Wayne, NJ – Montclair State scored the first 35 points as the Red Hawks remained unbeaten with a 41-15 victory over local rival William Paterson on Saturday afternoon at Wightman Field.
Senior quarterback
ED COLLINS threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns lifting Montclair's record to 6-0 on the year, 3-0 in the NJAC. Senior linebacker
OMAR LUCAS collected 16 tackles and intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown.
Lucas set up the Red Hawks' first score as he intercepted a pass on the Pioneers' first possession giving MSU the ball at the WPU 35. Montclair gained four yards on its first three plays before gambling on fourth down at the 31. It would pay big dividends as Collins hit
ERIC MAGRINI for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead a little over five minutes into the contest.
The Red Hawks extended the lead the next time they touchdown the ball with a 90-yard drive.
ELIJAH FREER opened the series with a 28-yard run with Collins connecting with Magrini and
JAMEL DORSEY for 30 and 29-yards, the latter putting the ball at the WPU. Collins dove over on the next play as MSU went up 14-0 with 4:13 remaining in the first.
MSU made it three straight scoring drives with a 73-yard possession capped off by a Collins-to-Dorsey 41-yard touchdown. Freer accounted for 32 yards on the ground making the score 21-0 eight seconds into the second quarter.
DARREN BRAGG blocked a punt with
MATT SCHULTZ recovering at the WPU 39. Montclair turned that into a touchdown two plays later with Collins hitting Magrini from 30 yards out with 3:23 to play before halftime.
Lucas capped the scoring on the final play of the first half, intercepting a pass and racing 49 yards for the touchdown sending MSU into the locker room with a 35-0 advantage.
Collins finished 12-of-23 before giving way to Will Harbison who accounted for the final Montclair score. Freer finished with 95 yards on 13 carries.
BILL HEANEY registered a pair of sacks while
HENRY COOK totaled eight tackles.
MARK HALL,
ADAM CERMINARO,
RON BROKING and
ROBERT DAVIS had five stops each.
Montclair State is back in action next Saturday, October 20 when it hosts Buffalo State at Sprague Field.