BY DOMINICK RINELLI JR.
Correspondent

WEST LONG BRANCH — Only two seconds were remaining on the game clock at Kessler Field, and the Monmouth University Hawks were tied 13-13 with the Albany Great Danes in Northeast Conference football action on Nov. 12.

Monmouth had the ball at the Albany 10-yard line and their season came down to one play. Fred Weingart, a sophomore who had already connected on two field goals of 30 yards or more in the game, walked onto the field for his third attempt of the day, from 26 yards out.

The Blue and White held their breath on the sideline while Albany’s team was yelling and trying to distract the second-year kicker. The ball left Weingart’s foot and began traveling through the air. As time expired, the ball split the uprights and the referees signaled the kick was good to give the Hawks a 16-13 victory in their final game in 2005, and improve their overall record to 6-4 to go along with a 4-3 mark in NEC play.

“It was a great win for our kids,” said head coach Kevin Callahan. “I’m very happy with them and for them to end the season like that. I’m very proud of the way they played.”

The game-winning kick capped off a seven-play, 45-yard drive that ticked the final 1:11 off the clock and was set up by an interception by senior David Jiles.

Jiles picked off an errant thrown ball by Albany’s Brett Hall, who was leading the Great Danes to within scoring distance, trying to take the lead and steal the game.

“Coach [Callahan] was telling me they like to go to 85 [sophomore Irani DeAraujo] a lot,” said Jiles. “On the coverage we had a guy playing underneath, so I was just on top and happened to read the quarterback pretty well on that play. It fell right into my hands.”

The Hawks finished tied for third place in the NEC rankings with Albany, and finished behind Central Connecticut State and Stony Brook, who tied for first place to claim the NEC Championship — a crown that Callahan has been familiar with hearing as his team earned a share of the title in 2003 and 2004.

Monmouth’s 2005 campaign featured a four-game winning streak to give them a 4-1 record halfway through the season, but the team struggled through their second half of the season, dropping three of its last five games.

Junior quarterback Brian Boland totaled 2,334 passing yards on the season to become the new single-season leader in the respective category at Monmouth. The QB also broke the completions record in a season with 188, raised his own record of touchdown passes in a season to 21, and also set a record for total offense in one season with 2,518 yards.

Junior wide receiver Adam San Miguel became only the second player in Monmouth history to end the year with 50 or more receptions, as he finished 2005 with 51 catches for 569 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior receiver standout Miles Austin, who suffered an injury to hamper his final campaign for the Hawks, was still productive in the eight games he appeared in as he finished with 49 receptions for 1,004 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He became the career leader in pass receptions (150), reception yardage (2,867) and touchdown receptions (33) at Monmouth.

As for next season, Callahan is not worried about the group that will be returning to wear the Blue and White.

“We’ve got a good nucleus returning from this team,” he said. “We will miss our seniors and the guys that have used up all of their eligibility, because they have been part of a lot of great wins and seasons here at Monmouth.”

By finishing 2005 with a victory, the Hawks enter the postseason brimming with optimism and will be determined to work hard in the off-season to battle for an NEC Championship in 2006.

“I’m happy for the guys who are returning because as David [Jiles] said, this is a type of win that can kind of be a springboard into the offseason,” Callahan said.