The Kean Cougars (9-1) defeated the Montclair State Red Hawks (8-2) 27-14 Saturday to clinch the NJAC Championship, and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
You can't continuously turn the football over and hope to win. And that is exactly what Montclair did on Saturday. The Kean Cougars forced seven Montclair turnovers, including five interceptions by Red Hawks quarterback Tom Fischer.
Freshman linebacker Matt Clerk intercepted two passes for Kean and added a sack. Jamahl Williams intercepted a pass for the Cougars in the third quarter, returning it 63 yards to the Montclair 1-yard line. The Williams interception set up Darius Kinney 2-yard touchdown run to put Kean ahead 24-7.
Chris DiMicco and Kinney combined for 166 yards rushing to pace the Kean offense. Tom D'Ambrisi threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Scott Davis, but was largely held in check by the Red Hawks.
The Kean victory sends the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament for the first time under head coach Dan Garrett. Kean rolls into the playoffs with four consecutive victories, and has victories over national powerhouse Wesley, Rowan, Cortland, and Montclair on their 2011 resume. The quality of Kean's victories will make a strong argument for a top-3 seed in the eastern bracket of the NCAA Division 3 football playoffs.
Montclair held a clear statistical edge in total offense, 334 to 248. Chris D'Andrea rushed for 126 yards, and Gerald Silvera caught 10 passes for 146 yards. But in the end the Red Hawks could not overcome their turnovers.
Showing posts with label montclair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label montclair. Show all posts
Rivalry Saturday
Tomorrow is the biggest Saturday of the Division 3 Eastern Region football season. Conference championships will be on the line, and annual rivalries will be settled. By the time the dust clears tomorrow evening, we should have a good idea how the NCAA Division 3 Football tournament brackets will shape up. The actual selections will be made on Sunday.
Widener at Delaware Valley
A long standing rivalry gets renewed this Saturday when the Delaware Valley Aggies hosts the Widener Pride in the annual Keystone Cup game. This season there is the added factor of the MAC Championship and an automatic playoff bid being on the line.
If that were not enough already, we have revenge on the minds of Delaware Valley. Last season Widener upset Delaware Valley 28-27 and caused the Aggies to potentially lose the #1 seed in Eastern Region. Instead Mount Union was imported from the North to be the East's number one seed. The Aggies were forced to travel to Alliance, Ohio on November 27, 2010, where they lost 31-3 to end their season.
Up until last Saturday, say around 3 pm or so, I was picking red hot Widener to end Delaware Valley's undefeated streak in 2011. But after witnessing Delaware Valley drive 54 yards in less than a minute for the winning touchdown against Lycoming on the road, I became a believer that the Aggies can indeed see this thing through.
Our pick? Delaware Valley to barely win a fast paced game with a moderate amount of scoring. Will it be enough to win them the #1 ranking, or will Mount Union come East again? We'll find out Sunday.
Kean at Montclair State
While this one doesn't have the historical significance of the Keystone Cup or the Cortaca Jug, the Kean Cougars and Montclair State Red Hawks are fast developing a new, intense rivalry. No less than three former Montclair players now coach at Kean, including head coach Dan Garrett. The schools are less than 20 miles apart, so it is likely many players on each roster were actively recruited by their opponent.
Kean with Tom D'Ambrisi has the superior passing game. Montclair with Chris D'Andrea has a better ground attack. Both defenses are quick, hard hitting units which make few mistakes and keep the play in front of them.
The winner gets more than just bragging rights. They get the NJAC Championship trophy and a stamped ticket to the big dance. The loser is almost certainly out of the playoff hunt, and has the choice of playing an ECAC bowl next Saturday.
Our pick is Montclair in a tough, defensive struggle. Look for a late score or turnover to swing this one.
Cortland at Ithaca
They call it the Cortaca Jug. Sports Illustrated once called it the Biggest Little Game in the Nation. With the Cortland State Red Dragons seemingly out of the playoff hunt, and the Ithaca College Bombers having its first non-winning season in 40 years, this game will not carry the same regional implications in 2011.
However playing your biggest rival in front of 10,000 to 12,000 fans tends to motivate you.
