The Gustavus football team scored 28 points in the second quarter to rally past Carleton and claim a 40-27 win in Northfield. Freshman quarterback Jordan Stolp threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns to lead the offense and Isaac Sieling recorded 17 tackles including three sacks, recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass to lead the defense. The Gusties improved to 2-7 overall and 2-5 in the MIAC, while Carleton falls to 1-8 overall and 0-7 in the MIAC.
The Knights broke to an early two touchdown lead. Rookie James Colbenson intercepted his first career pass, returning it to the Gustie 24-yard line. Jackson bowled in from four yards out for his first career rushing touchdown. Kootsikas hauled in a six-yard fade pass from Caspers with 4:29 left in the first, capping a 12-play, 87-yard drive.
The Gusties turned the tide late in the first, as Stolp booted his first career field goal, a 26-yard effort. Isaac Sieling picked off a Caspers’ pass and returned it to the 25-yard line of Carleton. On what proved to be a key play, the Gusties converted a fourth-and-eight play from Carleton’s 28-yard line, scoring on a Mitch Anderson five-yard burst on the next play, making the score 13-10 in favor of the Knights.
The Gusties were far from done in the stanza. Loren Havermeier returned a punt 25 yards to Carleton’s 48-yard line and the visitors scored three plays later, as Stolp hit Sean Smith from 18 yards out, giving the Gusties the lead, 17-13. Tyler Rinquist forced a Carleton fumble on the next possession, Isaac Sieling recovered and the Gusties scored nine plays later as Smith and Stolp hooked up again, this time from two yards. Carleton, on its next play from scrimmage, snapped the ball over Caspers head and Adam Miron recovered it and rumbled 15 yards into the end zone to cap a wild second quarter.
Stolp’s 27-yard field goal was the lone scoring in the third. Seemingly down-and-0ut, Carleton rallied in the fourth. Jackson’s five-yard burst capped a quick 2:42 drive for Carleton, getting the hosts within 34-20. The defense got a stop on fourth-and-one at their own 30-yard line, as Caspers and company promptly drove the 70 yards in 11 plays, as Ben Cooprider hauled in a nine-yard scoring toss from Caspers to make it 34-27. Carleton, needing a stop to have a chance at a final drive, instead allowed the Gusties to score as Kerry Zajicek caught a 23-yard pass on fourth down from Stolp.
Gustavus linebacker Isaac Sieling broke the Gustavus record for tackles in a season in the game. Sieling posted 17 tackles in the game to push his season total to 148. The previous mark was 136 set by Brian Bergstrom in 1999.
(Parts of this release were written by Eric Sieger, Carleton Sports Information)