RIPON, Wis. – A 27-point first quarter allowed Ripon College to defeat the Macalester College football team, 58-34 in a Midwest Conference North Division game Saturday afternoon at Ingalls Field. The loss is the first conference setback for the Scots, who are now 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the league. The Red Hawks also are 5-2, 2-1 MWC.

Ripon tallied 20 points in the first 3:17 of the game, sparked by Brent Anderson's 88-yard touchdown return of the opening kickoff. After a bad snap on a Macalester punt attempt gave the Red Hawks the ball at the Scots' 12-yard line, Austin Bunders ran it in from seven yards out. On Ripon's next possession, Cormac Madigan scored on a 51-yard run for a 20-0 lead. The Red Hawks had the ball on the Macalester 1-yard line on the next possession but fumbled, and junior linebacker Josh Bartz (Omaha, Neb./Brownell-Talbot) recovered it.

Ripon made the score 30-0 on a field goal and a 75-yard fumble recovery before the Scots got on the scoreboard with an 18-yard touchdown pass from first year quarterback Grady Munro (Calgary, Alberta/Springbank Community) to senior receiver Jack Streibich (Whitefish, Mont./Whitefish). Senior receiver Jonathan Knee (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) set up the scoring drive with a 77-yard kickoff return. Ripon added another touchdown before halftime to lead 44-7 at the break.

In the second half, senior running back Jeremy Stephan (Duluth, Minn./Marshall) had a touchdown run in the third quarter, while junior receiver Reese Bresson (Homosassa, Fla./Crystal River) caught a touchdown pass from Munro and first year running backs Kai Akimoto (Tamuning, Guam/Father Duenas Memorial School) and Kian Sohrabi (Dubai, UAE/American School of Dubai) had touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. The Scots outscored Ripon 27-14 after halftime, but it was not enough to overcome the Red Hawks' torrid start to the game.

Munro threw for 163 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, while Stephan ran 20 times for 61 yards and a score. Knee gained 75 yards on three receptions, and Streibich finished with four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, junior linebacker Dane Ku Blake (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) and sophomore linebacker Sam Jakshtis (Hardwick, Mass./Worcester Academy) each had five tackles. First year linebacker Brady Thompson (New Brighton, Minn./De La Salle) also recovered a fumble.

The Scots turned the ball over five times and allowed 292 rushing yards, including 188 to Madigan, who scored four touchdowns. Madigan ran for 281 yards in a win over Beloit last week to earn MWC Offensive Performer of the Week honors.

Next up for Macalester is a conference game at St. Norbert on Saturday, Oct. 27. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. in De Pere, Wis.