Monroe football inches closer to first unbeaten regular season in years
BRONX, N.Y. — The Monroe College Mustangs added a ninth win to their season on Nov. 13 with their 49-3 win over Hocking College, leaving only one match between them and an unbeaten regular season.
The Mustangs have been improving in the recent years, going from results like their 4-5 season in 2014 to better results like their 8-3 season in 2019. This year is proving to be their best in years though, as the team is yet to drop a game.
One of Monroe’s biggest problems in past years has been against NJCAA-ranked teams. In 2019, they lost to NJCAA teams twice in the regular season. One of those losses was to then-No. 3 Lackawanna College Falcons, 17-30. In 2018, it was a similar story when they lost in a similar score line of 7-21. It was even worse in 2017, where the Mustangs couldn’t even score against the Falcons in a 0-19 loss.
Usually, Monroe goes up against one or two ranked teams each season. This year, they had to go against three. One was then-No. 12 Georgia Military College, who got their rank during the preseason. The Mustangs were able to mow passed them 34-16. Another was the No. 1 rank from Division III, Nassau Community College. This was a much closer game, but Monroe managed to come out with the win, 9-7.
The last were the Falcons, a team that denied them from perfect records for years. The last time the Mustangs were able to best Lackawanna was in 2014. This year, Monroe was able to break that streak in a close, one-point overtime 49-48 victory. Quarterback Shelton Applewhite Jr. was able to rush for the game-tying touchdown that sent it into overtime. Applewhite Jr. also completed the game-winning touchdown with a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Halim Dixon-King. It was the biggest win for Monroe all season.
Besides their close games with Nassau and Lackawanna, Monroe has been able to keep a large gap between themselves and their competition. The smallest margin between them all season has been 16 points in their 23-7 against Cornell University Junior Varsity. Their largest margin of victory was their 49-3 win against Hocking College.
The Mustangs have just one more game to go to complete the perfect regular season. They’re likely to complete it after going past the hardest opponent in Lackawanna. Applewhite Jr. is the most efficient passer in the NJCAA, with a 193.6 passer efficiency rating, 15 points above the next highest.
Monroe’s final regular season game is Saturday against Sussex County Community College.
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