Cortland has the offensive advantage on paper, though Ithaca may have as much talent on defense, and perhaps even more on special teams. Ithaca also has recent history on its side, having won three consecutive Cortaca Jugs through 2009, before Cortland took the Jug back last season.
It may be a cliche, but you truly never know what is going to happen between these two teams until they take the field. In 2003, Cortland was a 5-5 team. Ithaca came one game from winning the Eastern Region finals in the NCAA tournament. But Cortland stunned Ithaca 16-15 in the Cortaca Jug, likely costing the Bombers a shot at home field advantage in the playoffs.
In 2008, Cortland went undefeated in the NJAC and made it to the NCAA Eastern Region finals before falling to mighty Mount Union. Ithaca bombed Cortland 35-13 on the road to take away a chance at a #1 seed for Cortland and home field advantage in the playoffs. Ithaca lost to Curry in the first round of the playoffs, who then lost to Cortland 42-0, creating a bizarre triangle of results.
Our pick? This one will be closer than anyone seems to think it will be. Look for a turnover or big special teams play to be the difference. As much as I am tempted to pick Ithaca for the upset, I think Dan Pitcher and Cortland will find a way to pull it out.
Join Us Saturday
Remember to join us tomorrow evening as we analyze the day's results, and choose which eastern teams we think will be in the NCAA tournament.
Widener at Delaware Valley
A long standing rivalry gets renewed this Saturday when the Delaware Valley Aggies hosts the Widener Pride in the annual Keystone Cup game. This season there is the added factor of the MAC Championship and an automatic playoff bid being on the line.
If that were not enough already, we have revenge on the minds of Delaware Valley. Last season Widener upset Delaware Valley 28-27 and caused the Aggies to potentially lose the #1 seed in Eastern Region. Instead Mount Union was imported from the North to be the East's number one seed. The Aggies were forced to travel to Alliance, Ohio on November 27, 2010, where they lost 31-3 to end their season.
Up until last Saturday, say around 3 pm or so, I was picking red hot Widener to end Delaware Valley's undefeated streak in 2011. But after witnessing Delaware Valley drive 54 yards in less than a minute for the winning touchdown against Lycoming on the road, I became a believer that the Aggies can indeed see this thing through.
Our pick? Delaware Valley to barely win a fast paced game with a moderate amount of scoring. Will it be enough to win them the #1 ranking, or will Mount Union come East again? We'll find out Sunday.
Kean at Montclair State
While this one doesn't have the historical significance of the Keystone Cup or the Cortaca Jug, the Kean Cougars and Montclair State Red Hawks are fast developing a new, intense rivalry. No less than three former Montclair players now coach at Kean, including head coach Dan Garrett. The schools are less than 20 miles apart, so it is likely many players on each roster were actively recruited by their opponent.
Kean with Tom D'Ambrisi has the superior passing game. Montclair with Chris D'Andrea has a better ground attack. Both defenses are quick, hard hitting units which make few mistakes and keep the play in front of them.
The winner gets more than just bragging rights. They get the NJAC Championship trophy and a stamped ticket to the big dance. The loser is almost certainly out of the playoff hunt, and has the choice of playing an ECAC bowl next Saturday.
Our pick is Montclair in a tough, defensive struggle. Look for a late score or turnover to swing this one.
Cortland at Ithaca
They call it the Cortaca Jug. Sports Illustrated once called it the Biggest Little Game in the Nation. With the Cortland State Red Dragons seemingly out of the playoff hunt, and the Ithaca College Bombers having its first non-winning season in 40 years, this game will not carry the same regional implications in 2011.
However playing your biggest rival in front of 10,000 to 12,000 fans tends to motivate you.
Cortland has the offensive advantage on paper, though Ithaca may have as much talent on defense, and perhaps even more on special teams. Ithaca also has recent history on its side, having won three consecutive Cortaca Jugs through 2009, before Cortland took the Jug back last season.
It may be a cliche, but you truly never know what is going to happen between these two teams until they take the field. In 2003, Cortland was a 5-5 team. Ithaca came one game from winning the Eastern Region finals in the NCAA tournament. But Cortland stunned Ithaca 16-15 in the Cortaca Jug, likely costing the Bombers a shot at home field advantage in the playoffs.
