Football Falters at Montclair, 41-22
MONTCLAIR, NJ—Greg Meyer (Lancaster/ Lancaster) caught nine passes for 137 yards and a touchdown, but it was not enough as Buffalo State (2-3/1-2) fell to Montclair State (4-1/1-1), 41-22, today in a New Jersey Athletic Conference battle.
Buffalo State quarterback Dan Aquilio (Depew/Depew) was 22 of 47 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Dan Lopez (Lancaster/St. Mary’s) had 26 carries for 75 yards and a score. Peter Nguyen (Buffalo/South Park) led the defense with nine tackles, including two for loss.
AJ Letizia paced the Montclair offense with five catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and Ryan McCoach had 32 carries for 108 yards and two scores. Mike Jump was 11 of 25 for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
Buffalo State capitalized on the second of three lost fumbles by the Red Hawks to take a 3-0 lead on a 27-yard field goal by Eric Beyler (Lockport/Roy-Hart). Montclair answered on the next possession, however, scoring and a 24-yards run by Jeff Bliss on the final play of the first quarter to take a lead it would never relinquish.
The Red Hawks extended their lead to 14-3 on a 3-yard scoring strike from jump to Rob Fantozzi with 4:32 remaining in the half. Buffalo State answered just two plays and 24 second later with a 54-yard catch and run by Meyer to pull within four, but Montclair responded again, capped by a 5-yard run by McCoach in the final minute of the half.
Montclair returned the opening kick of the second half 80 yards to the Bengals’ 10-yard line, and needed just three plays to punch it in with a 9-yard run by McCoach.
Buffalo State added a 17-yard touchdown reception by Joe Russell (N. Tonawanda/N. Tonawanda) and a 1-yard run by Lopez, but could not cut the deficit inside of double digits, as Letizia scored on plays of 76 and 22 yards.
“We just had too many miscues to beat a good football team like Montclair,” said Buffalo State Coach Paul Shaffner. “We allowed too many big plays on defense and lacked the consistency on offense and special teams necessary to win.”
Buffalo State will travel to Rowan for another NJAC contest next Saturday at 1 p.m.
Buffalo State quarterback Dan Aquilio (Depew/Depew) was 22 of 47 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Dan Lopez (Lancaster/St. Mary’s) had 26 carries for 75 yards and a score. Peter Nguyen (Buffalo/South Park) led the defense with nine tackles, including two for loss.
AJ Letizia paced the Montclair offense with five catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and Ryan McCoach had 32 carries for 108 yards and two scores. Mike Jump was 11 of 25 for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
Buffalo State capitalized on the second of three lost fumbles by the Red Hawks to take a 3-0 lead on a 27-yard field goal by Eric Beyler (Lockport/Roy-Hart). Montclair answered on the next possession, however, scoring and a 24-yards run by Jeff Bliss on the final play of the first quarter to take a lead it would never relinquish.
The Red Hawks extended their lead to 14-3 on a 3-yard scoring strike from jump to Rob Fantozzi with 4:32 remaining in the half. Buffalo State answered just two plays and 24 second later with a 54-yard catch and run by Meyer to pull within four, but Montclair responded again, capped by a 5-yard run by McCoach in the final minute of the half.
Montclair returned the opening kick of the second half 80 yards to the Bengals’ 10-yard line, and needed just three plays to punch it in with a 9-yard run by McCoach.
Buffalo State added a 17-yard touchdown reception by Joe Russell (N. Tonawanda/N. Tonawanda) and a 1-yard run by Lopez, but could not cut the deficit inside of double digits, as Letizia scored on plays of 76 and 22 yards.
“We just had too many miscues to beat a good football team like Montclair,” said Buffalo State Coach Paul Shaffner. “We allowed too many big plays on defense and lacked the consistency on offense and special teams necessary to win.”
Buffalo State will travel to Rowan for another NJAC contest next Saturday at 1 p.m.
Media Contact:
Jeff Ventura, Sports Information Director | 7168786030 | venturjm@buffalostate.edu