Montclair, NJ (9/15/07) – Senior quarterback MICHAEL JUMP (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) threw three touchdown passes while the Montclair State defense, led by 20 tackles from junior linebacker CORNELL HUNT (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick), came up with the big play when it needed it as the Red Hawks knocked off No. 9 Springfield College, 33-30 in MSU's home opener at Sprague Field on Saturday afternoon.

Senior running back RYAN MCCOACH (Rockaway, NJ / Morris Hills ) ran for 114 yards and scored once as Montclair State is off to a 2-0 start for the 27 th time in school history and the first since 2004. The Red Hawks also notched their first win against Springfield in four tries, avenging losses in 2000 (NCAA Playoffs), 2003 and last year (27-15) at Springfield .

Montclair withstood another outstanding performance from Springfield All-America quarterback Chris Sharpe ( Derry , NH/Pinkerton Academy), who ran for 142 yards and scored all four Pride touchdowns as Springfield fell to 1-1 on the season.

Montclair never trailed in the game and the Red Hawks would take the lead for good with just a minute to go before halftime. On a 3 rd-and-6 from its own 65 yardline, Jump threw a pass down the left sideline that receiver A.J. LETIZIA ( Dumont , NJ / Dumont ) pulled in after leaping in the air. Letizia then broke a tackle and raced the rest of the way as the Red Hawks too a 23-16 lead into halftime.

MSU extended the lead to 26-16 on the first possession of the second half as McCoach, who became the ninth back in Montclair history to top 2,000 career yards, scampered 37 yards to the Springfield 21 before MSU settled for a 37-yard field goal from MARCO CAPOZZOLI ( Bloomfield , NJ / St. Joseph's (Montvale) with 13:24 left. But the Pride came right back moving down the field 53 yards in seven plays as face mask penalty on the Red Hawks kept the drive alive. Sharpe would cap off the drive with his third touchdown, a one-yard plunge with 10:25 left.

Montclair would answer right back with a 10-play, 69-yard drive of its own. Jump hit OMAR SEVILLA ( North Bergen , NJ / North Bergen ) for a 20-yard gain and Jump to Letizia three plays later moved the ball to the Springfield 25. On 3 rd-and-7 Jump connected with BRANDON FRONJIAN ( Palisades Park , NJ / Palisades Park ) for 17 yards to the five. On 2 nd-and-goal, Jump found tight end JEREMY MERCER ( Leonardo , NJ / Middletown South) for a four-yard touchdown as the Red Hawks restored the lead to 33-23 with 5:16 to go in the third.

Springfield would cut the lead to 33-30 as the Pride embarked on a mammoth 16-play, 65-yard drive that ate up the first 8:38 of the fourth quarter. Baldwin Cunningham ( Manchester , CT / East Hartford ) and Sharpe combined for most of the yardage, including a five-yard run by Cunningham on 4 th-and-3 at the MSU 19 that kept the drive going. Four plays after the conversion, Sharpe went over again from a yard out as the Pride got within three with 6:22 left.

The Red Hawks would punt on their next possession, but punter MICHAEL LAJTERMAN (Ramsey, NJ / Ramsey) punt an subsequent return gave the Pride the ball at their own 19. On 3 rd-and-6 Sharpe appeared to run for a first down, but a holiding penalty nullified the first down and on fourth down MSU linebacker Russ Comune (Pompton Plains, NJ / Pequannock) snuffed out a rush attempts as the Pride elected to go for the first down.

Montclair would also go for its own fourth down as it faced 4 th-and-1 at the Springfield 5 with 2:50 left. Safety Tom Caporale ( Closter , NJ / Northern Valley-Demarest) made a first-saving tackle as he tripped up McCoach inches from the four yardline allowing Springfield one last chance. On the Pride's first play, Tim Brouillard ( Plymouth , MA /Plymouth North) was stopped for a loss of two and Sharpe's ran for five yards setting up 3 rd-and-7. Sharpe tried to hit Jeremy Zelinski ( Groton , CT / Robert E. Fitch) but came up short. On fourth-down, Sharpe tried to find Erich Timmerman (Middletown, NY / Goshen), but cornerback DOMINIQUE DIXON (Wharton, NJ / Morris Hills) knocked away the attempt and the Red Hawks ran out the clock from there.

Sophomore EMMANUEL IHIM ( Clifton , NJ / Clifton ) set up Montclair 's first score as he blocked a punt to give MSU the ball at the Springfield 33. Capozzoli turned the play into three points as he connected from 39 yards out. MSU extended the lead to as Jump hit Mercer on a diving catch with on the first play of the second quarter as MSU took a 9-0 lead. But on the point after attempt, the ball was muffed and Joe Harasymiak ( Waldwick , NJ / Waldwick) scooped up the ball an returned it all the way for a two-point play as MSU led 9-2.

Springfield tied the game as it them took the ensuing kickoff and went 50 yards capped off by a Sharpe one-yard score with 9:25 to go I nthe half. MSU regained the lead as it took advantage of a Springfield miscue. As the Pride prepared to punt, the snap from center was low and Jason Hurlock ( East Lyme , CT/East Lyme) crouched down to get the ball but in the process put his knee on the ground ending the play and giving Montclair the ball at the Springfield 17. Jump connected with Letizia for 15 yards down to the 1 and McCoach scored as MSU led 16-9 with 4:20 .

But what would become repetitive in the game, Springfield tied the game on its next possession. Sharpe engineered an eight-play, 60 yard drive with Sharpe finishing off the possession with 10-yard run to knot the game at 16-16.

Jump finished 13-of-24 for 170 yards with Letizia pulling in four receptions for 102 yards. DEREK DEPASCALE ( Butler , NJ / Butler ) and JOHN VALKOS ( Rumson , NJ / Rumson-Fair Haven) each had 10 tackles for the Red Hawks, who held Springfield 's vaunted triple-option offense to 285 yards after the Pride posted 437 in their season opener against Union .

Sharpe carried 31 times while Andrew Jackson ( Pennsville , NJ / The Peddie School) had 11 carries for 40 as the Pride amassed 256 rushing yards to MSU's 115. Sharpe was 2-of-8 for 26 yards in the air. Caporale led the Springfield defense with 11 tackles and two breakups while Jason Bakoulis ( Norwich , CT / Norwich Free Academy) had two sacks.

Both teams return to action next week (September 22). Montclair State goes on the road to face seventh-ranked Wesley at Wolverine Stadium in Dover , DE . Springfield is also back on the road as it opens up Empire 8 play at Alfred University ( 12:00 pm ).