No. 6 North Central Pulls Away From St. Norbert

From Sports Information Director, September 13, 2014 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College held a 17-6 lead in the second quarter, but nationally ranked North Central College scored the last 45 points of the game en route to a 51-17 win in a non-conference game at Schneider Stadium.

North Central (1-0), ranked No. 6 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, scored two touchdowns 12 seconds apart late in the first half to take control and lead 27-17 at halftime. The Cardinals scored 24 unanswered points in the second half as St. Norbert (1-1) had just 48 yards of total offense during that stretch.

St. Norbert took a 10-0 lead in the early going as the Green Knights' defense held North Central's offense to two three-and-out possessions. Randy Hill connected on a career-long 44-yard field goal just 4 minutes 15 seconds in for a 3-0 lead. On St. Norbert's next possession, St. Norbert went on a 12-play 72-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass from James Tringali to Zach Reeves with 4:07 left in the quarter.

North Central promptly answered, converting a fourth-and-9 during a series leading to a 4-yard Peter Sorenson touchdown reception from Dylan Warden with 36 seconds left in the quarter to trail 10-6.

Following the Cardinals' next possession, Dan Egan blocked a North Central punt to set St. Norbert up at the North Central 28. The Green Knights needed just four plays for Tringali to find Reeves on a 17-yard touchdown pass to go ahead 17-6 with 9:54 left in the half.

North Central again converted a fourth down on its next series, leading to a 36-yard touchdown from Warden to Sorenson with 7:02 left. The Green Knights went three-and-out, and North Central took its lead with 1:11 left on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Warden to Sorenson.

On St. Norbert's next play from scrimmage, Tringali lost the football and Steve Liaromatis scooped the fumble and raced 22 yards for a defensive touchdown with 59 seconds left before taking a 27-17 lead into halftime.

The Cardinals scored three third-quarter rushing touchdowns of five yards by Matt Randolph, one yard by Ryan Kent and 13 yards by Zach Pattat. Dom Zavaglia's 32-yard field goal with 4:31 left in the game closed out the scoring.

North Central outgained St. Norbert 506-195 in total offense. Elijah Fort led St. Norbert on the ground with 58 yards on 16 carries. Reeves caught five passes for 42 yards, while Tringali was 14-for-28 for 99 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Warden completed 17 of 23 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns. Kent rushed 15 times for 98 yards, while Warden scrambled 15 times for a net gain of 66 yards. Sorenson caught five passes for 107 yards and three touchdowns.

Matt Petersilka led St. Norbert's defense with 12 tackles and one quarterback sack.