Hayes has made a habit of finding the end zone of late. The freshman running back scored four touchdowns in Monmouth’s 48-45 road win over Saint Francis (PA) and earned the NEC’s weekly rookie award for the second time in the last three weeks as a result. Hayes carried the ball 26 times for a career-high 128 yards in a victory that moved Monmouth within 1.0 game of first place in the league standings. Hayes, who reached pay dirt three times during a Week 8 win over Sacred Heart, logged a pair of first-half touchdowns (3, 2) to help the Hawks hold a 27-17 lead at the break. He ripped off a career-long 26-yard scoring scamper to bump the Hawks’ advantage to 41-31 with 2:37 left in the third quarter. As Monmouth found itself trailing, 45-41, midway through the final period, Hayes scored what proved-to-be the game-winner from seven yards out.