Montclair, NJ (11/3/07) – Senior running back RYAN MCCOACH (Rockaway, NJ / Morris Hills) returned from a two-game absence and rushed for 173 yards and scored four touchdowns as Montclair State posted its second straight victory with a 42-28 win over local and conference rival William Paterson in NJAC Football action at Sprague Field on Saturday evening.

Quarterback MICHAEL JUMP ( Toms River, NJ / Toms River South) threw for 236 yards and a score as the Red Hawks (7-2, 4-2 NJAC) continued their dominance in the matchup between schools separated by nine miles. MSU improved to 33-2-1 against William Paterson winning for the 13 th consecutive year.

Sophomore quarterback John Woodson (Bloomfield, NJ / Bloomfield) totaled 264 yards of total offense, including 90 on the ground for the Pioneers, who fell to 4-5 overall, 2-4 in the NJAC.

After a slow start by both teams, Montclair State would get the first score as VIN IACHETTA ( Manasquan, NJ / Spring Lake Heights) picked off a pass inside the WPU 20 and returned it to the Pioneers 7. On the next play, McCoach, who missed the past two weeks due to injury, scampered the final seven yards for his first score as MSU led 7-0 with 2:40 to go in the opening period. On the Pioneer's next possession, linebacker CORNELL HUNT ( North Brunswick, NJ / North Brunswick) stepped in front of a Woodson pass to set up the Red Hawks next score. After two runs by McCoach, Jump found wide receiver OMAR SEVILLA ( North Bergen, NJ / North Bergen) for a 50-yard touchdown as MSU went up 14-0 after one quarter.

William Paterson answered right back with an 8-play, 59-yard drive as Woodson hit wide receiver Joel Rivera (Hoboken, NJ / Hoboken) for a 25-yard touchdown on a 4 th-and-4. The extra point was blocked by JEREMY MERCER ( Leonardo, NJ / Middletown South), his eighth of the season tying the Montclair State record as the lead stood a 14-6. MSU made it three straight possessions ending in touchdowns as McCoach accounted for all 74 yards, including a 67-yard run as Montclair went back up 21-6 with 12:46 left before halftime.

The Pioneers took the ball on their next drive to the Montclair State 12, but running back Ira Guilford ( Jersey City, NJ / Hoboken) was stopped on 4 th-and-3 and the Red Hawks took over. Moving the ball out to the 27-yardline, Jump connected with BRANDON FRONJIAN (Palisades Park, NJ / Palisades Park) for 68 yards down to the WPU 5. Two plays later, Bliss went in from a yard out to give Montclair a 28-6 advantage with 4:52 left. However, William Paterson would get the final score of the half as Guilford capped off a seven-play, 50-yard drive with a one-yard run. The two-point conversion was good and WPU closed to within 28-14 at halftime.

In the second half, WPU trimmed the lead further to 28-21 as Woodson used both his arm and feet on the 80-yard drive. Woodson kept the drive alive with a five-yard run to convert a third down and then completed a 60-yard pass to Rivera moving the ball to the MSU 6. Two plays later, Woodson scored from a yard out with 7:52 to go in the third.

But what became a theme throughout the game, the Red Hawks answered back on their ensuing possession. Jump completed an eight-yard pass to JEFF PAPCUN ( Hazlet, NJ/ Raritan) on a 3 rd-and-5 and a 15-yard penalty against WPU moved the ball to the Pioneers 35. McCoach carried the next four plays, finishing off the drive with a two-yard run as MSU went up 35-21.

McCoach would add his career-best fourth touchdown with 3:52 left on a two-yard run to make the score 42-21 and William Paterson capped of the scoring on its next drive as Woodson hit Bruce Katkowski (Saddle Brook, NJ / Paramus Catholic) with a 19-yard touchdown pass.

McCoach carried 26 times as Montclair State finished with 454 yards of total offense in the game, including 214 on the ground. Jump was 11-of-19 passing with Letizia pulling in five of those completions for 111 yards. Defensively for the Red Hawks, Hunt finished with 14 tackles surpassing the 100-tackle mark for the second straight year. Hunt is the first MSU player to accomplish that feat since Paul Cioffi in 1989-1990. Cornerback DOMINIQUE DIXON ( Wharton, NJ / Morris Hills) had seven tackles and knocked away six passes.

Woodson rushed for 90 yards on 16 carries and was 12-of-28 for 174 yards through the air. Rivera had seven catches for 140 yards. Sophomore linebacker Jared Burke ( Egg Harbor Township, NJ / Egg Harbor Township) registered 14 tackles for William Paterson, including five for losses of 16 yards. The Pioneers had 379 yards of total offense.

Both teams close out their regular-seasons next week (November 10) with NJAC home games. Montclair State will host Western Connecticut at 1:00 pm while the Pioneers tangle with Rowan University at the same time.