HUTCHINSON, Kan, December 5, 2019 – A year ago, the Monroe College football team made history by earning its first-ever bid to an NJCAA bowl game, The Graphic Edge Bowl in Cedar Falls, Iowa. After checking that off the list last year, the Mustangs are back in a bowl game, this time earning an invitation to play in the Salt City Bowl in Hutchinson, Kan., looking to make more history with their first-ever bowl game win. The 18th-ranked Mustangs will challenge No. 3 Hutchinson Community College on its home turf at Gowans Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 7.
 
SALT CITY BOWL INFORMATION:
Who:
No. 3 Hutchinson Community College (9-2)
vs.
No. 18 Monroe College (8-2)
 
Where:
Gowans Stadium – Hutchinson, Kan.
 
When:
Saturday, Dec. 7 – 2 PM EST (1 PM CST)
 
SALT CITY BOWL COVERAGE:
Live Stats
Live Video
(Both services provided by Hutchinson Community College Athletics)
 
POSTSEASON HISTORY:
The Mustangs make their second-ever appearance in a bowl game after playing in the 2018 Graphic Edge Bowl Opening Game. Monroe took on Iowa Central Community College at the UNI-Dome, ultimately falling to the Tritons by a score of 36-20. Monroe is seeking its first-ever bowl victory.
 
Hutchinson is very familiar with postseason play, making its 22nd overall bowl appearance with Saturday's Salt City Bowl. The Blue Dragons are 12-7-2 overall in bowl games, including a 7-1 record at the Salt City Bowl, in which they have made their last eight bowl-game appearances. Hutchinson won the 2018 Salt City Bowl against Navarro College, 35-6.
 
STATISTICALLY IMPRESSIVE:
Monroe and Hutchinson enter the Salt City Bowl ranked highly in numerous statistical categories. The Mustangs are No. 1 in the NJCAA in points per game with 52.5, while the Blue Dragons rank fourth at 44.8 points per game. Both teams have scored 70 touchdowns this season, tying them for the top spot in the nation. Monroe is 10th in total yards of offense per game (419.7) while Hutchinson ranks 12th (406.2).
 
The Mustangs do much of their work in the air, ranking 13th in passing yards per game (247.6), second in passing yards per attempt (9.6) and ninth in yards per completion (15.4). Hutchinson is one of the top rushing offenses in the country, ranking fourth in rushing yards per game (235.2), but the Mustangs and Blue Dragons are tied with two other teams for the eighth most yards per carry (5.3). The Blue Dragons lead the NJCAA with 41 rushing touchdowns, while the Mustangs are right behind in second with 38.
 
The trend continues for both teams on the other side of the ball. Monroe is tied for second in the NJCAA in points allowed per game (11.2), while the Blue Dragons rank fifth with 14.3. Monroe leads the nation in total defense, allowing an average of just 173.1 yards from scrimmage per game. Hutchinson ranks eighth in this category with 230.8 yards per game allowed. Monroe is also No. 1 in rushing yards allowed per game (30.2), while the Blue Dragons rank 13th (99.3). Hutchinson ranks fourth in passing yards allowed per game (131.5), while the Mustangs are eighth in the category (142.9).
 
LEADERS:
Passing:
Monroe quarterback Dominique Shoffner has put himself high up on the rankings in many categories this season. He ranks third in pass efficiency (172.8), fourth in touchdown passes (26), eighth in yards (2,305) and eighth in completion percentage (62.0). In addition, Shoffner has scored the fourth most rushing touchdowns in the NJCAA this season with 14.
 
Hutchinson signal-caller Mark Wright has had a strong year for the Blue Dragons. He ranks 15th in pass efficiency (139.3), 14th in touchdown passes (17) and 14th in completion percentage (59.2). Like Shoffner, he is also an asset in the ground game, totaling 592 yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
 
Rushing:
Clayton Scott leads the Mustangs with 491 rushing yards and 61.4 yards per game, while scoring 13 touchdowns on the season in just eight games. Shoffner is the team's second-leading rusher with 388 yards.
 
Wright's 592 rushing yards lead the Blue Dragons, while four other players have totaled more than 335 yards for the Blue Dragons this season. Wright's seven rushing scores are tied with both Erin Collins and Tiyon Evans, while both Kendall Cross and Shariif Brown have score five touchdowns apiece.
 
Receiving:
Jevin Frett is the Mustangs' leading receiver with 720 yards on 33 receptions this season, adding eight receiving touchdowns. Lucas Nunez is next on the team with 502 yards on 25 catches, matching Frett's eight scores. Halim Dixon-King has scored six touchdowns to go with 26 receptions and 409 yards.
 
Mitchell Tinsley leads the Blue Dragons with 43 receptions and 534 yards. He is tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions with Karim Brown and Tray Pettway, who all have four touchdowns apiece. Brown is the team's second-leading receiver with 17 receptions and 248 yards. Pettway has been ultra-efficient, producing his four touchdowns on just seven receptions and totaling 253 yards for an average of 36.1 yards per catch.
 
Defense:
The Mustang defense is led by Emmanuel Appiah-Takyi, who leads the entire NJCAA with eight interceptions this season. He and the cornerback opposite of him, Charles Amankwaa, both have eight pass breakups on the season. Amankwaa has also made four interceptions of his own this year, and adds a blocked kick to his resume. Tim Donnahue leads the team with 51 tackles on the year. Jahron Gayle leads the Mustangs with both 5.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss this year.
 
Levar Gardner and Gereme Spraggins share Hutchinson's team lead with 65 tackles on the season. Latrell Bankston has been a force to be reckoned with for the Blue Dragons, totaling 11 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss this year. Five different Blue Dragons have registered at least two interceptions this season, but Ronald Williams leads the team with three.
 
Special Teams:
Monroe kicker Idrissa Nikiema has done everything that has been asked of him this season, making 7-of-7 field goals with a long of 44 yards, as well as 59-of-61 extra points, with his two misses being blocked. Nikiema and Jonathan Cardoza-Chicas have combined to average 53.7 yards per kickoff with eight touchbacks.
 
The Mustangs as a team are averaging 21.8 yards per kick return and 12.6 yards per punt return. Frett returned a kickoff for a touchdown this season on a kickoff.
 
As a team, the Blue Dragons have made just 3-of-10 field goal attempts this season. Their kickers have been successful on 61-of-71 extra-point attempts.
 
Kick and punt returns have been a huge benefit to the Blue Dragons in 2019, with three return touchdowns on kickoffs and another three on punts. Evans has scored twice on kickoff returns and averages 32.7 yards per return. Darious Cleveland also has a kick return touchdown and is averaging 34.0 yards per kickoff return. Tinsley has two punt return touchdowns with an average of 12.0 yards per return. Markies Colvin is averaging 29.3 yards per punt return and has also scored on one.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 12 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
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).-