Montclair, NJ (9/30/06) –  Montclair State used three blocked punts to set 17 points as the Red Hawks scored the final 27 in a 27-7 Homecoming victory over The College of New Jersey in the 74 th renewal of the oldest active collegiate football rivalry in New Jersey at Sprague Field on Saturday evening. The game marked the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

JASON SCOTT (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional) recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for one score while kicker Vin Doffont (North Arlington, NJ/St. Mary's) booted a pair of field goals as for the second straight week, the Red Hawks fell behind only to rattle off the final points of game. Last week, Montclair trailed 3-0 before posting a 27-3 victory over Salisbury . The win was also MSU's second straight and upped the Red Hawks' margin in the series to 46-26-2 as they defeated the Lions for the seventh time in the last eight meetings.

Senior running back Cory Schoonover (Toms River, NJ/ Manchester ) rushed for 89 yards and added a 12-yard touchdown run for the Lions, who fell to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in the NJAC.

A fumble by Montclair State helped set up the Lions' lone touchdown as Dave Fontura ( Roseland , NJ /West Essex) forced a fumble that Dan Jacoby (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor) recovered at the MSU 48 yard line. Bridging the first and second quarters, TCNJ moved 48 yards, including a four-yard run by Dan Dornacker ( Jersey City , NJ /Brick) on 3 rd-and-2 to keep the drive going. Two players later, Schoonover would collect 16 yards on another third down and capped the drive on the following play as he raced the final 12 yards and dove into the corner pylon for the touchdown and a 7-0 TCNJ lead with 13:20 remaining in the second.

Montclair State responded on the ensuing drive with a 60-yard march. MICHAEL JUMP (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) hit RASHON WALKER (Belmar , NJ /Manasquan) on a 3rd-and-14 for 20 yards to put the Red Hawks at the TCNJ 44. Jump then hit FRED CARTER ( Bloomfield , NJ /Bloomfield) on consecutive possessions to put the ball to the 15 and McCoach added a nine-yard catch down to the Lions' 6. McCoach finished off the drive with a six-yard scamper tying the game at 7-7 with 9:38 to play.

The first of MSU's blocked punt would come on the next TCNJ possession. Junior MIKE AJADI (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield), who had two blocked punts in the game, blocked Matt Dalessio's (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) attempt and the Red Hawks took over as the TCNJ 15. The Red Hawks would settle for a 27-yard field goal from Doffont and a 10-7 advantage with 5:11 to play before halftime.

TCNJ would mount a final drive moving to the MSU 5 as two MSU penalties played a part in the Lions moving within a chance to at least tie before the break. With the ball at the 12 and inside 20 seconds, Schoonover would rush seven yards to the MSU 5, however he was stuffed on the following play and with no timeouts remaining TCNJ spiked the ball with eight seconds left and attempt the short field goal. Dalessio's 22-yard attempt then clanked off the right upright as Montclair took the three-point lead into halftime.

The MSU special teams would come up big again in the third quarter as this time EMMANUEL IHIM ( Clifton , NJ / Clifton ) blocked Dalessio's punt attempt from the TCNJ 17 and the ball rolled into the end zone where Scott fell on the ball for the touchdown and a 17-7 MSU lead.

Doffont would add a 33-yard kick with 3:03 left in the third to push the lead to 20-7 and the Red Hawks final score came in the fourth as Jump connected with A.J. LETIZIA ( Dumont , NJ / Dumont ) from 24 yards out for the final margin. That was set up by Ajadi's second blocked punt that traveled 20 yards.

TCNJ outgained Montclair State , 213-200, including 129-26 on the ground. Jeff Struble (Toms River, NJ/ Manchester) was 14-of-30 for 84 yards and an interception while being sacked three times. Dylan Leith ( Hamilton , NJ /Princeton Day) had four catches for 44 yards. Defensively for the Lions, Marc Fabiano (Scotch Plains, NJ/SP-Fanwood) had four tackles and a sack.

For Montclair State , Jump was 12-of-21 for 174 yards. Carter (48 yards) and Walker (44 yards) each had four receptions. Defensively, CORNELL HUNT (North Brunswick , NJ / North Brunswick) had 11 tackles while GARY ANDREWSHETSKO (Parlin , NJ / Sayreville) had nine tackles and a two sacks. Linebacker SAL FAMA (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood) added nine tackles, an interception and a sack.

Both teams continue their conference play next week. TCNJ will play its home opener after four straight road games to open the season. The Lions will host Rowan on Friday, October 6 at 7:00 pm. Montclair State will travel to Buffalo, NY next Saturday, October 7 to face the league's newcomer Buffalo State at 1:00 pm.