In 2008, Cortland went undefeated in the NJAC and made it to the NCAA Eastern Region finals before falling to mighty Mount Union. Ithaca bombed Cortland 35-13 on the road to take away a chance at a #1 seed for Cortland and home field advantage in the playoffs. Ithaca lost to Curry in the first round of the playoffs, who then lost to Cortland 42-0, creating a bizarre triangle of results.
Our pick? This one will be closer than anyone seems to think it will be. Look for a turnover or big special teams play to be the difference. As much as I am tempted to pick Ithaca for the upset, I think Dan Pitcher and Cortland will find a way to pull it out.
Join Us Saturday
Remember to join us tomorrow evening as we analyze the day's results, and choose which eastern teams we think will be in the NCAA tournament.
Montclair vs Kean - The NJAC Championship
The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) will crown its champion this Saturday when the Montclair Red Hawks (8-1) host the Kean Cougars (8-1) at Sprague Field. The winner will get an automatic birth in the NCAA tournament which begins next Saturday.
Quarterbacks Drew Cathey of Montclair, and Tom D'Ambrisi of Kean, took very different roads before arriving at this destination.
D'Ambrisi is a four-year starter at Kean, where he has consistently been one the NJAC's best quarterbacks. A quarterback with outstanding elusiveness in the pocket and an ability to run for first downs, D'Ambrisi is also an excellent passer. The 2011 season has been typical D'Ambrisi. The quarterback has thrown for 1625 yards, and 15 touchdowns against 6 interceptions. D'Ambrisi is commonly mentioned alongside Cortland's Dan Pitcher when people discuss the premier quarterbacks in the NJAC.
Junior Drew Cathey started the season backing up Tom Fischer. All appeared well in Red Hawks Land. Montclair rattled off four consecutive victories to start the season with Fischer at the helm. In the fifth game of the season, Montclair built a 24-14 lead in a key game against Cortland State. But late in the first half, Fischer's season ended with an unfortunate injury, forcing Cathey into the game.
Cathey struggled to get up to speed. After a 60-yard touchdown run by Chris D'Andrea gave Montclair a 31-14 lead, Cortland roared back to take a 33-31 lead. But with 1:50 remaining to play, Cathey hit Gerald Silvera for a 41-yard completion deep into Cortland territory, setting up a game winning field goal for Montclair.
Cathey threw for only 83 yards the following week in a win over William Paterson. The following week, TCNJ upset Montclair 27-21. But Cathey was showing progress, throwing for 157 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. After an easy win over winless West Conn, Cathey and Montclair rallied from 21-0 down on the road at Rowan to win 37-31 in overtime. The quarterback overcame 3 interceptions to throw for a season-high 318 yards.
While Kean appears to have an edge with D'Ambrisi at quarterback, Montclair's tailback Chris D'Andrea is a great equalizer. Senior D'Andrea averages 6.3 yards per carry, and better than 160 yards per game.
Both Kean and Montclair bring nasty defenses to the table. Each yields less than 18 points per game, and less than 6 yards per pass play. Neither team compiles huge sack numbers, but both hurry the quarterback and rarely give up big plays.
While Montclair versus Kean will not be mistaken for an episode of All In The Family, it is notable that Kean rebuilt its once struggling program under Head Coach Dan Garrett, former all conference player and Defensive Coordinator at Montclair. Garrett took over in 2006 and has never had a losing season with the Cougars, who were perennially weak in the NJAC prior to his arrival.
Venerable Head Coach Rick Giancola of Montclair is in his 29th season with the Red Hawks. Giancola has compiled an amazing 129-41 record within the NJAC, one of the toughest conferences in Division 3.
Our pick to win? We're going with Montclair in a tight defensive thriller. The Red Hawks passing game is back, and you can't say enough about the importance of home field advantage in a November championship game. Whichever team loses will likely be one of the most talented teams not in the NCAA tournament.
Quarterbacks Drew Cathey of Montclair, and Tom D'Ambrisi of Kean, took very different roads before arriving at this destination.
D'Ambrisi is a four-year starter at Kean, where he has consistently been one the NJAC's best quarterbacks. A quarterback with outstanding elusiveness in the pocket and an ability to run for first downs, D'Ambrisi is also an excellent passer. The 2011 season has been typical D'Ambrisi. The quarterback has thrown for 1625 yards, and 15 touchdowns against 6 interceptions. D'Ambrisi is commonly mentioned alongside Cortland's Dan Pitcher when people discuss the premier quarterbacks in the NJAC.
