Gallo gets 1st win as coach as Monmouth football prevails by inches

WEST LONG BRANCH — It was a moment three decades in the making, ultimately defined by mere inches.

A few yards away on the opposite side of the newly-embossed Kevin Callahan Field lettering, the end result of momentous field dedication for Monmouth football's home opener came down to the details of the renamed turf at Kessler Stadium. On 4th-and-5, Sacred Heart quarterback Poochie Snyder found receiver Nick Gentilella for a catch that initially appeared to be a first down at the Monmouth 39-yard line.

But after video review, the inches swung back in favor of the Hawks. Monmouth took over after the turnover on downs and kneeled it out to cement the Hawks' 31-24 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday. It was a fitting result for a program that always persevered under the direction of Callahan for 33 years, and the team's first CAA conference win of the season in addition to being their first win under new head coach Jeff Gallo.

"I told our guys, most of them are here because (Kevin Callahan) said yes. He said yes to all these guys," Gallo said. "It was all about us honoring him in how we played."

For Gallo, it's a shared honor as he gets his first career win as a head coach. It was fitting that the game ended with a defensive stand as the team is also honoring Louis DiRienzo, the Hawks' first-year defensive coordinator who died suddenly in late June.

"Coach Louis D, he was very adamant on the process, not the result," safety Jaeden Jones said. "He used the acronym FAIL—first attempt in learning. And so we failed a little bit today, but we learned a lot. And I think that helped us in the end. We learned and we overcame and we made adjustments."

It was undeniably a disjointed performance for the Hawks, but one filled with positive signs for what the future might hold for Monmouth football this fall. Monmouth (1-1) forced a Sacred Heart (0-1) punt on the opening drive. The kick was initially bobbled by Elijah Jennings, only for him to pick it up and gain 27 yards on the return. It was the encapsulation of the afternoon, and set the stage for an opening drive that was finished off with a 7-yard touchdown run by Kenny Smith to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead.

Then came the Sacred Heart response. The next two Pioneers drives ended in touchdown receptions by Jason Palmieri and Dean Hangey to take a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. Perhaps most confounding was the lapses, as the quarterback Snyder was able to consistently elude the Monmouth front four on scrambles. The Pioneers nearly extended the lead with 39-yard field goal, but it hit the right upright.

The Hawks seized on the opportunity with a two minute drill that was capped off with two impressive catches by Gavin Nelson, first on a 3rd-and-19 for a 22-yard gain (the longest completion of the game) and then for 19-yard touchdown reception to tie it at 14-14. Those plays were also the beginning of quarterback Frankie Weaver turning the corner, and he would go onto finish with 237 yards and three touchdowns while completing 26 of his 37 attempts. Eight different receivers had a catch in the game

"We have a bunch of playmakers—Tra (Neal), Gav, Chris Harrison, Key Mister," Weaver said. "I feel like all those guys can get open and I've just gotta find them the ball."

The Monmouth offense showed a consistent ability to script plays well with touchdowns on the opening drive and the first drive of the second half, which culminated in a 10-yard touchdown reception by Jennings to give Monmouth a 21-14 lead. But the dogfight continued as Sacred Heart answered with an explosive 52-yard touchdown reception by Hangey to tie it 21-21 after cornerback Chris Palmer fell down. The Hawks regained the lead on a 25-yard field goal by Sky Sholder to cap a 79-yard drive, but Sacred Heart kicker Ryan Bocklet matched it with 23-yard field goal, which came after Palmer responded to force the incompletion on third-and-goal.

Tied 24-24, Monmouth put together the winning possession with a precarious 68-yard drive that kept the packed crowd at Kessler Stadium on the edge of their seats. Weaver found Nelson to avoid the three-and-out with a 12-yard gain. He made another big throw for an 18-yard gain to Neal. Then in the red zone, the redshirt sophomore delivered the winning plays. On 3rd-and-7, he hit running back Kenny Smith for the first down. Two plays later, he found Smith again for the 7-yard touchdown run.

"Just out-leveraging the linebackers, great protection up front," Smith said. "We did a great job getting me the ball in the flat and trying to outrun the linebackers, that's all."

It was a sign of the astute adjustments and opportunities that the Hawks were able to exploit as they continue their early season evolution. There will be a sudden rise in difficulty next week when Monmouth hits the road to face FBS opponent Western Michigan, but the process can't be rushed. The pace of a new team and new coach must resolve itself, and it's steadily moving in the right direction after the first win of 2026.

"Incredibly proud of these guys, it's a great win. It's just a first win though," Gallo said. "We've got a long way to go and it's something to build off of."

The performance was a worthy testament to the legacy of Callahan and all the talented players that he has drawn to Monmouth over many years. But the final play, and the winning inches, were found by the new generation of Hawks.

It was freshman defensive back Amori McNeil, a standout from Don Bosco, that bottled up Sacred Heart's Gentilella on that fourth down play. DiRienzo and the current staff led by Gallo found him. And because of that, they found their first victory in a new chapter of Monmouth football.

"We've shown glimpses of who we can be at moments," Jones said. "Playing a full game of those glimpses is what's gonna set us over the edge and allow us to be the defense that we want to be—that Coach Louis D knew we could be."

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Gallo gets 1st win as coach as Monmouth football prevails by inches