By Laura Soukkavong –
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — American International College opened its 2026 football season with a 17-3 victory over Monroe on Saturday at Ronald J. Abdow Field, using a balanced offensive attack and a relentless defensive front to control the season opener.
The Yellow Jackets built a 14-0 halftime advantage, held Monroe without a touchdown and finished with a 355-186 advantage in total offense.
American International quarterback Daron Bryden completed 15 of 30 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown, while Hardley Gilmore emerged as his biggest target with five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.
The Yellow Jackets also rushed for 107 yards, while their defense limited Monroe to just 44 yards on 34 rushing attempts.
American International broke through late in the first quarter following a nine-play, 70-yard drive.
Bryden helped keep the possession alive with a 14-yard run on fourth-and-seven that moved the Yellow Jackets to the Monroe 1.
Bo Catherwood finished the drive from there, scoring on a one-yard touchdown run with 3:48 remaining in the opening quarter.
Luke Sheets converted the extra point to give American International a 7-0 lead.
The Yellow Jackets extended the advantage during their opening possession of the second quarter.
Starting at their own 17, American International put together an eight-play, 83-yard touchdown drive that consumed more than five minutes.
The biggest play came when Bryden connected with Gilmore for 46 yards, moving the football from the AIC 30 to the Monroe 24.
Bryden later found Gilmore again, this time for a four-yard touchdown with 9:47 remaining in the second quarter.
Sheets’ extra point made it 14-0.
Monroe struggled to generate sustained offense against an American International defense that repeatedly pressured quarterback Zavry Ward.
Ward completed 11 of 24 passes for 142 yards and was sacked six times for 51 yards in losses.
Monroe’s running game had even more difficulty finding room.
Mario Solano led Monroe with 22 rushing yards, while Ne’khiycie Jackson finished with 16. Ward was credited with only three net rushing yards after the losses from the six sacks were factored into his total.
American International had an opportunity to add more points before halftime after taking possession at its own 45 with 1:01 remaining.
Bryden helped move the Yellow Jackets to the Monroe 20 before time expired, sending American International into the locker room with a 14-0 advantage.
Monroe finally generated its first points midway through the third quarter.
The Mustangs received the football at their own 22 following a Bryden interception by Davon Sawyer.
Ward then connected with Jamal Abdal-Khallaq for a 42-yard completion that moved Monroe deep into American International territory.
The Yellow Jackets’ defense prevented Monroe from reaching the end zone, forcing the Mustangs to settle for Dmitri Grieb’s 39-yard field goal.
The kick cut American International’s lead to 14-3 with 5:49 remaining in the third quarter.
Monroe had another opportunity to make things interesting early in the fourth quarter.
American International had driven to the Monroe 12 before Jarius Davis forced Bryden to fumble. Davis recovered the football himself and returned it five yards to the Monroe 17.
The turnover gave Monroe possession with the deficit still at 11 points.
The Mustangs moved across midfield and reached the American International 44, but Ward’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
American International took over with 7:53 remaining and proceeded to put together the possession that effectively ended Monroe’s hopes.
The Yellow Jackets drove 46 yards in nine plays while taking more than five minutes off the clock.
Bryden converted a critical third-and-11 by finding Gilmore for 20 yards to the Monroe 27.
Catherwood then helped American International continue draining the clock with runs of eight and five yards.
Monroe eventually stopped the Yellow Jackets short of the end zone, but Sheets connected on a 28-yard field goal with 2:38 remaining.
American International’s lead was 17-3.
Monroe’s final possession reached American International territory, but the Mustangs couldn’t find the end zone.
Ward’s fourth-and-24 pass fell incomplete with 32 seconds remaining, allowing Bryden and the Yellow Jackets to finish the game in victory formation.
American International’s defense was the story throughout the afternoon.
The Yellow Jackets recorded six sacks and nine tackles for loss totaling 60 yards.
Anthony Mack was particularly disruptive, recording two sacks for 15 yards. Tra’Vion Singleton added a 13-yard sack, while Treyvon Holland recorded another for 10 yards.
The pressure contributed heavily to Monroe averaging only 3.2 yards per offensive play.
American International averaged 5.6.
The Yellow Jackets also controlled the most important area of the field, converting three of four red-zone opportunities while Monroe never reached the red zone. American International scored two touchdowns and a field goal on those possessions.
Gilmore finished as the game’s leading receiver with 110 yards and a touchdown on five receptions, including catches of 41 and 46 yards during American International’s two first-half touchdown drives.
Eric Neal Jr. added three receptions for 56 yards.
Catherwood finished with 37 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries while also catching two passes for 25 yards. Judah Varfley led the Yellow Jackets on the ground with 41 yards on eight carries.
For Monroe, Abdal-Khallaq led the receiving corps with three catches for 55 yards, including the 42-yard reception that helped set up the Mustangs’ only points.
But American International’s defense never allowed Monroe to turn its occasional big plays into touchdowns.
The Yellow Jackets held Monroe to three conversions on 14 third-down attempts and stopped the Mustangs twice on three fourth-down attempts.
Monroe punted seven times and never reached the end zone.
American International wasn’t perfect. The Yellow Jackets committed 10 penalties for 60 yards, turned the football over twice and converted only four of 14 third downs.
But when the game reached its most important moments, American International consistently made the plays it needed.
The offense produced touchdown drives of 70 and 83 yards in the first half.
The defense produced six sacks and held Monroe to 186 total yards.
And after Monroe pulled within 14-3, the Yellow Jackets kept the Mustangs off the scoreboard for the remainder of the afternoon before Sheets’ fourth-quarter field goal provided the final margin.
American International walked away from Ronald J. Abdow Field with a 17-3 season-opening victory and a 1-0 record.