Saline Holds Off Monroe in High-Scoring Affair

It wasn’t easy, but the Saline football team improved to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the SEC Red after holding off Monroe 42-35 in a wild one at Hornets Stadium Friday night.

The Saline air attack was nearly unstoppable Friday night, but the Trojans had an answer almost every time to keep the game close throughout.

It was Monroe that struck early with an eight-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead, but the Hornets answered with a CJ Carr eight-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 after one.

Monroe retook the lead to start with a two-yard TD run for a 14-7 lead, but Saline bounced back with a five-yard TD run by Zain Issa and Carr’s second TD run of the night from two-yards out for a 21-14 lead.

Monroe tied it up at 21 with a 32-yard TD pass, but Carr hit Caid Fox with a 30-yard scoring pass to give Saline a 28-21 halftime lead.

The Trojans did not slow down after halftime with a 96-yard kickoff return for a score to tie the game at 28 on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Saline would answer once against when Carr connected with Fox for their second score of the night, this time from 37 yards out for a 35-28 lead.

The Hornets defense forced a Monroe punt with just over eight minutes remaining in the fourth.

Saline would have a first and goal at the four, but a pair of Hornet penalties moved the ball back to the 24.

Monroe got a sack of Carr, but a huge unsportsmanlike conduct taunting call on the Trojans gave the Hornets new life and they made Monroe pay with a 15 yards TD pass from Carr to Lincoln Keys to make it 42-28 with 4:28 left.

The Trojans weren’t done and scored on a one-yard run to cut the lead to 42-35 with 1:06 left setting up an onside kick.

The kick bounced around, but the Hornets Matthew Mareno recovered, and the Hornets took a knee to run out the clock.

Carr was nearly perfect by going 25-28 passing for 374 yards and three TD’s. He also rushed for 25 yards and two scores.

Dylan Mesman caught seven passes for 126 yards, while Fox caught six passes for 104 yards and two TD’s. Miller Grambau caught five for 56 yards and Jaiden Leonard one for 41. Keyes caught two passes for 27 yards and a score and Cole Kreuzer one for 17.

Saline travels to Ann Arbor Huron for a key SEC Red matchup Friday night.