Skip To Main Content
Montclair State Logo

Scoreboard

Montclair State University Athletics

OFFICIAL SITE OF RED HAWKS ATHLETICS
Diante Wilson
24
Winner Montclair St. MSU 5-5 , 4-3
21
Wm. Paterson WPU 2-8 , 1-6
Winner
Montclair St. MSU
5-5 , 4-3
24
Final
21
Wm. Paterson WPU
2-8 , 1-6
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MSU Montclair St. 7 7 7 3 24
WPU Wm. Paterson 0 7 3 11 21

Game Recap: Football |

Football Holds Off William Paterson in Season-Finale, 24-21

Wayne, NJ – In a tough battle at Wightman Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Montclair State (5-5, 4-3 NJAC) football team used early advantages to hold off a late William Paterson (2-8, 1-6 NJAC) rally for a 24-21 win in its season finale.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • After a series of three-and-outs by both teams to begin the game, Montclair took the early lead. A series of big gainers that included a 14-yard completion to KHALIL FORBES and a 21-yard run by DIANTE WILSON, got the ball inside the five, where LUKE HENRICH kept the ball himself and punched it in for the score to put Montclair up 7-0.
  • ALEX BUCHWALD came up big on two drives defensively to end the first quarter. On a nice drive from the Pioneers that got them all the way down to the MSU 11, Buchwald intercepted the ball to keep them off the scoreboard. On the next WPU drive, they were forced to punt, and Buchwald blocked it to have the punt result in only 10 net yards.
  • To begin the second quarter, TJ KACHALA made two big completions, one of 16 yards and one of 18 yards that went into the endzone to give the Red Hawks a 14-0 lead.
  • Both defenses held each other off for the middle portion of the quarter. At the 3:07 mark, the Pioneers forced an interception deep into Montclair territory at the 21 and used three run plays to get into the endzone to halve the lead, 14-7. The game went into halftime with the same score.
  • William Paterson saw a three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half, but held Montclair off, forcing a turnover on downs on a 10-play drive to the WPU 42. RYAN VISALLI snatched an interception from the Pioneer quarterback on the next drive and set up a five-play, 27-yard drive that was finished off by a five-yard touchdown run by Wilson for a 21-7 lead.
  • The Pioneers put together their longest drive of the game to end the third quarter with a 10-play, 71-yard drive that ended in a field goal to cut the lead to 21-10 heading into the final quarter.  
  • Montclair turned the ball over again on downs, and William Paterson once again put together a field goal drive with 12:13 remaining to bring it to a one-score game of 21-13.
  • Both defenses held on the next two possessions. The Red Hawks started its next drive at midfield and got to within striking distance for Rogers Rubinetti, who drilled a 34-yard field goal to push Montclair back out to a double-digit lead of 24-13.
  • William Paterson did not go away, however. They drove down to the Montclair 27 with under two minutes to go and connected on a 27-yard shot to the endzone for a touchdown and converted a two-point conversion to put the score at 24-21.
  • WPU tried the onside kick, but TYLER JACKSON recovered for Montclair, and Wilson's first-down run on the first play iced the game for the Red Hawks, and they came away with the win.
 
INSIDE THE RESULTS
  • Wilson had another big day for the Montclair offense, running for 135 yards on 31 carries and scoring a touchdown. He claimed the rushing title this season in the NJAC, finishing the season with 889 yards and 16 touchdowns, which ranks tied for second all-time in single-season rushing touchdowns.
  • Defensively, UMAR DAVIS and Buchwald wrapped up their careers with great days. Davis finished with a team high seven tackles, while Buchwald notched five, a tackle for loss, an interception, and a blocked kick.
  • Montclair finishes 5-5 with a winning 4-3 record in NJAC play this season.
 
FROM THE FIELD
  • "Really proud of these guys. We went 3-1 down the stretch, and they showed a ton of grit in our last couple of one-score victories. I love our seniors – an extremely loyal, hardworking group. Even though our games are over, it's time to get back to work Monday as we begin our push toward 2026." Head Coach Mike Palazzo
Print Friendly Version