Dover, DE – The Montclair State football got back on the winning track in huge fashion on Saturday as the Red Hawks edged No. 20 Wesley College 10-9 at Wolverine Stadium.
Junior wide receiver Kason Campbell pulled in a six-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter for the difference as the Red Hawks (6-2) snapped a two-game losing streak overall and a four-game streak versus Wesley. Montclair evened the all-time series at 4-4 with its first victory since September 2007, a 27-26 win at Wolverine Stadium.
Wesley took a 7-0 lead on its first possession as running back E.J. Lee accounted for all 61 yards, including a 50-yard run for a touchdown with 2:17 gone for the game's first score. The Wolverines however missed the extra point due to a bad snap, a play that eventually proved to be the difference.
The hosts looked to increase its lead late in the opening period driving to the MSU 3. However, the Red Hawk defense stood tall stopping Lee on three straight rush attempts forcing Wesley to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Nick Bruhn with 33 seconds left in the first quarter making the score 9-0.
The defense would come up big again late in the first half with a turnover setting up MSU's first score. Zahir Wilder intercepted a pass at the MSU 35 with 1:13 left. Burch converted a third-down pass to Rohan Phillip for 6 yards and later found Daunte Fletcher for 9 to the Wesley 40. Burch added 10 yards on the ground and a pass interference penalty put the ball at the Wesley 16 inside 10 seconds remaining.
Hunter Daly connected from 33 yards out with four ticks left as Montclair closed the gap to 9-3 at halftime.
The defensive efforts of both teams kept the score where it was until Montclair State got the ball with 2:03 left in the period. From its own 30, Burch connected with Brian Kowalczyk for 15 yards and Ralph McLean ran for 13 more out to the Wesley 41. McLean converted a 3rd-and-7 with a 12-yard run to the 26 however the drive stalled and attempted a 35-yard field goal Daly missed from 35 yards however Wesley was offsides on the play giving the Red Hawks new life with a first down at the 18.
Given new possession, McLean ran for eight yards and caught a pass from Burch for four yards to the 6. Burch then found Campbell for the touchdown and Daly's extra point gave Montclair a 10-9 lead with 11:56 remaining.
Wesley nearly answered back driving the ball deep into MSU territory on its next possession. Khaliq Burroughs completed a 42-yard pass to Alex Kemp to the MSU 10. On a 3rd-and-goal from the 8, Burroughs threw incomplete into the end zone but a flag was thrown for pass interference against the Red Hawks with the ball placed at the 1. But the Wolverines fumbled on the next snap with Lloyd Terry coming up with the recovery ending the threat.
Wesley would get one last chance taking over at its own 45 with 5:19 left. Lee rushed for 27 yards to the 11 putting the Wolverines in close field goal range. Two rushes and an incomplete pass left Wesley with 4th-and-5 at the MSU 6. Bruhn came on to attempt a go-ahead 23-yard field goal however his kick hit the right upright turning the ball back over to Montclair with 3:10 to go.
The Red Hawks made sure Wesley would not get another chance as it ran out the final minutes converting two key third downs. McLean picked up three on a 3rd-and-2 at the MSU 28 to keep the drive going. Three plays later Montclair face a 3rd-and-9 at its own 32 with 1:42 left. Burch hit Brian Kowalczyk for 21 yards to the Wesley 47 and Montclair took two kneel downs to end the game.
McLean finished with 50 yards on 11 carries with Burch going 18-of-34 for 143 yards. Kowalczyk pulled in five catches for 58 yards with Campbell and Carsen Johnson each grabbing three. Safety Jaier Garrett led the defense with 11 tackles with Mauro Altamura making nine stops. Zack Zaccone made eight tackles while Brennan Ray, Aidens Georges and Isaiah James each recording a sack.
Montclair State is back home at Sprague Field for the final regular-season home game on Saturday, November 3. The Red Hawks host Rowan University in a Senior Day matchup at 1:00 pm.