September 8, 2007
Monarchs Fall Short in 50-47 Loss to Guilford
Senior Daryl Lawrence tallies 19 tackles on the day

FAYETTEVILLE, NC -  The Monarchs opened the 2007 season putting points on the board, but couldn't keep up with Guilford in the end. Guilford outlasted the Monarchs for the 50-47 win to move to 2-0 on the season while the Monarchs fall to 0-1.

The Monarchs set up to receive the first kick off for freshman Byron Peters to return four yards to the Methodist 34 yard line. A carry by senior Mike Hill moved the ball to the 41 yard line before Hill broke through for a 59 yard touchdown. The Monarchs' kick attempt failed, but they took the 6-0 lead. Guilford responded with an 80-yard drive down to tie the game on a Zach Bobak two-yard rush and Hunter Chappell's extra point gave the Quakers the 7-6 lead.

Methodist started their second possession with a 59-yard return by senior Jonathan Mularski to the Guilford 30-yard line. Hill took a series of carries to move the Monarchs to the Guilford 14 line when sophomore quarterback Brandon Parks connected with a 13-yard pass to Mularski to the one yard line. Parks kept the ball for the second Methodist touchdown and regained the lead. The Monarchs capitalized on a two-point conversion for the 14-7 lead.

Both teams were forced to punt on their next possessions before senior Daryl Lawrence forced a fumble recovered by sophomore Anthony Cassone to give the Monarchs the ball on the Guilford 30. The first quarter ended with a Parks pass to freshman Brian Hopkins to give the Monarchs first and goal. It took a two-yard carry for Hill to score his second touchdown of the game and give Methodist a 20-7 lead. Guilford came back down the field behind quarterback Josh Vogelbach ending with a 20 yard pass to Hagen Miller for the touchdown. Methodist was forced to punt on the next possession before Guilford tied the game three plays and fifty yards. Chappell's kick gave Guilford the 21-20 lead.

Mularski returned the ball 18 yards to the Methodist 33 and Hill picked up six yards before Parks found senior Patrick Doleman for a 71-yard touchdown. The Monarchs two-point attempt failed but still led 26-21 before Vogelbach led the Quakers back down the field. Bobak finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown. Vogelbach found Chad Kastor for the two-point conversion.

Parks was intercepted on the ensuing drive leading to another Vogelbach touchdown and giving Guilford the 36-26 lead at halftime. The Quakers came right back in the third quarter with another drive through the Monarchs for the touchdown. The Monarchs were not finished yet and came back on a 72-yard drive ending with a 14-yard touchdown run by Hill. Mario Miralles gave the Monarchs the extra point to close the gap to 43-33.

Sophomore Koby King intercepted Vogelbach for the Monarchs to give the ball back to Methodist but the Quaker defense held strong to force the Monarchs to punt. Both teams exchanged punts before the Monarchs received the ball in the fourth quarter at the Guilford 45-yard line on an eight-yard return by Hopkins. Hill picked up a couple before Parks found freshman Blake Harrison for 19 yards and the first down. Hill grabbed three more and Parks hit Hopkins for the 21-yard touchdown pass. Miralles' kick moved the Monarchs to within three, but both teams came up scoreless over the next nine minutes. Guilford broke the drought on a Vogelbach 4-yard rush with 2:06 remaining in the game.

Mularski came up with a huge 68-yard kickoff return to give the Monarchs a second wind. Parks connected with Doleman to reach the Guilford 13-yard line and a Guilford penalty moved the Monarchs within eight. Parks found Hopkins to move four and Hill finished it off around the outside for a 4-yard touchdown run. The Monarchs tried an on-side kick hoping to make use of the remaining 1:12, but couldn't get the ball back giving Guilford the 50-47 win.

Parks threw 11-for-18 for 194 yards with two touchdowns and one interception while Vogelbach finished 40-for-60 for 411 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Mike Hill ran for 186 yards for the Monarchs with four touchdowns while Doleman caught three passes for 113 yards on the day. Lawrence led the Methodist defense with 19 tackles just two away from breaking the Methodist game record.

The Monarchs travel to Chowan next Saturday to face the Hawks at 1 pm.

Box Score