NORTHFIELD, MINN. – The Luther College football team continues to make strides in its 2022 campaign. The the result may have been a loss, the Norse scored the most points in a nonconference game since 2018, putting up 27 in a 55-27 loss to St. Olaf College. Additionally, Beau Cornwell (Iowa City, Iowa / West Branch) became the first Luther quarterback to throw for over 270 yards since the pre-pandemic era, tallying 271 in the defeat.
BY THE NUMBERS
Luther and St. Olaf were evenly matched through the first quarter, as the Oles held a slight 7-0 advantage over the visiting Norse after the first quarter. While Luther's defense surrendered an early touchdown in the second, the Norse offense answered with its first seven-point play of the season, as Cornwell found Andre Atkins (East Palo Alto, Calif. / Junipero Serra) in the back of the end zone to cut the Ole lead to 14-7. Roughly five minutes later, Luther took its first lead, going ahead 15-14 on a trick play featuring Atkins and Aiden Damiani (Mesa, Ariz. / Mountain View).
Penalties tripped up the Norse late in the quarter, resulting in a handful of St. Olaf touchdowns and a 27-15 Ole lead at the half. Luther, though, never backed down from the challenge, as the team continued to fight and rally in the second half of the game. A Matt Canada (Tempe, Ariz. / Marcos De Niza) interception at 11:03 in the third cut the St. Olaf lead back to two scores at 34-21, while Cornwell used his legs to score a touchdown of his own early in the fourth. The Norse, though, just could never catch the Oles, falling in Northfield, Minnesota by a final score of 55-27.
TOP NORSE
- Quarterback Beau Cornwell (Iowa City, Iowa / West Branch) closed the game with 271 passing yards, becoming the first quarterback since the pre-pandemic era to throw for over 250 yards in a single game. The sophomore additionally added one touchdown and one interception to his stat line.
- Andre Atikins (East Palo Alto, Calif. / Junipero Serra) was Cornwell's top target, closing the game with 120 receiving yards, including a 33 yard reception, and a touchdown.
- Defensively, Luther was led by Jaden Ruff (Phoenix, Ariz. / Desert Vista) and William Whalen (Dawsonville, Georgia / Dawson County) with seven tackles a piece. Brandon Deas (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Thomas B. Doherty) recorded a sack and forced fumble, while Matt Canada (Tempe, Ariz. / Marcos De Niza) tallied an interception with a 26-yard return for a touchdown.
UP NEXT
Luther will officially open the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) season next Saturday, September 17, as the team travels to Wartburg for its first conference game of the year. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT in Waverly, Iowa.