Bearcats beat E-W
Published 10:18 pm Friday, September 2, 2011
EDMONDS — Well, the element of surprise is no longer an option for the Monroe football team.
The Bearcats, who proved last year they’re no longer a North cellar-dweller, overcame mistakes early and late in Friday night’s game to beat perennial Wesco South power Edmonds-Woodway 30-24 at Edmon
ds Stadium.
“It’s really nice to get a win here,” Monroe head coach Dick Abrams said, “because you know Edmonds-Woodway is always a really good program.
“We may have caught them by surprise a little bit, but by the second half there was no surprise.”
Penalties early and turnovers late marred an otherwise strong season debut for Monroe, but the second quarter was as good as it gets for the Bearcats. Powered by a mix of the run and pass, Monroe’s offense reeled off 21 unanswered points in the period and took a 28-11 lead into halftime.
After Edmonds-Woodway built a 5-0 lead on a safety late in the first quarter, Monroe’s Austin Mulholland picked off an errant Matt Cuzzetto pass and returned it to the E-W 16-yard line. Three plays later, Mulholland caught a 12-yard pass from quarterback Mitchell Price to put Monroe on the board for the first time.
Mulholland wasn’t done. The wide receiver/linebacker made a number of big plays on offense and defense in the second quarter, including a big tackle on Cuzzetto to keep him from getting a first down, and a 20-yard grab on third down to keep a drive alive.
“The thing about Austin is he not only catches the ball, but he’s a really good blocker as well,” Abrams said of Mulholland, who finished with four catches for 36 yards. “He had a great night.”
Senior running back Jordan Moore led the ground attack for Monroe, ripping off 123 yards and three touchdowns. Moore did most of his damage in the second quarter, scoring three straight Bearcats touchdowns, each no farther out than the 3-yard line.
“Our offensive line did a nice job in the first half and Jordan ran hard,” Abrams said.
Monroe had strong performances all over the field. Price, a first-year starting quarterback, went 13-for-22 for 152 yards and a touchdown, and speedster Miguel Floresca-Cravens took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown and returned a punt down to the E-W 10-yard line. Unfortunately for Monroe, both plays were called back for holding.
The score could have been more lopsided, but Monroe coughed up two fumbles within the E-W 5-yard line in the third quarter. Also, the Warriors’ two touchdowns came late in the fourth quarter with the game well out of hand.
For Edmonds-Woodway, wide receiver Spiral Horn had a solid game, including a 90-yard kickoff return that seemed to stop the bleeding during Monroe’s second-quarter barrage. Horn, who injured his elbow in the third quarter but came back to play, caught four passes for 75 yards.
At Edmonds District Stadium
Monroe 0 28 2 0 — 30
Edmonds-Woodway 5 6 0 13 — 24
EW–Hull 25 FG
EW–Safety, ball snapped out of end zone
Mon–Mulholland 12 pass from Price (Felder kick)
Mon–Moore 2 run (Felder kick)
Mon–Moore 3 run (Felder kick)
EW–Horn 90 kick return (pass failed)
Mon–Moore 3 run (Felder kick)
Mon–Safety, quarterback sacked in end zone
EW–Horn TD catch (pass failed)
EW–Not reported
Records–Monroe 1-0 overall. Edmonds-Woodway 0-1.
