Monror College Athletics

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., November 11, 2017 – The Monroe College football team put in an impressive effort in the Mustangs' final regular season contest of the 2017 campaign, defeating Erie Community College on Sophomore Day by a score of 40-14 thanks strong defense and an impressive rushing offense at Joseph F. Fosina Field. The Mustangs finish the regular season at 8-2, while Erie falls to 4-5.
 
Erie received the opening kickoff and started its first drive on the 33-yard line. Three plays into the drive, Michael Johnson broke through the line and was off to the races for a 60-yard touchdown run, putting the Kats ahead early, 7-0.
 
On Erie's second possession, Dejohn Rogers took the ball away on an interception near midfield to give the ball back to the Mustangs. Monroe then gave the ball back on a fumble, but quickly gained possession again two plays later when Johnson was blown up in the back field by Dominique Rogers, forcing a fumble that he recovered himself to give the Mustangs the ball on their own 39-yard line.
 
Rasheed Martin took the carry on first down, and with some ankle-breaking moves found daylight down the right sideline, rumbling for 55 yards down to Erie's six-yard line. Two plays later, Martin rushed out to the right side and powered his way into the end zone, tying the game at 7-7.
 
Later in the quarter, the Mustangs took over at their own 10-yard line. On second down, Sean Kelly hit Shea Holbrook over the middle of the field, but the ball was knocked loose at the 50-yard line, where Erie's Dante Mount recovered and brought it all the way back to the end zone for a touchdown, putting the Kats ahead, 14-7.
 
The Mustangs took over with 3:50 left in the first. Martin carried the offense on his back once again, converting a third-and-one with an 11-yard rush, followed by a 39-yard run down to the Erie 21. Two plays later, Kelly threw one short to Victor Mintz, who broke a couple tackles and stretched the ball over the goal line for a 14-yard touchdown. A failed extra point attempt left Monroe down, 14-13.
 
Midway through the second quarter, the Mustangs were pinned down on their own two-yard line. A quick personal foul penalty pushed Monroe up to the 20. On third-and-four, Imhotep Cromer got wide open on a blown coverage down the right sideline, and Kelly hit him in stride, allowing him to take it 74 yards to the house to push Monroe ahead, 20-14, a lead the Mustangs held through halftime.
 
In the third quarter, the Mustangs took over on their own 18-yard line. Martin rushed four straight times for a total of 27 yards, putting the Mustangs on the 45-yard line. Kelly then passed to Mintz for 14 yards and another first down. Later on, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on bailed out Monroe on second-and-25, giving them first-and-10 on Erie's 30. Kelly dumped it off to Martin, who took the pass up the middle for 17 yards and another first. Another penalty by Erie put Monroe on the seven-yard line. Tyler Bailey then punched one in from seven-yards out, capping off a 13-play, 82-yard drive, putting Monroe ahead, 27-14.
 
After quickly forcing a punt, the Mustangs got the ball back with 1:01 on the clock in the third. Just three plays into the drive, Malique Merchant hit a huge hole and a number of tackles, taking it all the way to the end zone for a 62-yard score, making it a 33-14 game.
 
Late in the game, Monroe had the ball on Erie's 43-yard line. Three plays into the drive, Bailey found pay dirt once again, this time on a 35-yard rush, pushing Monroe's lead to 40-14 before the end of the game.
 
Martin went over 200 yards from scrimmage in the win. He rushed 15 times for 174 yards and a touchdown, adding four catches for another 35 yards in a highly impressive effort. Merchant added 138 yards on eight totes and another score. Bailey took 11 carries for 83 yards and two more touchdowns. The Mustangs combined for 364 yards on the ground on 37 carries, averaging 9.8 yards per rush.
 
Cromer caught four passes for 104 yards, including a 74-yard catch-and-run for a score. Mintz caught a pair of passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Shea Holbrook made a 40-yard catch. Kelly completed 13-of-31 pass attempts for 226 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Levi Shockley led the Mustang defense with eight tackles on the afternoon. Niadre Zouzoua, Devin Lewis, Jordan Valerius-Twyman and Jeremy Perry each registered a sack in the win, while Zouzoua also forced a fumble. Dominique Rogers recovered a fumble and had a tackle for loss. Dejohn Rogers picked up the only interception of the game, and returned it 15 yards. Clayton Glasco finished with seven tackles and also blocked a punt late in the first half.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, will have six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level beginning in the fall of 2017.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs), and follow Mustang football on Twitter (@MJCMustangs).