BOXSCORE

MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Despite running 40 more plays on offense, the Colonels shot themselves in the foot in a 13-6 loss to Montclair State. Wilkes beat the Red Hawks in nearly every statistical category except the most important one.

           
Wilkes controlled the tempo on offense, holding the ball for nearly 40 minutes, running 75 plays, but was unable to punch the ball in for a touchdown. Freshman kicker Chris Horn (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) provided the only scoring for the Colonels, connecting on a career-long 41-yard field goal in the second quarter followed by a 37-yarder in the third. 

           
The Colonels had plenty of chances, fumbling a fake field goal attempt inside the Red Hawk 20 yard line as well as a dropped pass in the end zone. Facing a third-and-four from the 10-yard line, Wilkes quarterback Rob Johnson (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) found a wide open receiver, but a dropped pass forced the Colonels to fourth down.

Wilkes lined up for a 27 yard field goal attempt, but holder Jason Prushinski (Wapwallopen, Pa./Crestwood) picked up the snap and ran towards the right sideline, passing the first down marker, but turned the ball over on a fumble.  

           
Wilkes started the drive at its own 27-yard line and marched 63 yards and used nearly eight minutes off the clock but came away empty handed. “Today was really frustrating,” head coach Frank Sheptock said. “We aren't good enough yet to get over our mistakes and unfortunately they caused us a couple of chances to score.” 

           
On the Colonels' next possession a low snap on a punt attempt forced punter Mario Della Fortuna (North Plainfield, N.J./North Plainfield) to try to run for a first down, but he was stopped short as Wilkes turned the ball over on downs early in the second quarter. The Red Hawks took little time in taking advantage of the miscue, taking just three plays to go 33 yards for their first touchdown of the day. Montclair running back Jeff Bliss ran through the middle nearly untouched for 24 yards to give the Red Hawks the lead. 

           
The Colonels responded on their next possession, taking over at their own 34-yard line with 7:16 to go in the half. Facing a third-and-11 play at the Montclair 45, an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Red Hawks gave Wilkes a first down on the 30-yard line. Freshman quarterback Ryan Cushman (Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe) scampered 14 yards on a third down play, but fell three yards short of the first down before Horn kicked his first field goal of the day – a 41 yard line drive that just cleared the crossbar. 

           
“I was very pleased all around with our kicking game,” Sheptock said. “Minus a few bad snaps here and there, I thought we did very well on our special teams.” 

           
Wilkes had a chance to take the lead going into the locker room at the half, but was not able to punch the ball in at the goal line as time expired. Their final drive of the half started at the Montclair 35-yard line with 3:15 to go in the second quarter. A 15-yard completion from Cushman to Jordan D'Emilio (Stowe, Pa./Saint Pius X) gave the Colonels a first down on the Red Hawk 15 yard line before Cushman completed an 11-yard pass to senior Gennaro Zangardi (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston) at the 1-yard line with 18 seconds to play.

           
On first-and-goal, Cushman ran a quarterback sneak that fell short, but the Colonels were unable to lineup on time to spike the ball before time ran out in the first half. “We were just unorganized. We have a lot of new people doing a lot of different things and it showed today,” Sheptock said. 

           
Horn made it a one-point game with 10:08 to play in the third quarter on his 37-yard field goal. 

           
It took the Red Hawks just two plays to make it 13-6 when quarterback Tom Fischer found Jeff Papcun for a 73-yard completion, putting Montclair on the Wilkes one-yard line. Bliss ran the ball up the middle for the score before kicker Marco Capozzoli's point after attempt was wide right. 

           
The Colonels threatened late in the third quarter, driving to Montclair's 32-yard line before an interception at the goal line gave the Red Hawks the ball with 13:20 to play. 

           
On its last drive of the game, Wilkes drove 18 plays in nearly nine minutes, but was unable to convert a fourth-and-three play from the Red Hawk 20-yard line. 

           
“We are trying to get our kids to buy into the little things and believe in the system but its hard when you are 0-2,” Sheptock said. “The schedule I put before them, I did it for a purpose. I wanted to get ready for the MAC and I think games like this help us.” 

           
Offensively, 10 different players ran the ball for the Colonels with Jamar Beverly (South Plainfield, N.J./Kent (Conn.)) leading the way with 53 yards on 17 carries. Cushman finished the day with 43 yards on eight carries. 

           
As a team Wilkes had 282 yards of total offense that included 165 yards rushing and 117 yards passing. Johnson was 6-of-15 for 91 yards, while Cushman had 26 yards passing, completing two of seven attempts. 

           
The Colonels will enjoy a week off before they host Christopher Newport in the home opener on Sept. 27 on Ralston Field.