Knights claim division title

NEW ULM -- The Martin Luther College Knights knocked off Trinity Bible (0-8, 0-6) 63-0 Saturday, extending MLC's winning streak to four games. MLC earned its first shutout of the year, holding Trinity to 145 yards of total offense, including 32 yards of rushing.

With the win, the Knights earned the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference North Division championship for the first time in school history.

UM-Morris defeated Northwestern 28-21, and by virtue of the tie breaker, MLC wins the division.

The Knights dominated from the start, scoring 42 points in the first quarter. Tom Voss returned an interception 26 yards for the touchdown to put MLC up 7-0 just 51 seconds into the game. Then, Joel Russow had two touchdowns of five yards to put MLC up 21-0. His first capped an 8-play, 53-yard drive that took off 2:53 of the clock. The drive was MLC's longest all game.

The second score covered 46 yards in six plays and used only 2:23.

Later in the quarter, Seth Herrmann had a 49-yard touchdown on an interception to put MLC up 28-0.

With 4:12 left in the first quarter, Russow scored on the first play from 30 yards out to make it 35-0.

Freshman quarterback Phillip Scriver scored on a 4-yard run to make it 42-0.

In the second quarter, Stephen Lehmann scored from 2 yards out to put MLC up 49-0. Scriver scored his second touchdown of the game of the game in the third quarter on a 10-yard run to put the Knights up 56-0. Samuel Hunter scored the game's final touchdown with 9:25 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Knights a 63-0 win. The drive was another quick one, lasting two plays and taking 15 seconds off the clock.

The Knights accounted for 337 yards of total offense and they picked off six passes. Russow had 10 carries for 113 yards and Herrmann rushed for 104 yards. Lehmann rushed for 77 yards for the Knights.

Defensively for the Knights, A.J. Kruse had six tackles while Jonathan Lindhoff, Andrew Schroeder and Tim Hochmuth each had five tackles. The Knights did not attempt a pass all game.

The Knights (7-1, 6-1) will travel to the Metrodome Friday to play for the UMAC championship against Westminster College. Game time is 8 p.m.

Call the MLC athletic office at 354-8221 for ticket information.