ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College football team struggled to solve one of the top defenses in the Midwest Conference in a 49-7 defeat to St. Norbert Saturday afternoon at Macalester Stadium. The loss came in the final home game of the season for the Scots, who are now 3-5 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Green Knights (5-2) remain atop the MWC North standings with a 4-0 record.
Macalester was held to just 39 yards of total offense in the first half and 162 yards for the game.
The tone was set early, as the Green Knights blocked a punt at the end of the Scots' first possession of the game, giving the ball to St. Norbert at the Macalester 7-yard line. The play set up a 5-yard touchdown run by David Lox for a 7-0 lead a little over two minutes into the first quarter. Later in the opening quarter, Danny Simon kicked a 27-yard field goal to put the visitors ahead, 10-0.
Another Simon field goal and a 26-yard touchdown run by Nate Ihlenfeldt gave St. Norbert a 20-0 advantage with 11 minutes left in the second quarter. On the next possession, Macalester fumbled at its own 18, setting up a 3-yard touchdown run by Matt Galanopoulos. After the Scots punted for the fifth time in the first half, the Green Knights put together a 43-yard touchdown drive to take a commanding 33-0 lead. Junior defensive lineman
John Newton (Highland Village, Texas/Coram Deo Academy) blocked the extra point attempt, his fourth blocked kick of the season. Ihlenfeldt closed out the half for St. Norbert with a 49-yard touchdown run to make the halftime score 39-0.
The score was 46-0 when the Scots finally got on the scoreboard. With the Green Knights backed up to their own 8-yard line, a bad snap sent the ball into the end zone, where sophomore defensive lineman
Daniel Wellman (Pinellas Park, Fla./Clearwater Central Catholic) pounced on the ball for a touchdown. Simon kicked his third field goal of the game late in the third quarter to close out the scoring.
First year quarterback
Michael Nadeau (Garden Grove, Calif./La Quinta) was 13-of-28 for 91 yards and was sacked four times. Sophomore quarterback
Grady Munro (Calgary, Alberta/Springbank Community) played the fourth quarter and was 8-of-10 for 62 yards. Sophomore receiver
Rex Desso (Evergreen, Colo./Lakewood) caught eight passes for 87 yards.
On defense, Wellman and first year defensive back
Joshua Strickler (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) had 10 tackles apiece to lead Macalester. Wellman also had a tackle for loss. Newton finished with eight tackles, while senior defensive back
Dean Smith (Carpinteria, Calif./Cate School) had two pass breakups.
Ihlenfeldt rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries to lead St. Norbert.
Before the game, the Scots honored their 18 seniors in a ceremony on the field.
Macalester plays its final conference game next Saturday, Nov. 9 at Beloit.
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