The Gustavus Adolphus football team rushed for 287 yards and five touchdowns en route to a 51-0 nonconference win over Macalester Saturday in St. Paul. Ray Wilson (13 rushes, 124 yards) and Mitch Anderson (11 rushes, 116 yards) each surpassed 100 yards on the day.
The Gusties scored on six of their first seven possessions to take a 38-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Jordan Stolp (Jr., Mankato, Minn.) capped off Gustavus’ opening drive with a 22-yard field goal to put Gustavus up 3-0. The Gusties had driven to the Macalester 5-yard line but the drive stalled on three straight incomplete passes.
Gustavus defensive lineman Nick David (Sr., Morristown, Minn.) recovered a fumble on Macalester’s first offensive play to set the Gusties up at the Macalester 24-yard line. Four plays later, Wilson (So., Brooklyn Park, Minn.) rumbled in from two yards out to extend the Gustavus lead to 10-0.
After forcing a three-and-out from the Scots, the Gusties kept to the ground, with four straight rushes from Anderson (Jr., Sleepy Eye, Minn.). Anderson opened the drive with a 48-yard scamper and then finished off the drive from two yards out. Gustavus forced Macalester to punt on its next offensive series, but coughed up the ball on the punt return, giving the Scots great field position just 13 yards away from the end zone.
Macalester drove to the 2-yard line, but fumbled on a second down play. Senior defensive lineman Kory Wermerskirchen (Sartell, Minn.) scooped up the loose ball and returned the ball 97 yards for a would-be touchdown. However, a holding penalty against the Gusties brought the ball back to the Macalester 47. Stolp completed a pair of short passes before hooking up with Chad Arlt (So., St. Michael, Minn.) from 34 yards out to give Gustavus a 24-0 advantage.
The Gustie special teams got into the scoring column at the start of the second quarter. After forcing another three-and-out, Ethan Armstrong (So., Wheaton, Minn.) returned the ensuing Scots punt 38 yards for the touchdown. Anderson added an 18-yard touchdown run with 8:58 to play in the quarter to put Gustavus up 38-0 at the break.
Gustavus added two more scores in the second half as Adam Lukes (So., Watertown, Minn.) and Jacob Mehr (Sr. Aitkin, Minn.) each scored on 1-yard touchdown runs. The Lukes touchdown capped a 7-play, 92-yard drive.
Wilson and Anderson became the first Gustie backs to go over 100 yards since Adam Nelson rushed for 106 yards on 16 carries against Hamline in 2003. It was also the first time since 1998 that Gustavus had two backs go over 100 yards in a game. Travis Prunty (111 yards) and Ryan Britz (105 yards) combined to accomplish the feat in a 27-24 loss to Bethel on Oct. 17, 1998 in Arden Hills.
Macalester defensive back Zach Hahn led all players with eight tackles, while Jared Sieling (Jr., Watertown, Minn.) made seven stops (four solo, three assisted) to lead the Gusties. Sieling now has 240 career tackles, ninth all-time. He sits eight behind Dirk Erickson (248) for eighth all-time.
Senior defensive back Wade Vrieze (Richfield, Minn.) picked off a pass for the fourth consecutive week. It was Vrieze’s eighth career interception, moving him into a four-way tie for sixth place on the Gustavus career list. Brian Sorum (1995-98) is next on the list with nine interceptions.
The Gusties (3-4 overall, 1-4 MIAC) will host Augsburg in their home finale next Saturday at 1 pm.