Pickin' Splinters

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Monroe overpowers McQuaid, 64-19

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Monroe’s Ray Garcia scored on punt returns of 59 and 49 yards in the Red Jackets’ win over McQuaid on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo: PAUL GOTHAM)

By PAUL GOTHAM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Monroe football team reminds its head coach of an NBA champion that added a future hall-of-famer for another title run.

It’s easy to make that comparison after watching the Red Jackets dispatch McQuaid, 64-19, Friday night.

A week ago, Terrell “Pooty” Cunningham accounted for seven touchdowns. Three of the senior quarterback’s touchdown passes went to University of Buffalo commit, Brien Walker.

On Friday, Cunningham produced less than a third of his output from last week, and Walker didn’t get a sniff of the end zone.

This time it was Ray Garcia, James Brumfield and D’Markos Trammell carrying the load.

“These guys know that every chance they get the ball in their hand, they gotta look to score because we got a lot of mouths to feed, and that’s just the reality,” said sixth-year head coach Terrell Cunningham after his team improved to 2-0 on the season.

And it’s not just that they score, it’s how the score.

With Monroe leading 24-13 after the younger Cunningham connected with Brumfield on a 51-yard strike, Garcia returned a punt 49 yards for another score.

The very next time Garcia dropped back to receive a punt, the senior tailback went 59 yards for six more points.

“I just follow my blocks,” he said “Just make plays. I always want to make more than two guys miss. Just never let one guy tackle me and make sure that they know you a dog.”

By the final tally, Monroe turned a three-point game into a blowout outscoring McQuaid 48-6 to finish the game.

“You know, it’s similar to Golden State, when Kevin Durant went there,” the elder Cunningham said. “They’re not going to get a bunch of opportunities, but you got to make the most of the ones that you do get.

“It’s always been about a low amount of touches and a high amount of productivity.”

And the productivity came in chunks, big chunks.

Trammell returned an interception 101 yards for a touchdown and then picked up a fumble and went 45 yards for another score.

Not to be overlooked, Gregory Grant returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, and Terrence Barner scored on a 59-yard jaunt from scrimmage.

It was waves of Red Jacket offense.

“Hard work,” said Cunningham crediting his players for putting in the time. “These are the guys who were on modified together. They know that with the ball in their hand, everybody has an opportunity to be explosive.”

Monroe took the opening kickoff and went 62 yards in seven plays. “Pooty” Cunningham hit Brumfield with a touchdown. Barner converted two points and the Red Jackets had a lead they did not surrender at 8-0.

McQuaid took advantage of a short field after a botched punt attempt to score. Quarterback Harrison Engle found paydirt on a sneak.

Grant responded on the ensuing kickoff with his touchdown.

McQuaid cut the lead to three when Engle connected with Chrisaun Jordan on a five-yard pass.

Two plays later, the three-point lead swelled to 11 and Monroe didn’t look back.

“We gave them short field on two opportunities and as a result, you got to go less than 20 yards,” Cunningham said of mistakes made by his team. “We fought, but we shouldn’t put ourselves in those situations. We had the correct call. We didn’t execute, so it was self-inflicted. We got to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

The younger Cunningham completed 9-of-16 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Garcia also had three receptions for 75 yards. Brumfield finished with three catches for 78 yards to go with three pass breakups and an interception.

Barner rushed for 180 yards in 12 carries and had six tackles. Trammell had six tackles as well. Grant accounted for nine tackles and two pass breakups.

Monroe travels to play East/World of Inquiry next Friday. McQuaid has an off week before facing Aquinas.

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