A fourth quarter Touchdown pass from Junior David Routson to Junior Travis Hacker advanced the Monroe Hornets to the Division III – Region 12 semi-finals next Friday night at a site to be determined. Princeton and Mason have been mentioned as possible sites.
Monroe’s senior place kicker Zach Eckert got the Hornets on the board first with a school record 50-yard field goal with 6:09 to play in the first quarter. Chaminade Julienne took the lead with 3:26 to play in the first half when Aaron Stokes capped off a 42 yard Eagle drive with an 8 yard run. Dillon Lett tacked on the extra point. CJ 7 - Monroe 3 at the half.
CJ received the second half kickoff and fumbled the ball to Monroe at their own 11. Ramon Boyce recovered the CJ fumble. Monroe was unable to put the ball in the end zone and again called on the reliable Eckert who drilled a 26-yard field goal with 9:45 to play in the third quarter. CJ 7 – Monroe 6. Neither team would score again in the third quarter.
Early in the 4th, on 1st and 10 at the CJ 38 yard line, David Routson hit Travis Hacker in stride and Hacker successfully cradled the ball and raced in for the go ahead score. Monroe’s try for 2 failed. Hornets 12 — CJ 7.
CJ’s last drive ended at their own 36-yard line with 1:45 to play and Monroe simply ran out the clock for the playoff win.
Monroe’s 2nd round opponent, the Wyoming Cowboys, needed a late TD with 2:11 to play to hold off a valiant SWBL team, the Eaton Eagles 34-32. Brad Hunt led all Monroe tacklers with 7, followed by Mark Miller’s 5. Eckert’s record setting field goal was 2 yards better than the previous record of 48 yards set in 1998 by Kyle Braun.
