Green Knights Roll Past Prairie Fire

From Sports Information Director, September 14, 2013 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GALESBURG, Ill. - St. Norbert College lifted the curtain on its Midwest Conference schedule as it usually does - with a win - this one a 42-7 rout of Knox College at the Knosher Bowl.

The Green Knights (1-1, 1-0 MWC) are now 26-3 in Midwest Conference openers since joining the league in 1984, including winning 22 of its last 23. The win was St. Norbert's 15th in a row over Knox (0-2, 0-1) dating back to the 1999 season.

St. Norbert scored touchdowns on six of its first eight possessions to cruise to the win. The Green Knights got on the board when they received the opening kickoff and marched 74 yards in eight plays, finished off by a 54-yard run around left end by Brad Boockmeier.

Following a trade of possessions, Knox had marched to the St. Norbert 17-yard line before the Prairie Fire's Luke Oosterbaan was intercepted by Nick Keller at the 15. Keller then turned and handed the ball to Joe Schlueter, who raced 85 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 3:11 left in the first quarter.

St. Norbert pushed ahead 28-0 by halftime on a pair of Boockmeier touchdowns on runs of 10 and five yards in the second quarter.

On St. Norbert's first offensive play in the third quarter, James Tringali hit Michael Heim for a 68-yard touchdown pass. Zach Broberg closed out St. Norbert's scoring with a 2-yard plunge with 6:50 left in the third quarter.

Knox gained a consolation touchdown on Neal Moon's 31-yard touchdown reception from Oosterbaan with 5:32 remaining.

St. Norbert outgained Knox 454-296 in total offense. Boockmeier finished with 167 yards rushing on 16 carries. Broberg added 64 yards on 14 carries. Tringali completed 10 of 14 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown. Heim caught two passes for 88 yards, while Patrick Burke had two catches for 37 yards.

Knox's workhorse running back, Derek Mortensen, finished with 141 yards on 23 carries. Oosterbaan completed 10 of 23 passes for 119 yards and one touchdown but was intercepted twice.