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Weninger's Two Touchdowns, Defense Lead St. Norbert to Win Over Grinnell

From Sports Information Director, September 12, 2009 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GRINNELL, Iowa -- John Weninger's two touchdown runs held up for St. Norbert College as the Green Knights claimed a hard-fought 14-11 Midwest Conference win over Grinnell College at Rosenbloom Field.

Weninger had a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 6-yard scoring run in the third quarter for St. Norbert's only two scores. Weninger accounted for most of St. Norbert's offense, netting 132 yards rushing on 30 carries. The Green Knights totaled 237 yards of total offense.

Grinnell opened the scoring in the first quarter after quarterback Rob Berger was sacked and fumbled with the Pioneers recovering on the St. Norbert 10. Two penalties stalled the Grinnell drive and the Pioneers were forced to settle for a Mike Bogard 36-yard field goal with 2:31 left in the quarter.

St. Norbert answered midway through the second quarter. Ben Hackbart forced a fumble with St. Norbert recovering at the Grinnell 20. Weninger rushed five straight times, including seven yards on a third-and-2 situation, to give St. Norbert a 7-3 lead with 6:17 left in the first half.

The Green Knights received a 45-yard return from Logan Krueger on the second-half kickoff to set up at midfield. St. Norbert needed five plays, with four rushes from Weninger sandwiched around a 14-yard pass from Berger to Joe Green, to score with 13:14 left in the third quarter.

St. Norbert held Grinnell until the fourth quarter, when the Pioneers marched 60 yards in nine plays to score on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Kelsey Davis to Robert Seer with 5:43 left to play. Bogard's two-point conversion pass to Brian Westerlind was good.

The Green Knights were held to a three-and-out on their next possession but Grinnell wouldn't advance past its own 21 on its final possession of the game.

St. Norbert's defense stood tall in the game, holding Grinnell to 176 yards of total offense. The Pioneers had just one first down in the first half and had just 40 rushing yards. Grinnell had 10 of its 15 possessions end in three plays or less.

The Green Knights rushed for 171 yards on 53 attempts, also getting 62 yards rushing from Todd Sheedy. Berger was held to a 9-for-26 passing effort for 66 yards, and was also sacked five times.

Bogard led Grinnell through the air with 118 yards, completing 14 of 32 passes with one interception.

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