FINAL STATS

STATEN ISLAND, NY – Senior QB Matt Abbey (LA Canada, CA/ St. Francis) threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes to sophomore WR Tyrone Collins (Geneva, NY/ Geneva) as Wagner took a 14-10 lead into halftime before Monmouth fought back back to earn a 31-17 Northeast Conference (NEC) victory at Wagner College Stadium. 

After opening the season 0-3, Monmouth has now won four straight game and stands at 4-3 overall, 3-0 in NEC play. Injury-riddled Wagner has now dropped three straight games as the Seahawks fall to 2-4 overall, 0-2 in the NEC. 

The Seahawks and Hawks put on a wildly-entertaining game that featured four lead changes on this sun-splashed afternoon. Wagner seized an early 7-0 lead by marching 91 yard in 12 plays on its opening drive of the game, a drive that was prolonged by a roughing the punter penalty on Monmouth. Abbey found Collins in the left corner of the end zone on a 22-yard strike for the score to cap the mammoth 7:16 drive. 

Monmouth counted with a crisp eight-play, 72-yard drive, capped by a 15-yard TD run by senior RB David Sinisi, who is the Hawks' all-time leading rusher. Monmouth took advantage of a tipped interception to go up 10-7 on a 42-yard field goal by Fred Weingart with 5:31 left in the opening half. Abbey then engineered a well-executed six-play, 60-yard drive that took just 3:20 and culminated in a 16-yard TD hook-up from Abbey to Collins, who broke free in the deep right corner of the end zone. 

Trailing 14-10 at halftime, Monmouth came storming out of the locker room with a four-play, 61-yard TD drive with Sinisi covering the final, 32 yards on a jaunt up the middle that gave the Hawks a 17-14 lead just 1:40 into the second half. Wagner tied the game at 17-17 on a 34-yard Eric Ortiz field goal with 8:56 left it in the third quarter. 

Monmouth then took the lead for good with a seven-play, 57-yard drive with senior QB Brett Burke hitting senior TE John Nalbone on a 16-yard aerial to make it 24-17 On the ensuing, drive Monmouth recovered an Abbey fumble at the Seahawk 22-yard line. On the very next play, Sinisi rumbled 22 yards for this third TD of the afternoon, increasing the Hawks' lead to 31-17 while rounding out the day's scoring. 

Sinisi was sidelined for a good portion of the first half after suffering a rib injury late in the first quarter but looked as good as new in the second half. He gained 55 yards on 7 carries prior to the injury in that first half and finished with a total of 137 yards on 16 carries. His backup, Bobby Giles, got the lion's share of the touches in the second quarter, and finished the day with 75 yards on 17 carries. Burke turned in an efficient 23-of-28 passing day for 152 yards and one TD. His favorite target was WR Chris Kiley who corralled six passes for 58 yards. 

Abbey, starting in place of the injured Adam Farnsworth (North Ogden, UT/ Univ. of Iowa), completed 13-of-24 passes for 157 yards with the two TDs and one interception. Junior WR Lon Woods (St. Petersburg, FL/ Taravella) had three catches for 59 yards, including a gorgeous one-handed 26-yard grab that led to Wagner's game-tying third quarter field goal. Woods was actually interfered with on the play as Wagner declined the penalty. Collins, coming off a career-best 10-reception day last week at Central Connecticut St., finished with three catches for 39 yards. 

In the rushing department, Wagner was again without the services of injured RBs Prince Young (Neptune, NJ/ Fork Union) and Shane Smith (Susquehanna, PA/ Milford). Freshman Ryan Middleton (Winter Garden, FL/ West Orange) showed great burst and elusiveness in gaining 55 yards on 13 carries. He suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter but did return. Senior RB Rodney Davis (Brsitol, PA/ Mansfield Univ.) gained 42 hard-fought yards in 17 carries before leaving the game for good in the fourth quarter with a leg injury. 

Defensively, sophomore safety Stefen Gage (Syracuse, NY/ Henninger) continued his fine play with a game-high 11 tackles. Senior LB Jason Haskins (Cliffwood Beach, NJ/Kean Univ.) added 10 stops. Senior DE Robert Brown (Rome, NY/ Rome Free Academy) and freshman DE Julian Stanford (Bloomfield, CT/ Bloomfield) each recorded a sack on the afternoon. 

Wagner takes to the road next Saturday at winless Saint Francis (PA). Kick-off is set for 1:00 pm. 

NOTES – In addition to missing Young and Smith, the Seahawks were without the services of senior LB Jeremy Spinks (Tampa, FL/ Chamberlain) and OL Matthew Martin (Pennsauken, NJ/ Pennsauken) who were each out with injuries. The 1983 Seahawks were honored at halftime on the 25th anniversary of their 8-2-1 Season.