Junior Drew Cathey started the season backing up Tom Fischer. All appeared well in Red Hawks Land. Montclair rattled off four consecutive victories to start the season with Fischer at the helm. In the fifth game of the season, Montclair built a 24-14 lead in a key game against Cortland State. But late in the first half, Fischer's season ended with an unfortunate injury, forcing Cathey into the game.
Cathey struggled to get up to speed. After a 60-yard touchdown run by Chris D'Andrea gave Montclair a 31-14 lead, Cortland roared back to take a 33-31 lead. But with 1:50 remaining to play, Cathey hit Gerald Silvera for a 41-yard completion deep into Cortland territory, setting up a game winning field goal for Montclair.
Cathey threw for only 83 yards the following week in a win over William Paterson. The following week, TCNJ upset Montclair 27-21. But Cathey was showing progress, throwing for 157 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. After an easy win over winless West Conn, Cathey and Montclair rallied from 21-0 down on the road at Rowan to win 37-31 in overtime. The quarterback overcame 3 interceptions to throw for a season-high 318 yards.
While Kean appears to have an edge with D'Ambrisi at quarterback, Montclair's tailback Chris D'Andrea is a great equalizer. Senior D'Andrea averages 6.3 yards per carry, and better than 160 yards per game.
Both Kean and Montclair bring nasty defenses to the table. Each yields less than 18 points per game, and less than 6 yards per pass play. Neither team compiles huge sack numbers, but both hurry the quarterback and rarely give up big plays.
While Montclair versus Kean will not be mistaken for an episode of All In The Family, it is notable that Kean rebuilt its once struggling program under Head Coach Dan Garrett, former all conference player and Defensive Coordinator at Montclair. Garrett took over in 2006 and has never had a losing season with the Cougars, who were perennially weak in the NJAC prior to his arrival.
Venerable Head Coach Rick Giancola of Montclair is in his 29th season with the Red Hawks. Giancola has compiled an amazing 129-41 record within the NJAC, one of the toughest conferences in Division 3.
Our pick to win? We're going with Montclair in a tight defensive thriller. The Red Hawks passing game is back, and you can't say enough about the importance of home field advantage in a November championship game. Whichever team loses will likely be one of the most talented teams not in the NCAA tournament.
Montclair Survives at Rowan
The Montclair Red Hawks rallied from a 21-0 deficit to overcome the Rowan University Profs on the road, 37-31 in overtime. Rowan missed a field goal and failed to score on its first possession. Montclair scored quickly to send the Profs fans home disappointed.
The Montclair Red Hawks just earned a ton of street cred. After losing its starting quarterback against Cortland on October 8, the Red Hawks offense had struggled to find its rhythm. A loss to TCNJ two weeks later made a lot of Eastern Region football fans become Montclair doubters.
But give Montclair a ton of credit. Backup quarterback Drew Cathey has improved every week as the new starter. They have a strong defense, and an explosive ground game led by Chris D'Andrea. And this week, Cathey became the star as Montclair rallied from a seemingly insurmountable deficit in hostile territory to lead the Red Hawks past the Profs.
The Montclair victory moves the team to 8-1 on the season. The New Jersey Athletic Conference championship will be on the line next Saturday when Montclair hosts 8-1 Kean in a winner-take-all showdown.
The Montclair Red Hawks just earned a ton of street cred. After losing its starting quarterback against Cortland on October 8, the Red Hawks offense had struggled to find its rhythm. A loss to TCNJ two weeks later made a lot of Eastern Region football fans become Montclair doubters.
But give Montclair a ton of credit. Backup quarterback Drew Cathey has improved every week as the new starter. They have a strong defense, and an explosive ground game led by Chris D'Andrea. And this week, Cathey became the star as Montclair rallied from a seemingly insurmountable deficit in hostile territory to lead the Red Hawks past the Profs.
The Montclair victory moves the team to 8-1 on the season. The New Jersey Athletic Conference championship will be on the line next Saturday when Montclair hosts 8-1 Kean in a winner-take-all showdown.