Monmouth University (4-5, 2-4 CAA) dropped their third straight contest, falling to Towson University (3-5, 1-4 CAA) in yet another shootout loss at Kessler Field on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The Hawks were led by freshman quarterback Enzo Arjona, who made his first career start in place of the injured Tony Muskett. Monmouth began the game with the lead after Arjona found Dymere Miller for a 30 yard scoring strike early in the first quarter. Towson managed to answer back less than two minutes later on a 61 yard Da’Kendall James touchdown reception, but failed to tie the Hawks after missing their PAT. The Hawks were unable to capitalize on this error, as Towson owned the next scoring play through the legs of quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome and took a 12-6 lead after another failed PAT. Jaden Shirden continued his outstanding season on the ground with a buccaneering 75 yard house call to answer Towson after just 18 seconds. The 14-12 lead Monmouth took on this play would be their last lead of the game.
Shirden would score his second of three touchdowns on the ground in the game in the second quarter, bookended by a Tigers touchdown and field goal as the Hawks entered halftime down 28-20. Shirden scored his third and final touchdown of the game in the third quarter, trading with the Tigers’ Devin Matthews and ending the quarter down two possessions trailing 35-26. The pace picked back up in the fourth quarter as the Hawks and Tigers combined for 39 points in the final frame. Miller scored his second of the day for Monmouth in response to a Towson touchdown minutes earlier, and touchdown machine Owen Wright would do the same as time wound down in the fourth quarter, keeping the Hawks within a score at 49-42.
A Towson field goal with 1:21 remaining ultimately put victory out of reach for the Hawks, making the game a two possession game once again. Arjona managed to guide the Hawks down the field for six in just 40 seconds, throwing his third touchdown pass, this time to Dre Tucker, but the effort was ultimately in vain as the Hawks failed their PAT, meaning they would need to score another touchdown. The Tigers successfully held off the Hawks and killed off the rest of the clock to secure a 52-48 Towson victory.
Defensive performance has continued to be a thorn in the side of the Hawks, who have had no issue putting up points on offense. Towson managed to score every time they touched the ball during the game, except for one drive. The Hawks outgained the Tigers 484-479, but the Tigers held the ball for 11:11 longer, ultimately factoring into the Hawks’ failed late-game heroics.
Arjona became the fourth quarterback to throw for multiple touchdowns in a debut, joining teammate Tony Muskett and former quarterbacks Brandon Hill and Dan Sabella, who each had two TD passes.
Arjona’s three touchdown passes against the Tigers are now the most for a Monmouth quarterback in his first start in program history.
In addition to his three rushing scores, Jaden Shirden piled on 211 yards and notched his third 200 yard effort of the season, and first since Sept. 24 at Villanova. Sitting at 1,365 rushing yards on the year, Shirden has established himself as one of the most prolific running backs in the nation, as well as in Monmouth history. His current total is good for fifth-most in school history. Joining Shirden is backfield-mate Owen Wright, whose 15 scores also put him at fifth-most in school history.
Head Coach Kevin Callahan seemed more than impressed with Enzo Arjona’s college debut, remarking “I thought he did an outstanding job for starting his first career game as a true freshman. The coaches did a great job putting together a gameplan that played to his strengths and maybe took some of the weight off his shoulders. He operated very well within that gameplan we were trying to go with today. That’s a hell of a day putting up that many points with a first-time [starting] quarterback.”
The Hawks will travel and play away for the final time in the 2022 season, heading down to Delaware to square off with the Delaware Blue Hens (6-2, 3-2 CAA) on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 1 pm at Delaware Stadium.
