New-look Hawks face familiar expectations
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO Junior David Sinisi is back to spearhead the Hawks' ground attack this year, as Monmouth University looks to defend its spot atop the Northeast Conference.

Every football season brings new challenges.Last year, for Dave Callahan's Monmouth University Hawks, it was handling the pressures of high expectations. With a 10-2 record, a Northeast Conference championship and a bowl berth (the Gridiron Football Classic played on Kessler Field against San Diego), the veteran Hawks delivered.

Now, Callahan has to deal with the flip side of having a veteran squad the year before. Those stars graduated. In 2007, the Hawks will be younger and inexperienced.

But that doesn't mean they will be any less competitive.

"This team reminds me of the 2004 team," said Callahan. "We graduated a huge class of seniors from a championship team and had a lot of sophomores and first-time starters. All they did was win another championship."

Callahan, whose team opens its 2007 season on Sept. 1 against the University of Maine in Orono at 6 p.m., doesn't believe that there will be a big drop-off in the talent level.

"I like where we are from a talent point," he pointed out. "We're loaded on offense."

The team has lost four-year starting quarterback Brian Boland (Brick Memorial) and his 36 wins in four seasons, as well as nine of its 11 starters on defense.

Former Wall Township signal caller Brett Burke emerged as the team's likely starter after spring practice. Matt Fullam (a transfer from Fordham), Ryan Folsam (Triton Regional) and Andrew Mandeville (Raritan) are vying for the back-up position.

The good news for Burke and Co. is Monmouth is loaded with experience and talent on this side of the ball.

"We don't have to put the entire burden on the quarterback," said Callahan. "He has a lot of talent surrounding him. We're looking for him to manage the offense and make good decisions."

David Sinisi (Cedar Grove), last year's NEC Rookie of the Year, and All-NEC wide out Adam San Miguel (St. Peter's Prep) are the focal points of the Hawks' 2007 offense.

"Adam San Miguel has played well throughout spring ball, and Dave Sinisi continues to play at a high level," noted Callahan.

Sinisi had a memorable first year, hitting pay dirt in every game and accumulating 14 touchdowns on the season. He led the team in rushing at 751 yards, including a season best of 143 against St. Francis.

Marion Easley (Somerville) returns at fullback for the Hawks. He paved the way for Sinisi's 751 yards with his blocking. He's a junior.

Bobby Giles (Burlington) and Ryan Skorupka (Sparta) will share time backing Sinisi up.

San Miguel became one of the leading receivers in the conference, pulling down 73 passes for 872 yards and six touchdowns. He is Monmouth's deep threat. The senior's yards-after-catch are very important for picking up first downs.

Chris Kiley (Point Pleasant Boro), Steve Dowens (Middletown South), Nick Romeo (Wayne Hills) Ron Lauch (Wall) Brendan Mellen (Easton, Conn.) and Korey Yngstrom (Freehold Township) are the wide receivers vying for playing time. It's very important that someone steps up from this group to complement San Miguel.

"We need someone to become the second and third receiver," said Callahan. "We've got to have someone else make plays for us."

Monmouth is set at tight end with the return of junior John Nalbone (Lawrence). The 6-4, 240-pound Nalbone, a second team All-NEC pick last fall, is both an inviting target down field and a very strong blocker.

Monmouth returns three-fifths of its starting offensive line, led by All-NEC pick Jonathan Dunn (Washington Township), who is 6-5, 325 pounds. Bob Skellenger (Ocean City) and Nick LoCastro (Gateway Regional) are the other returners to what should be one of the strengths of the team. Andrew Musick (Ewing), Shawn Wright (DeMatha, Md.) and Derek Rosinski (Tonawanda, N.Y.) all saw action last year and are poised to play a more significant role this year.

The Hawks are very deep here with freshman Alex Iachetta (Manasquan) and sophomores like Nick Bibbo (Colts Neck) and Bryan Tiscia (Marlboro) all solid players.

"This is the biggest line we've ever had and deeper," said Callahan.

In Fred Weingart (New Egypt), the Hawks have a dependable, proven place-kicker. Mandeville is stacking up as the team's punter.

In winning three of the last five NEC titles and five overall, the Hawks built that success around a very strong and aggressive defense. The team took its biggest hit here, graduating nine of its starters. Only corner back Ayo Falae (Barringer) and outside linebacker T.J. Cerezo (Lenape Valley) are back from a defense that permitted just 12.676 points a game.

With the season less than two weeks from kickoff, most starting positions are still undecided.

"Several positions are up in the air," Callahan remarked. "There is a lot of competition.

"This [defensive] unit has the potential to be very good," he added. "It's not a matter of if, but of when."

In time, Callahan is confident that his Hawks will be as stingy as ever on defense, if for no other reason, that it is a Monmouth tradition.

"These guys know, they've been around an excellent defense, they understand what it takes," he said. "They take pride in Monmouth being one of the top, if not the top defense in the NEC every year."

The Hawks are looking at an upgraded schedule in 2007 that includes the trip to Orone, Maine, on Sept. 1, and a visit to Newark, Del., to face the University of Delaware Blue Hens, a legendary I-AA program, on Sept. 29 (7 p.m.).

"Our schedule over the last five or six years has been aggressive and ambitious," Callahan noted. "It's more challenging each year as we continue to move forward.

"Delaware has a great tradition," he added. "It will be a great opportunity to play in a terrific football environment."

One of the reasons for the upgrade is to better Monmouth's chances of making the Division I-AA Mid Major playoffs. Despite going 10-1 and winning the NEC, the Hawks were left out of the postseason because their schedule wasn't deemed difficult enough. They did have a nice consolation, hosting the Gridiron Football Classic, where they lost to San Diego, the nation's No. 14-ranked team, 27-7.

Monmouth's first home game is Sept. 8 against NEC opponent Robert Morris. Kickoff is in West Long Branch at the Kessler Field at 1 p.m.

That is followed by an open date. The Hawks are at Stony Brook (4 p.m.) on Sept. 22 before journeying to Delaware on the 29th. They are away from home again on Oct. 6 when they play Sacred Heart in an NEC title.

Homecoming for Monmouth is Oct. 13 when NEC rival Wagner makes a call to the Jersey Shore for a 1 p.m. start. Oct. 20 is another open date followed by conference games at Central Connecticut State (noon) and St. Francis, Pa., (1 p.m.) on Oct. 27 and Nov. 3.

Monmouth will host preseason NEC pick Albany on Nov. 10 (1 p.m.) and close out the season on Nov. 17 against Duquesne (noon).

In the preseason NEC poll, Albany, the team with the most returning talent, was picked to finish first, followed by Monmouth, Central Connecticut and Robert Morris.

Monmouth clinched the NEC title last fall when it beat Albany, 19-0.