Ewing, NJ ….. Sophomore Victor Scalici (Freehold, NJ/Colts Neck) scored on the first play of the fourth quarter for the deciding score as The College of New Jersey football team opened New Jersey Athletic Conference play with a 21-16 win over Montclair State University on Friday.
 
The teams were tied at 14-14 at the start of the final period and the Lion running back ripped off a 44-yard burst putting the hosts in front 20-14 with only 10 seconds expired from the clock. Kicker Evan Costello (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) added the point after for a 21-14 advantage.
 
TCNJ's defense then came up with a host of big plays the rest of the way stopping the Red Hawks three times on fourth down. One came when they thwarted a fake field goal and another came when Matthew Chierici (Towaco, NJ/Montville) blocked a field. The final stop came with 1:04 left when TCNJ's defense got the ball back for its offense on downs.
 
The Lions opted to take a safety with three seconds left making the score 21-16. TCNJ then stopped the Red Hawks on the ensuing free kick that saw Montclair State try several laterals before TCNJ ended the game by falling on a free ball.
 
The win put the Lions at 1-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and 2-2 overall, while the Red Hawks fell to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
 
After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Lions capitalized on that decision taking the opening kick-off straight down the field. Sophomore quarterback Sam Paladino (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park), who was making his first collegiate start, was perfect on the 9-play 75-yard drive, connecting on all four of his passes before capping the drive himself with a nifty scramble to the left pylon from 15 yards out. Costello booted the point after for a 7-0 TCNJ lead 5:43 into the game.
 
Paladino directed another scoring drive later in the opening period with Brad Young (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) taking advantage of the strong surge by the offensive line to score for a 14-yard scoring run. Costello again converted the PAT, putting the hosts in front 14-0.
 
The Red Hawks had the only scoring play in the second quarter when quarterback Ryan Davies (Lanoka Harbor, NJ/ Howell) rolled to the near side and threw a one-yard strike to Ben Kohle (Pequannock, NJ/ Pequannock). On the extra point, John Schubert (Maybrook, NY/Valley Central) cut the difference to 14-7.
 
Montclair State tied the score with 3:20 left in the third quarter when Malcolm Robinson (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) made a highlight-reel catch at the goal line and spun free of a Lion defender for a 17-yard touchdown from Davies. Schubert's extra point tied the game at 14-all, setting up Scalici's run.
 
Scalici finished with his first career 100-yard rushing game going for 113 yards on 17 carries and touchdown.
 
Senior Nick Bricker (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) had a big game on defense for TCNJ with 11 solo tackles and 14 total. Senior Patrick Kimball (Seaville, NJ/Ocean City) boasted four solo tackles with two of them being sacks and the other two for a loss of five yards.
 
On defense for the Red Hawks, Dan Avento (Montvale, NJ/Pascack Hill) led the charge with nine tackles and four of them were solo.
 
Davies finished with 177 yards passing hitting on 22-of-38 attempts and a pair of touchdowns.
 
TCNJ will take to the road for another Friday night game on October 11 when the Lions head to Kean University to face the Cougars at 7 p.m. The Red Hawks head home for their homecoming on Saturday, October 12 as they entertain SUNY Cortland at 2 p.m.