MU football - follow story for Monday Press. Hawks next face Albany test
By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
It's been feast or famine lately for the Monmouth University football team (3-5, 3-2).
Especially feast.
And mainly over the last four Northeast Conference games.
Beginning Oct. 6 there was that 49-point outbreak in a win over Sacred Heart. The following
week marked the worst ever home loss, the 29-point pasting at the hands of Wagner.
Since then Monmouth has wracked up 51 points on Central Connecticut State, then the top
defense in the NEC, followed by Saturday's 47-point barrage against the NEC's worst defense of
St. Francis, Pa.
That all leads up to Saturday's 1 p.m. showdown at Kessler Field between Monmouth and NEC leading Albany (6-3, 4-0) and its No. 1 ranked defense and offense.
Despite it's uneven season Monmouth, with a win Saturday, would remain in the hunt for at
least a share of the NEC regular season title.
Also, via tiebreakers, Monmouth might also have a shot at the 2007 Gridiron Classic likely
to be played at the University of San Diego.
But Monmouth isn't thinking beyond Saturday. ""It'll be a test,''said Brett Burke,
Monmouth redshirt junior quarterback. ""CCSU was a big test for us, too.
""We have the talent on offense,'' said the Wall High School graduate. ""If we play hard
and play well there's not a lot of teams in this league or around that can stop us.''
Burke and redshirt sophomore tailback David Sinisi have been at the heart of Monmouth's
offensive showings.
Saturday Burke delivered a career-high three touchdown passes, including two to Adam San
Miguel.
Burke finished with 234 yards on 18-of-31 passing and threw for over 200 yards in the
fourth consecutive game.
""The last couple of weeks he's played very well, doing a good job managing the offense,''
said Kevin Callahan, Monmouth coach. ""He's making plays, throwing the ball when he needs
to.''
Sinisi finished with 187 yards and a TD on 24 carries to become to second Monmouth player to
reach 1,000 yards for the season.
Monmouth had only averaged 13.2 points over its first four games against Delaware, Maine,
Stony Brook, and Robert Morris.
"I think our mind set as an offense has changed,'' said Burke. ""We're playing with a
lot of confidence.''
Burke, always the calm in a storm, said he didn't get discouraged early in the season.
""I try to keep things on an even keel whether things are going good or going bad,'' he
said. "'The key is making plays.
""I'm getting the ball out to our tight ends, running backs, and receivers, and they're
making plays.''
NOTES...Junior wide out Steve Dowens (Middletown South), had his first career TD catch
Saturday....Kicker Fred Weingart (New Egypt) tallied a career-high 11 points against the Red
Flash, including five extra points and a pair of field goals. The senior is now six-of-nine
kicking field goals and 24-of-25 kicking extra points...Sinisi will try to extend the nation's
longest streak of games scoring touchdowns to 21 against an Albany defense that in league
contests ranks No. 1 in rushing in rushing defense (68 ypg.). It has allowed just 13.8 ppg. in NEC games.
STAFF WRITER
It's been feast or famine lately for the Monmouth University football team (3-5, 3-2).
Especially feast.
And mainly over the last four Northeast Conference games.
Beginning Oct. 6 there was that 49-point outbreak in a win over Sacred Heart. The following
week marked the worst ever home loss, the 29-point pasting at the hands of Wagner.
Since then Monmouth has wracked up 51 points on Central Connecticut State, then the top
defense in the NEC, followed by Saturday's 47-point barrage against the NEC's worst defense of
St. Francis, Pa.
That all leads up to Saturday's 1 p.m. showdown at Kessler Field between Monmouth and NEC leading Albany (6-3, 4-0) and its No. 1 ranked defense and offense.
Despite it's uneven season Monmouth, with a win Saturday, would remain in the hunt for at
least a share of the NEC regular season title.
Also, via tiebreakers, Monmouth might also have a shot at the 2007 Gridiron Classic likely
to be played at the University of San Diego.
But Monmouth isn't thinking beyond Saturday. ""It'll be a test,''said Brett Burke,
Monmouth redshirt junior quarterback. ""CCSU was a big test for us, too.
""We have the talent on offense,'' said the Wall High School graduate. ""If we play hard
and play well there's not a lot of teams in this league or around that can stop us.''
Burke and redshirt sophomore tailback David Sinisi have been at the heart of Monmouth's
offensive showings.
Saturday Burke delivered a career-high three touchdown passes, including two to Adam San
Miguel.
Burke finished with 234 yards on 18-of-31 passing and threw for over 200 yards in the
fourth consecutive game.
""The last couple of weeks he's played very well, doing a good job managing the offense,''
said Kevin Callahan, Monmouth coach. ""He's making plays, throwing the ball when he needs
to.''
Sinisi finished with 187 yards and a TD on 24 carries to become to second Monmouth player to
reach 1,000 yards for the season.
Monmouth had only averaged 13.2 points over its first four games against Delaware, Maine,
Stony Brook, and Robert Morris.
"I think our mind set as an offense has changed,'' said Burke. ""We're playing with a
lot of confidence.''
Burke, always the calm in a storm, said he didn't get discouraged early in the season.
""I try to keep things on an even keel whether things are going good or going bad,'' he
said. "'The key is making plays.
""I'm getting the ball out to our tight ends, running backs, and receivers, and they're
making plays.''
NOTES...Junior wide out Steve Dowens (Middletown South), had his first career TD catch
Saturday....Kicker Fred Weingart (New Egypt) tallied a career-high 11 points against the Red
Flash, including five extra points and a pair of field goals. The senior is now six-of-nine
kicking field goals and 24-of-25 kicking extra points...Sinisi will try to extend the nation's
longest streak of games scoring touchdowns to 21 against an Albany defense that in league
contests ranks No. 1 in rushing in rushing defense (68 ypg.). It has allowed just 13.8 ppg. in NEC games.
posted by Tony Graham at 1:39 PM
2 Comments:
What has to happen for MU to share the NEC title?
My bad...MU has been eliminated.
Very sorry for the wrong info..winner of the CCSU vs. Albany game next week will go to the Grdiron Classic.
MU cannot tie for the championship...
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