Green Knights Fall Flat at Monmouth

From Sports Information Director, September 29, 2012 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

MONMOUTH, Ill. - Not much went right for St. Norbert College in its 700th all-time football game, which finished in a 31-9 loss to Monmouth College in what was also the Green Knights' 200th Midwest Conference game.

The Green Knights fell behind 24-0 at halftime at Zorn Memorial Stadium, and had four turnovers to Monmouth's one. The Fighting Scots also had the ball for 34 minutes 58 seconds thanks to controlling the ball with 258 rushing yards.

The first quarter finished scoreless, with the Green Knights having an average starting field position of their own 11-yard line. Monmouth intercepted a James Tringali pass and returned it to the St. Norbert 8, which set up a Scots touchdown on the first play of the second quarter when Brik Wedekind hit Garrett Youngren on a 4-yard touchdown pass.

St. Norbert took over moments later when Austin Arts intercepted a Wedekind pass and returned it to the Monmouth 31. The Green Knights moved to a fourth-and-1 situation at the Monmouth 10, and opted to go for it. Austin Williams' run to the left side was stopped for a three-yard loss.

Monmouth then marched 87 yards in 13 plays to take a 14-0 lead when Wedekind finished off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown scramble with 3:18 left to go before halftime. Two plays later, Tringali was intercepted and the Scots needed four plays to score, with Trey Yocum scoring from 15 yards out with 1:06 left in the half.

St. Norbert fumbled the ensuring kickoff and Ace Henricks' 29-yard field goal as time expired in the half gave the host a 24-0 lead.

The Green Knights cut the deficit to 24-7 when Tringali hit Brian Fliess on a 43-yard touchdown pass with 7:01 left in the third quarter, but Monmouth answered on its next series with a 44-yard run by Yocum to make it 31-7.

Tobias Cole's sack of Wedekind early in the fourth quarter gave the Green Knights their final two points of the game.

Tringali completed 13 of 32 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown and three interceptions. Austin Williams was the leading ground gainer with 28 yards on 17 carries. St. Norbert had 236 yards of total offense.

Yocum rushed 26 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Wedekind completed 10 of 17 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Monmouth had 348 yards of total offense.