MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris football team couldn't have imagined any better start than the one they had on Saturday. Unfortunately the early momentum eventually wore out and the Martin Luther College option attack wore down a beleaguered Cougar defense as the game wore on in a 44-14 win for the Knights.
After receiving the opening kickoff and returning it to the 39-yard line, Minnesota Morris struck on its second play from scrimmage, a pass from
Marcus Reeb down the sideline to
Mark Chapman for 57 yards.
Alex Happ added the point after to make it 7-0 less than a minute into the game.
The Cougars then caught the Knights unaware. Happ's onside kick went the needed 10 yards and was recovered by the kicker to set UMN Morris up with the ball just short of midfield. The Cougars drove downfield with a big third-down conversion from Reeb to Chapman, but Martin Luther held with an interception at its own 12 to keep the deficit to single digits.
The rest of the first half was all about Martin Luther's offense. With the Knights finally given a chance on offense, they promptly scored on a 60-yard rush from Austin DeNoyer. A missed point after kept the Cougars ahead, but DeNoyer added a 27-yard touchdown later in the first quarter and the Knights wouldn't trail again.
DeNoyer added a 71-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter and Martin Luther tacked onto the lead with a 51-yard touchdown pass that made it 26-7. In the final minute of the first half, Elliott Butler plunged in from a yard out to make it 34-7 at the break.
In the third quarter, Martin Luther extended the lead with a one-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion to go up, 42-7. An intentional grounding penalty later in the quarter while the Cougars were in the end zone went down as a safety to put the Knights ahead, 44-7.
In the middle of the fourth quarter, the Minnesota Morris defense held by forcing a fumble from Butler that was recovered by
Boden Sperr. That gave the ball back to the offense and
Cody Stone moved the Cougars downfield on an eight-play, 74-yard drive that was capped by a two-yard touchdown from
Garrett Elison to make it 44-14.
Reeb ended the day 10-of-19 for 154 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Stone was 4-for-5 for 58 yards. Elison led the Cougar rushing attack with 17 carries for 72 yards and a score. Chapman hauled in six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Hunter Infanger once again led the Cougar defense with 14 tackles (seven solo) on the day. Sperr ended with 10 tackles (three solo) and had two fumble recoveries.
Minnesota Morris wraps up its short 2021 spring season with a Friday night matchup on April 16 with Crown College. Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. at Big Cat Stadium.
