Golden Tornadoes use late surge to defeat rival Trojans

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - It was a celebration late Friday night at Hugh Mills Stadium for the green and gold when Monroe erased a late deficit to beat cross town rival Dougherty 22-16 and earning them our WALB team of the week.

The Golden Tornadoes entered Friday’s matchup with the Trojans as underdogs. The return of Florida State commit Kam Davis was a point of emphasis for Monroe. They knew if they wanted to come away with a victory, they would have to stop the senior.

“To get that win was huge especially with Kam coming back, I know a lot of people thought that he would make a bigger impact on the game as far as the outcome of it, but our kids battled all week, they fought hard and it was huge for the program”, said head coach Lacey Herring.

A big reason for the win and the success of the 2023 Golden Tornadoes is the defense. It’s been a staple all season long and it’s the identity of the team. Coach Herring allows them to be themselves and said made it clear he’s glad they are on his side.

“These guys play fast and physical, they just fly around to the ball. Like I said, it’s fun to watch, one thing about it is I’m glad we don’t have to face them.”

The win Friday moves Monroe to 5-2 on the season matching last year’s total with two games to play. It is a short turnaround for them, they will travel to Columbus to play Carver Thursday night. With a win, and a win next week against Columbus, Monroe will earn a share of the region title.

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