Green Knights Claim MWC Title Share After Win Over Grinnell

From Sports Information Director, November 9, 2013 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College clinched a share of the Midwest Conference title following a 23-0 win over Grinnell College at Schneider Stadium.

The Green Knights (8-1, 8-0 MWC) claimed a title share when their win was coupled with Illinois College's 35-29 overtime loss at Cornell College. St. Norbert can earn the outright MWC title and a berth in the NCAA Division III Playoffs with a win next Saturday at Lake Forest College.

St. Norbert wasted little time taking the lead on Grinnell, when Brad Boockmeier scored on a 66-yard touchdown run on the game's first play from scrimmage 18 seconds into the game. The Green Knights got a quick three-and-out defensively, which led to a Randy Hill 32-yard field for a 10-0 lead with 11:04 left in the first quarter.

Nobody scored until the Green Knights had another short field, and finished off a five-play, 26-yard drive for a 17-0 lead on Tony Ledvina's 2-yard run with 4:55 left in the third quarter.

Hill kicked a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter, converting distances of 22 and 24 yards for the game's final points.

The St. Norbert defense held Grinnell to 146 yards of total offense and forced seven Pioneers turnovers - snaring five interceptions and recovering two fumbles. Joe Lorenz grabbed a pair of interceptions, while Dan Egan, Joe Schlueter and Matt Fargo all had one apiece. The Green Knights also sacked Grinnell quarterbacks eight times for 66 yards in losses.

The Green Knights finished with 185 yards of total offense and had four turnovers. Boockmeier finished with 127 yards rushing on 21 carries, and also had a team-high five receptions for 29 yards. James Tringali finished with 69 passing yards, completing 10 of 22 aerials with two interceptions.

T.J. Goetz finished 20-for-43 passing for 159 yards with five interceptions. Jake O'Polka caught seven passes for 66 yards. Jacob Bernholtz led the Pioneers on the ground with 21 yards on six carries. >>MORE