DECORAH, Iowa – The Luther football team did not relinquish the lead in a 35-20 win over Ripon College. The Norse maintain a perfect record at home at 4-0 and improve to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the Midwest Conference (MWC).
The only score in the first quarter, came of Luther's first drive of the game. The Norse went 92 yards in 13 plays which ended on a 6-yard touchdown run by
CJ Walker (7-0).
Then in the second quarter, the two teams combined for 31 points as the game seesawed back and forth. At the start of the quarter,
Bryce Buckley lunged for the endzone with defenders on his ankle for the 19-yard touchdown run to put the Norse up 14-0 at 14:53.
The Red Hawks closed the game with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Zeke Clakr (13:34) and a field goal made by Ben Crock (5:30). Luther still held a 14-10 lead. Two minutes later, the Walker threw a pass to Buckley who was wide open for a 57-yard touchdown catch (21-10). However, on the Ryan Clayborn went 97-yards to the endzone on the kickoff return with 3:15 remaining in the second quarter. The Norse had the advantage at the break 21-17.
Luther went up by 11-points on the
Trent White 1-yard touchdown run (28-17) on the final drive of the third quarter as the clock expired.
In the final frame, the Red Hawks cut the lead to eight with a 18-yard field goal from Crock (7:58). Following the score by Ripon, the Luther offense went back to work on the ground.
Trent White broke away with a 61-yard touchdown run as the Norse now led 35-20. The Norse defense had two interceptions late in the game with one by
Ja'Marion Brown and the other by
Cody Rieder which proved to be the dagger.
Luther put up 472 yards of total offense which included 289 rushing yards on 53 attempts. White led the team with 169 yards averaging 7.7 per carry. He also had a 61-yard touchdown run in the game. This was his fourth time this season he has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game.
Walker was 10-for-16 for 168 yards, one touchdown and a long of 57-yards.
Anthony Thornton had six receptions for 87-yards followed by Buckley with three receptions for 76-yards.
On defense,
Xavier Capton led the defense with eight tackles.
Tyler Ragan and
Jacob Olerud had six tackles each.
Luther hosts Knox College on Saturday, Oct. 31 for the final home game of the regular season for senior day. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. in Decorah, Iowa.
