Monarchs down Anchors 23-15
The Monarchs got past the Anchors, 23-15, on the road. Ball security told the story, with the Anchors coughing it up twice. The Monarchs closed it out when it counted. It was played in a 15 mph wind in Buffalo.
The Anchors struck first when Lachlan drilled a 49-yard kick. The Monarchs took the lead as Novak hit Brannick from 19 yards out for a score. The Monarchs added to the lead when R.Yardley booted one through from 36 yards. The Anchors closed the gap when Hartley powered in from 1 yard, though the extra point missed.
The Anchors took the lead as Lachlan converted from 22 yards. With 11:54 to go in the third quarter, R.Yardley converted from 37 yards, and that proved to be the winner. More points followed for the Monarchs when Novak hit A.Maddox from 11 yards out for a score. The Anchors responded as a 47-yard kick from Lachlan was true.
The lead grew when R.Yardley kicked a 36-yard field goal. The Anchors got the ball back one final time 13 yards from the end zone, but Jankowski was stopped short. Momentum shifted in the first quarter as Escobedo jumped a route for an interception. The highlight was a 35-yard kickoff return from Abel Kavanagh.
Plenty went right for the Monarchs. Wilder Novak completed 14 of 26 passes for 175 yards, crossing the goal line twice. Quentin Yardley piled up 75 rushing yards. Rashad Lindgren finished with 65 receiving yards on 4 catches. Defensively, Mason Banfield stood out with 10 tackles. Despite the result, the Anchors had performers worth noting. Cole Hartley completed 23 of 37 passes for 240 yards. Knox Tennyson carried 18 times for 63 yards. Wade Lindgren caught 6 passes for 77 yards. Sawyer Barlowe anchored the defense, 6 tackles. No one moved the needle more than Augustin Westbrook, who added +14% to the Monarchs' chances.