MLC shuts out Crown 21-0

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Martin Luther College's freshman running back Joel Russow ran for 151 yards on 17 carries in the second half and scored two touchdowns while the Knight defense held Crown College to only two first downs in the game as MLC blanked the Crown Storm 21-0 Saturday afternoon in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play.

Russow, who played last year at Minnesota Valley Lutheran, ended with 170 yards in the game, scored on fourth quarter runs of 41 and 25 yards as the Knights improved to 4-3 in the UMAC.

"Defensively, we just played a real fine game," said Knight coach Denny Gorsline. "I cannot remember the last time that our defense had a shut-out. We are thinking that they had one or two first downs. But we played a lot of kids -we had a lot of rotation in the game -- and maybe that helped to. Offensively, we were kind of in a funk but I think that in the second half, our offensive line really wore them down and dominated them."

The Knights, who had two turnovers in the first half and six in the game, held a precarious 7-0 lead at halftime thanks to a David Dodge 15-yard run on a draw play with 7:43 left in the second quarter.

The score was set up by a pass interference call on Crown and later a seven yard pass completion on third down from quarterback Chris Rathje to William Pitt for a first down.

The sophmore from Sullivan, Wisconsin carried the ball 19 times for 110 yards and the first MLC score of the game.

And it was a first half completely dominated by the Knights as they held Crown to 58 yards offense in the first half. Marcus Corey, Crown Storm quarterback, was far from being a '"Perfect Storm" in the first half, going 0-for-12 on pass attempts and misfiring on all 20 pass attempts in the game.

The Knights had 51 offensive snaps to 29 for the Storm.

Three Knight turnovers on three straight possessions in the third quarter -- two interception Rathje aerials and a Dodge fumble -- stalled MLC drives more than the Crown defense did.

But the Storm's inept offense -- going three-and-out on all three turnovers -- failed to take advantage of the opportunities.

'When your defense plays like our's did today, you can afford turnovers," commented Gorsline. "But six turnovers is awful -- we only had two last week. And they were simple turnovers -- that is just terrible having that many turnovers. That is a downer."

While the turnovers were a downer, the defense and the running of Russow were a bright spot.

'"We just decided to give Joel the ball more in the second half, " said Gorsline. "He ran well but we had some nice blocking on the perimeter. At halftime, we just thought that we should run some basic stuff -- some power and pitches, traps and counters. We did not pass the ball well in the first half (Rathje was 8-for-17 for 84 yards)"

The Knights; who will travel to Ellendale, North Dakota for a meeting next Saturday with Trinity Bible, started their first scoring drive of the secod half with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. Starting on their own 25-yard line, used nine plays to cover 75 yards with Rathje's one yard run on fourth down conveting a first down before Russow broke off a 41-yard touchdown scamper four plays later. Joel Stuebs' second of three conversion kicks lifted MLC to a 14-0 lead at the 13:39 mark of the final quarter.

After their sixth turnover and Crown's inability to convert, the Knights pieced together a 65 yard march to the Storm end zone -- all on the ground -- and inspite of a MLC holding penalty.

Dodge and Russow were the workhorses -- Dodge carried the ball three times for 18 yards while Russow totaled 44 yards on six carries -- the last coming on a 25 yard touchdown run on fourth down and a short one.

"We wanted to stop (Crown running back JT Trotter) and we did," said Gorsline as his team held Trotter to 93 yards on 27 carries. "We had a spy on him -- our kids played hard today. We'll take the 21-0 win."

CROWN 0 0 0 0 --0

MLC 0 7 0 14 --21

SECOND QUARTER

MLC: Dodge, 15 run. PAT; Stuebs, kick.

FOURTH QUARTER

MLC: Russow, 41 run. PAT; Stuebs, kick

MLC: Russow, 25 run. PAT; Stuebs, kick.