UAlbany Captures Share of Northeast Conference Title With 21-3 Victory

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

West Long Branch, N.J. - David McCarty rushed for 167 yards and one touchdown and Justin Gannon scored on an 87-yard screen pass in the fourth quarter as UAlbany rallied in the second half for a 21-3 victory over Monmouth in Northeast Conference play on Saturday afternoon at Kessler Field.

UAlbany (7-3, NEC 5-0) clinched a share of its first conference title since 2003. The Great Danes can win the championship outright at Central Connecticut State next week. The winner of the game will represent the NEC in the Gridiron Classic on Dec. 1 against the Pioneer Football League champion.

The Great Danes used their special teams and defense to break a 3-3 deadlock late in the third quarter. After punter Chris Lynch blasted a 69-yard kick that went out at the Monmouth one-yard line, sophomore linebacker Justin Brancaccio tackled tailback David Sinisi in the end zone for a safety. UAlbany's Mike Wall later blocked a punt with his left hand to set up Jason Fralicker's 40-yard field goal and an 8-3 lead.

The fourth quarter also produced two long scoring plays that broke the game open. In a third-and-30 situation from his own 13, sophomore tailback Justin Gannon gathered in a screen pass in the right flat and cut through a group of blockers on the sideline for a touchdown with 6:02 remaining. The 87-yard play was the third longest pass in school history.

"I looked straight ahead and the seam opened up,” Gannon explained. “I just tried to keep my balance and get to the end zone. I saw our team's reaction and I knew we were in a good position to win the game. Our defense just wasn't going to allow them to score."

McCarty, who rushed 28 times to reach the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth straight game and sixth time this season, later turned a third-down run into a 67-yard TD. He seemed to be trapped on the right sideline, but then eluded a couple of defenders as he busted out of the pack en route to paydirt.

Monmouth quarterback Brett Burke completed 20 of 33 passes for 138 yards and had one interception. L.B. McCloskey picked off that throw which led to a 22-yard field goal that tied the contest in the third quarter. Sinisi, the nation's 10th-leading rusher with a 125.0 average, was held to 59 yards on 24 carries.

"They have proved that they are a good team that is well-coached throughout the year,” said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team had lost four straight in this series, including a pair of last-second decisions. “We had to battle through adversity. The defense held us in there and the special teams were superb. David McCarty ran hard throughout the game and we were able to come up with some big plays."

The opening half produced an unexpected defensive struggle with both teams combining for just over 100 yards apiece. The Hawks capitalized on UAlbany's first fumble of the season when receiver Daniel Bocanegra coughed up the ball at his own 40 after making a first-down catch. After Monmouth (3-6, NEC 3-3) ran 12 plays, placekicker Fred Weingart booted a 30-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Great Danes' offense sputtered throughout the first two periods with poor field position and a pair of fumbles. Monmouth's defense did not allow the visitors past midfield until the last series of the half, when quarterback Vinny Esposito's heave to the end zone was knocked down to the turf.

"We knew what kind of offense they have,” offered senior linebacker Colin Disch, who had a team-high nine tackles. “We had confidence in ourselves that we could weather the storm. It was a team effort. It didn't decide the conference, but the win meant a lot to me personally and for the juniors and seniors who had never beaten them."