The Gustie defense gang tackles Concordia quarterback Michael Herzog. (photo by Wayne Norman, SPX Sports)
ST. PETER, Minn. – Playing from behind the entire game, the Gustavus football team kept the score close through three quarters Saturday afternoon at Hollingsworth Field, but the Cobbers widened the gap in the fourth quarter with three unanswered touchdowns to secure a 46-21 victory on Gustavus’s Homecoming. The loss drops the Gusties to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Cobbers improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the league.
The Gustie defense faced a completely different style of offense from the opponent than it saw a week ago when Hamline amassed nearly 500 yards through the air. Today, it was the ground game of Concordia that carried the load, totaling 400 rushing yards. The Cobbers ran the ball 57 times compared to just nine passing attempts for 18 yards. Chad Johnson paced the Cobber rushing attack with 21 carries for 190 yards and four touchdowns.
Jamison Beulke extends for extra yards. (photo by Wayne Norman, SPX Sports)
On Concordia’s second drive of the game it reached the endzone on an 11-play, 78-yard drive. The extra point failed and the Cobbers led 6-0 after the first quarter. The visitors increased their lead to 13-0 two minutes into the second quarter on Johnson’s second score of the day. The two teams traded a pair of possessions, which included back-to-back turnovers midway through the quarter, setting up a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive for the Gusties. Christian Haffner (Fy., Lebanon, Tenn.) connected with Josh Kirk (Fy., Garvin, Minn.) for a five-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the half and Concordia took a 13-7 advantage into the locker room.
The Cobbers extended their lead to 20-7 on their first drive of the second half, reaching the endzone after seven plays and 70 yards. The Gusties wasted little time to answer as Haffner found Kirk streaking down the right side for a 77-yard pass and catch, cutting the deficit to 20-14 with 7:40 in the third quarter. But just like that, the Cobbers struck back by returning the ensuing kickoff 60 yards, setting up a 16-yard rushing touchdown two plays later for a 26-14 lead.
Gustavus kept the Cobbers in check by forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Chris Nelson (Jr., New London, Minn.) at the Cobber 17-yard line. The Gusties took advantage of the turnover with a six-yard touchdown pass from Haffner to Jamison Beulke (So., Montgomery, Minn.) to bring the score to 26-21 with 1:50 left in the third quarter. But the fourth quarter was all Concordia as it scored touchdowns on all three of its drives, while shutting the Gusties out in the final 15 minutes.
Haffner completed 19-of-29 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns, including an interception. Beulke had the most catches with four for 33 yards and a touchdown, while Kirk added three receptions for 96 yards and a score. Karim Ortiz (Jr., Cancun, Mexico) led the ground game with 18 carries for 45 yards. Leeland Lauti (Jr., Ewa Beach, Hawaii) paced the defense with 11 tackles.
Gustavus enters its bye week and then returns to the gridiron Oct. 15 at Bethel, who lost to 42-27 to Saint John’s today.