Green Knights Continue Dominance Over Red Hawks

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, October 6, 2018 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College topped Ripon College for the 19th time in the last 20 meetings with a solid 30-17 triumph in a Midwest Conference North Division game at Schneider Stadium.

The Green Knights (4-1, 1-0 MWC North) played a strong first half to jump out to a 24-3 halftime lead and cruised to the win in the second half. Ripon (3-2, 0-1) has not defeated St. Norbert in De Pere since 1998.

St. Norbert scored on its third possession, cashing in on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Drew Rhodes to Samuel Staehling with 2:53 left in the first quarter. The touchdown reception was the 28th of Staehling's career, moving him into second place on the St. Norbert career list.

The Green Knights added to their lead when a 35-yard pass from Matt Galanopoulos to Staehling on the first play of the second quarter set up another score. Two plays later Jadon Sackman plunged in from the 1-yard line for a 14-0 lead 39 seconds into the second quarter.

Ripon answered on its next series with a 27-yard field goal from Kyle Jobke, but the Green Knights countered with a field goal of their own on a 28-yard boot by Spenser Thompson-Meyers. Two plays later Nate Essman intercepted Ripon's Julian Patton which set up a 3-yard touchdown run from Sackman with 44 seconds left in the first half and a 24-3 edge.

The Red Hawks capitalized off a turnover to cut their deficit to 24-10 on a 33-yard touchdown from Patton to Cameron Mignone at the 10:21 mark of the third quarter. Thompson-Meyers drilled a 37-yard field goal for a 27-10 lead on St. Norbert's next possession, which would carry into the fourth quarter.

Thompson-Meyers had a 27-yard field goal just over six minutes into the fourth quarter, and Tyler VanDeVelde scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 3:08 for the game's final points.

St. Norbert outgained Ripon 343-248. Rhodes completed 16 of 21 for 206 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Galanopoulos had five catches for 78 yards, David Lox five catches for 47 yards and Staehling four catches for 104 yards and one touchdown.

VanDeVelde led Ripon on the ground with 75 yards on 11 carries. Patton was 4-for-10 for 107 yards with one touchdown and one interception before being knocked out of the game in the third quarter.

Mike Olijnyk had nine tackles with two tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Matt Barrett finished with nine tackles and two quarterback sacks, while Nate Essman had seven stops with two tackles-for-loss, two passes defended and one interception.