Union, NJ (10/9/04) – Kean University freshman quarterback A.J. Roque hit freshman tight end Jerrod Langley for a 24-yard touchdown pass with 5:45 remaining in the game to lift the Cougars to a 21-17 upset victory over 22nd-ranked Montclair State University in front of 2,180 Homecoming fans in New Jersey Athletic Conference football action on Saturday. The Cougar victory was the first over the Red Hawks since 1995 and is just the fourth victory in 30 all-time meetings against Montclair State.

Kean improved to 2-4 overall, 1-2 in the NJAC, while the Red Hawks dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the conference play for the first time ever.

Montclair State had the ball on its own 19-yard line leading 17-15 with six minutes remaining in the game, however on the first play of the drive, freshman running back JOSH WALKOWITZ fumbled after getting hit by Kean junior defensive tackle Ricky Jones, and freshman linebacker Jason Haskins recovered the ball for the Cougars on the Montclair State 24-yard line. On the very next play, Roque hit Langley on a crossing route for just his second career reception and he ran in the endzone untouched for the game-winning touchdown.

After the Cougars and Red Hawks traded fumbles in each of their opening possessions, Kean took a 6-0 lead just 2:01 into the game, as Roque hit junior wide receiver Jasonus Tillery for an 84-yard touchdown pass, the fourth longest passing play in program history and the longest since 1991.

Later in the first quarter, Montclair State answered back on a 61-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Mike Passero to senior wide receiver STEVE ARMSTRONG with 4:38 left in the first quarter, capping a seven-play, 97-yard drive, to take a 7-6 lead after the extra point by sophomore kicker Vin Doffont .

The Cougars took a 12-7 lead with 7:41 remaining in the second period, when Roque and freshman wide receiver Duane Schultz connected on a 30-yard touchdown strike to finish off the five-play, 57-yard drive.

With less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Red Hawks drove the ball 80-yards on nine-plays to regain the lead with two seconds remaining, as freshman quarterback AL HAWKINS found Armstrong in the back of the endzone for the one-yard touchdown pass and a 14-12 lead at halftime after the point after by Doffont.

After the Cougars forced the Red Hawks to punt their first possession of the second half, Kean took the ball 42-yards on eight plays and freshman kicker Jonathan Robinson had a 32-yard field goal to give Kean the 15-14 lead with 6:23 left in the third period.

Montclair State took their final lead of the game at 17-15 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, when Doffont had an 18-yard field goal to cap a 13-play, 66-yard drive that spanned 6:50 of the third and fourth quarters.

The Cougars all but sealed the 21-17 victory, when Jones forced his second fumble of game and Kean senior linebacker Steve Skakum recovered the ball with 4:35 remaining. The Red Hawks had one last chance after the Cougar punt, however the Kean defense had a pair of sacks and forced two incompletions to take over the ball on downs and run out the clock for the Homecoming victory.

In the win, Roque finished with 252 passing yards, completing 12-of-25 passes with three touchdowns, while Tillery had four catches for 140 yards. Defensively, freshman defensive back Ryan Staton made nine tackles and had one interception, Skakum added eight tackles and recovered one fumble and senior nose tackle Frankie D'Arpa had eight tackles and two sacks. As a unit, the Cougars forced six turnovers on three interceptions and three fumbles.

For the Red Hawks, senior running back EUGENE VICK carried the ball 19 times for 70 yards, but left the game late in the third quarter with an injury. Hawkins completed 11-of-23 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown, while Passero had 85-passing yards on 4-of-10 completions. Armstrong had four receptions for 131 yards, however was ejected following his second touchdown after receiving his second unsportsmanlike penalty in the game. Defensively, junior linebacker MORGAN BURKLOW had a game-high 10 tackles, while senior linebacker JOHN LENNOX had seven tackles, including four for a loss of nine yards.