MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Macalester College football team traveled to Moorhead, Minn., to face Concordia College in a MIAC Skyline Division game on Saturday at Jake Christiansen Stadium. The Cobbers gained 548 yards of total offense while shutting down the Scots' potent offense to win, 49-8. Macalester falls to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in divisional play, while Concordia improves to 4-3, 2-0 MIAC Skyline.
Concordia found the end zone on each of its first three possessions of the game to take a commanding 21-0 lead with just under six minutes to play in the first quarter. Following the Cobbers' third touchdown, Macalester drove 75 yards in less than two minutes, with senior quarterback
Michael Nadeau (Garden Grove, Calif./La Quinta) connecting with senior receiver
Michael Poker (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) on a 35-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-6. The drive also included a 25-yard pass from Nadeau to senior receiver
Nathan Wu (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate).
The Scots' defense stopped Concordia on its next possession, forcing a punt. A bad snap on the punt sent the ball into the end zone for a safety, making the score 21-8. On the ensuing possession for Macalester, Nadeau was intercepted by Mitchell Sullivan, and the Cobbers took advantage with a 71-yard touchdown drive to lead 28-8. Midway through the second quarter, the Scots moved the ball into Concordia territory before another interception gave the ball back to the Cobbers. Another touchdown drive of 75 yards increased Concordia's lead to 35-8 1:40 before halftime. With time running down, the Cobbers moved the ball to the Macalester 29-yard line. Macalester defensive back
Justin Potts (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community) intercepted Concordia quarterback Cooper Mattern to end the drive and the threat.
In the second half the Scots' offense was unable to generate any points, with five drives ending in a punt and two drives ending with interceptions. Mattern scored on a 65-yard run, and the Cobbers turned their fourth interception into a 72-yard scoring drive that gave the hosts a 49-8 lead late in the third quarter.
Nadeau completed 18-of-34 for 178 yards, a touchdown and four interceptions. Senior running back
Logan Pampel (Johnson Creek, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran School) rushed for 70 yards on 10 carries and caught a team best seven passes for 50 yards. Senior defensive back
Joshua Strickler (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) and junior defensive back
Cameron Latvis (West St. Paul, Minn./Two Rivers) led the defense with seven tackles apiece. Potts finished with six tackles and a pass breakup along with the interception, while first year
Brian Maddox (Alexandria, Va./Georgetown Preparatory School) also had an interception. Mattern threw for 261 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 162 yards and a score on 11 carries to pace the Cobbers.
Macalester plays a key MIAC Skyline Division game at Hamline on Saturday, Oct. 28. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. in St. Paul, Minn.
