Green Knights Charge Past Prairie Fire

From Sports Information Director, September 17, 2011 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College improved to 2-0 in Midwest Conference play with a 43-7 win over Knox College at Kolstad Field at Schneider Stadium.

The Green Knights (2-1 overall) defeated Knox (0-3, 0-2) for the 13th consecutive time and are now 9-0 all-time at home in the series. St. Norbert totaled 531 yards of total offense and held the Prairie Fire to 154.

Knox fumbled the opening kickoff to St. Norbert but the Green Knights returned the ball two plays later when a fumble went out of the end zone for a touchback. Knox moved to the St. Norbert 33-yard line but Austin Arts' sack of quarterback Drew Diaz forced a fumble recovered by Petr Bohacek at the St. Norbert 44.

The Green Knights marched 56 yards in nine plays, capped off by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Mike Fabrizio to Joe Green. St. Norbert pushed its lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter when Fabrizio connected with Green again, this time for a 10-yard aerial.

St. Norbert held Knox to a three-and-out possession and the Green Knights embarked on another long drive for a 21-0 lead to take into halftime. Fabrizio found senior wide receiver Jack Dempsey for his first career touchdown on a 28-yard score with 6 minutes 22 seconds left in the half.

Austin Williams broke off a serpentine 33-yard scamper on the opening possession of the second half to put St. Norbert ahead 28-0. After another quick defensive stop, the Green Knights moved ahead 29-0 on Williams' 5-yard run and Brian Fliess' conversion pass to Chase Austin.

Fabrizio threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game with 4:20 left when he found Fliess on an 11-yard touchdown. Knox then followed with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mike Pinter to Dustin Armstrong with 1:59 remaining.

Fabrizio completed 20 of 30 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns. Green hauled in nine receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns, while Fliess snared five passes for 43 yards. Williams led St. Norbert on the ground with 92 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. The Green Knights finished with 249 rushing yards.

Knox finished with 92 rushing yards, led by Derek Mortensen's 30 yards on nine carries. Pinter's 32 yards passing topped the Prairie Fire through the air.