Montclair, NJ (11/7/07) -- Senior running back
RYAN MCCOACH (Rockaway, NJ / Morris Hills) ran for 140 yards, a touchdown and was named the Most Valuable Player while sophomore
JEFF BLISS (New Milford, NJ / New Milford) scored the game-winning touchdown with 2:38 left in the game as the Montclair State defense came up big in the second half helping the Red Hawks capture the ECAC Division III South Atlantic Bowl with a 17-13 victory over Albright College at Sprague Field on Saturday afternoon.
The ECAC championship was the third for Montclair State as the Red Hawks finished the year at 9-2, winning nine games for the first time since2003 and the ninth time in school history. MSU, which won four straightto end the season, was making its fourth appearance in an ECAC Championship Game and put this year's crown along side the 1993Southwest championship and 1998 Southeast title. MSU also completed its season 6-0 at home, its first undefeated mark at Sprague Field since 2000
Sophomore running back Nate Romig (Birdsboro, PA/Daniel Boone) rushedfor 115 yards and a touchdown as Albright completed its 100th football season at 7-4. The Lions were making their fifth ECAC appearance andfell for the first time after winning championships 1995, 1997, 2001 and2004.
Montclair State trailed 13-10 with 6:01 to play when it took possession at the Albright 48 following a short punt. On the first play,
MICHAEL JUMP (Toms River, NJ / Toms River South) hit
A.J. LETIZIA (Dumont, NJ/ Dumont) for 14 yards and two plays later connected with
OMAR SEVILLA (North Bergen, NJ / North Bergen) on a 10-yard catch to move the ballto the Lions' 31. Vin Varcadipane (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley) ran for nine yards on first down, but on the second down McCoach was thrown for one-yard loss setting up a key 3^rd -and-2 at the 13. Bliss would ripoff a 12-yard run to the Albright 1 and after Jump was stopped on a sneak, Bliss rambled into end zone for the touchdown giving the Red Hawks a 17-13 advantage.
Albright was not down though as William Alston (Mays Landing, NJ / St.Joseph's) 22-yard return gave the Lions the ball at their own 44. Tanner Kelly (Clearfield, PA / Clearfield) completed a five yard passto Stephen Asay (Gibbstown, NJ / Paulsboro) but threw to incomplete passes leaving Albright with a 4^th -and-5 from its own 49. Kelly tried to connect with Romig deep down the left sideline, but cornerback
RASHON WALKER (Belmar, NJ / Manasquan) knocked the ball away giving MSU possession with 2:12 remaining.
From there it was all McCoach, who began the drive with 116 yards in the game and needed 19 to become just the second back in MSU history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns. On the first play, McCoach ran for 12 yards to the Albright 37 and then added a six-yard run. After Albright called its second timeout, McCoach went for two yards, joining John Walker (1990-1991) as the only players to accomplish the feat. The run left MSU with a 3rd -and-2 and McCoach converted that going four yards on his final career carry (No. 646) and 35th of the game giving the Red Hawks a first down and Montclair ran out the clock from there. McCoach finished the season with 1,005 yards and 2,802 for his career - the fifth-highest total in MSU history.
Meanwhile Montclair State defense was dominating in the second half.After giving up 223 yards in the first half, the Red Hawks shut down the Lions allowing just 27 yards on 22 plays as Albright had just one first down (which came on a penalty) and went three-and-out in five of its seven second-half possessions. Defensive end
VIN IACHETTA (Spring Lake Heights, NJ / Manasquan) led the defense with seven tackles, includingthree for loss of 11 yards, a sack and a pass breakup. Linebacker
CORNELL HUNT (North Brunswick, NJ / North Brunswick) had nine tackles.In addition, Montclair also blocked three kicks, including two by
JEREMY MERCER (Leonardo, NJ / Middletown South) who finished with a school-record 10 this season. Lineman Derrell Sapp (Long Branch, NJ /Long Branch) also had and extra point in the contest as Montclair totaled 15 this season and 21 in the last 26 games.
Sophomore kicker
MARCO CAPOZZOLI (Bloomfield, NJ / St. Joseph's) connected from 28-yard out to give Montclair a 3-0 lead in the second with 10:01 to go and Montclair extended the lead on its next possession as Albright tried to fake a punt and fell a yard short. After the Red Hawks took over, Jump hit Letizia for 17 yards and McCoach raced 24 on the next play to bring the ball to the Lions' 18. Jump to Varcadipane pushed the ball to the Albright 5 and on the next play, McCoach scampered the final yardage for the touchdown as MSU moved ahead 10-0with seven minutes to play before halftime. It was McCoach's 14th touchdown this season and 28th career TD.
Albright struck right back as on its first play following the kickoff,Romig ripped off a 61-yard run to the Montclair 3. Three plays later,Romig would take a pitch and outrace a defender four yards for the touchdown as Albright pulled within 10-6 as Mercer blocked extra point.Montclair would get the ball back and moved to the Albright 29 before turning it over on downs. The Lions then marched 71 yards in 10 plays asa pass interference penalty on MSU on fourth down kept the drive going and Kelly found Asay for 20-yard to the MSU 3. Three plays later, Kelly snuck in from a yard out as Albright led 13-10 at halftime.
Jump finished 16-of-32 for 241 yards in his final game at Montclair State with six of those passes going to Letizia, who finished with 110yards.
BRANDON FRONJIAN (Palisades Park, NJ / Palisades Park) and Sevilla each had three receptions as Montclair State had 403 yards of total offense in the game.
Romig also added a 30-yard completion to his outstanding afternoon while Kelly was 11-of-24 for 87 yards through the air. Asay had five receptions for 49 yards as the Lions finished with 250 total yards, its second-lowest output of the season. Defensive back Matt Christ (Birdsboro, PA/Reading Central Catholic) had 12 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception for Albright while Andrew Kibler (Freeland,MD/Calvert Hall) had nine tackles.
