Monroe College Football Opens Season with 28-21 Victory Over Erie Community College.jpg

Mustangs Win Saturday’s Football Game Against the ASA Avengers, 31-19

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Monroe College football team reached a pair of milestones in its winning game against ASA on Saturday.  In addition to defeating the Avengers for the first time with a 31-19 final score, the Mustangs clinched their fifth consecutive victory for the season. Their 5-0 record is the best start in the College’s history.

Monroe fell behind early as ASA scored a touchdown on their opening possession. The Mustangs were undaunted, however, and responded with 10 unanswered points in the quarter.  Monroe got on the board at the 4:47 mark thanks to a 19-yard field goal from Jared Calhoun.  The Mustangs converted a couple of third downs on the drive, including a pair of completions from Aaron Williams to Malique Merchant (for 19 yards) and Anthony Banks (for 13 yards) to keep the drive going.

Monroe took a 10-7 lead on the subsequent Avengers possession, when Gerron Pendarvis picked up a fumble and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown.  The Mustangs led 10-7 after the first quarter.

The lead grew to 17-7 early in the second quarter when Williams connected with Aaron Lewis on a 78-yard catch-and-run.  Monroe pushed the lead to 24-7 when Fokom Parfait returned a punt 30-yards for a touchdown.  The Mustangs’ 17-point advantage came with slightly more than eight minutes remaining in the half.

ASA then took the ball on an eight-play, 79-yard scoring drive, culminating in a touchdown that brought the score to 24-14.

With neither side scoring in the third quarter, the game entered the final 15-minutes with the Mustangs ahead, 24-14.  An early-fourth quarter field goal by the Avengers pulled them to 24-17.

A 23-yard pass from Williams to Thomas Lawus capped the Monroe scoring as the touchdown made the score 31-17.  They got the ball back inside of a minute remaining on their own two-yard line (thanks to an interception in the end zone from Darrius Stokes) and Williams took a safety.  The final score was 31-19 for the Mustangs. 

The victory was the Mustangs’ first over ASA in football.  Ryan Fulse saw his streak of 100-yard rushing games snapped as the running back managed 91 yards on the day.  The Mustangs defense accounted for two picks, a touchdown and six sacks.

The unbeaten Monroe College football team returns to action on Saturday, October 8, when they host Thaddeus Stevens College.  The kickoff is slated for 1:30 PM.