Football finished their non-conference schedule with a 48-37 win against Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon.
“I’m very happy we accomplished what we came up here to do,” said Head Coach Kevin Callahan. “We can go into the bye week where we can rest up and fine tune the things we can get better at.”
Sophomore quarterback Kenji Bahar threw for a career-high 324 passing yards on 23 completions. His top target was junior wide receiver Reggie White Jr., who finished with a season-high 137 yards on nine receptions. The junior added two touchdowns for the afternoon.
“Kenji had a really good day,” Callahan said. “I felt really early on in the game he was working himself into a groove. He was able to find guys down the field and capitalize on some explosive plays. You have to give him credit for putting the ball on the mark.”
On the defensive side of the ball, senior safety Mike Basile had a career-high 19 tackles.
“Mike [Basile] is possessed when he is out on the football field,” Callahan said. “He was all over the place on defense and special teams, he just had an outstanding afternoon.”
In the first quarter, Holy Cross started the game on the opening drive with a 33-yard field goal. MU’s defense forced the driving Holy Cross offense to only three points after three straight passing attempts in the red zone.
After back-to-back punts for Monmouth and Holy Cross, the Hawks were driving after a Bahar to White completion that went for 22 yards into Crusader territory. The drive would stall after the blue and white failed to convert on fourth down at Crusader 33 yard line.
On the ensuing drive, Basile would sack the Crusader quarterback and he would fumble the ball, which was recovered by MU at mid-field
That sack and force fumble would set up freshman running back Eric Zokouri with a one yard touchdown run to give MU the 7-3 lead early in the second quarter.
The Hawks would increase their lead to 14-3 after a Bahar to White touchdown pass from 13 yards out. This would be the first of five straight touchdown drives between MU and Holy Cross.
The Crusaders would answer with a touchdown of their own, a designed quarterback keeper from four yards out. Monmouth would come back with a four yard touchdown pass from Bahar to junior tight end Jake Powell.
Holy Cross brought MU’s lead to only four at the half after the Crusaders completed a time-expiring 49-yard Hail Mary.
In the opening drive of the second half, Bahar connected with sophomore wide receiver Lonnie Moore IV for a 61-yard completion, bringing the Hawks all the way to the Holy Cross four. Bahar would finish that drive with another touchdown reception to White. Four minutes later, Zokouri would score his second touchdown on the game on another one-yard rush.
On the ensuing drive, Holy Cross would punt it to senior defensive back Kamau Dumas, who would return it for a Monmouth record 89-yard punt return touchdown to make it 41-17.
In the fourth quarter, Holy Cross would come back to make the score 41-30 and had the ball looking to make it a one possession game until Dumas intercepted the ball and returned it 39 yards for his second touchdown of the game. On the Final play of the game, Holy Cross would score on their second half ending Hail Mary touchdown of the game, making the final 48-37.
For the game, Basile became the Big South career tackles record holder, passing the previous holder’s 244 tackles. Senior running back Michael Jolly finished with a game-high 119 rushing yards on only six carries.
Monmouth will have a week off as they prepare for a Homecoming battle against conference foe Liberty. The Hawks will look to make it four in a row on Saturday, Oct 21 at 1 p.m. at Kessler Stadium.
PHOTO COURTESY of B51/Mark Brown
