacchi finished 16-of-30 passing for 248 yards and two touchdowns. The two Great Danes who really hurt Monmouth were Smith, who finished with 109 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and Chillis, who ended the contest with 149 total yards and three touchdowns.

Monmouth now enters their bye week before playing at Cornell in two weeks, knowing their bid to control their own playoff destiny is gone, in a loss that turned completely on just one play.