Green Knights Pull Away From Red Hawks In Homecoming Win

From Sports Information Director, October 22, 2016 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College overcame a sluggish start to claim a 48-7 Homecoming win over Ripon College in a Midwest Conference game at Schneider Stadium.

The Green Knights (5-2, 5-0 MWC) won their 18th consecutive Homecoming game and their 25th in the last 26 years. It was also St. Norbert's 17th win in the last 18 seasons over Ripon (1-7, 1-5). St. Norbert scored 34 points off seven Ripon turnovers.

Ripon had two long drives in the first quarter and had the ball for 11 minutes 56 seconds in the opening period. The Red Hawks converted on the first play of the second quarter when Samuel Shroyer broke loose for a 16-yard run and a 7-0 lead.

St. Norbert scored on its third possession of the second quarter after the Green Knights recovered a Ripon fumble. The Green Knights needed just two plays to tie the game, scoring on a 32-yard touchdown pass from J.T. Crosby to Samuel Staehling with 6:02 left in the quarter.

Two plays from scrimmage later the Red Hawks fumbled again with Ryan Grandlic scooping up the ball and returning it 29 yards for a touchdown with 5:45 left. St. Norbert got one last first-half possession and needed eight plays to march 43 yards, scoring on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Crosby to Staehling 23 seconds prior to intermission for a 20-7 lead.

St. Norbert dominated the second half, holding to Ripon to 71 yards of total offense in the final 30 minutes - all coming on the Red Hawks' final possession of the game.

Stuart Kwaterski had a 1-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 11:36 left in the third quarter for a 27-7 lead. It marked the second time in school history St. Norbert returned two fumbles for touchdowns in a single game, joining the Green Knights' 54-7 win over Illinois College on Oct. 4, 2003.

The Green Knights later embarked on a 14-play, 64-yard drive to score on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Crosby to Brad Boockmeier and a 34-7 advantage.

St. Norbert closed out the scoring on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Crosby to Brett Olson and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jack Becker to Drew Rhodes.

The Green Knights outgained the Red Hawks 303-211 in total offense. Crosby completed 14 of 21 passes for 136 yards and four touchdowns while also totaling a team-high 45 rushing yards on eight carries. Staehling had his third-consecutive 100-yard receiving game with eight catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Shroyer led the Red Hawks with 60 rushing yards on 18 carries and one touchdown. Three Ripon quarterbacks combined to completed 3 of 12 passes for 45 yards with four interceptions.

R.J. Callow led the St. Norbert defense with 10 tackles and two quarterback sacks. Kwaterski had seven tackles and three-tackles-for-loss.