Box Score

Minnetonka, Minn., Oct. 13, 2007 – Playing in their second night game of the 2007 season, the Northwestern College football team claimed the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference North Division title with a 42-14 win over Crown College on Saturday. The Eagles opened the flood gates offensively, and Crown was never able to catch up.

Northwestern had their best running game of the season, racking up 282 yards on the ground. Quarterback Zack Tarter (Crystal Falls, Mich./Forest Park) and the NWC air attack complimented the rushing game nicely, tallying 256 passing yards to give the team a total of 538 yards.

The Eagles scored on their first possession of the game, as Steven Boggess (Ginnell, IA/Grinnell High School) (Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell) ran into the end zone from nine yards out. Cody Crum (Rushville, Ill./Rushville Industry)'s (Rushville, Ill./Rushville Industry) point-after attempt sailed through the uprights to give Northwestern an early 7-0 lead. The Eagles didn't even throw a pass in their first drive, relying on five runs to march them 54 yards down the field for a score.

After a fumble hampered the Eagles' second drive of the game, Northwestern scored on their next three possessions, all by senior Aaron Pennington (Inver Grove Heights, MN/Simley High School) (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley). Pennington, who has 11 touchdowns to his name this season, scored on runs of two, one and seven yards.

Lamone Johnson accounted for Crown's two touchdowns of the game, scoring on two, two-yard runs to start and end the second quarter. Northwestern's defense fended off the Storm for the rest of the night, holding Crown to 363 total yards.

After a 28-14 halftime lead, the Eagles' offense wasn't about to call it quits, as they added two scores in the third quarter. Jeremy Daggett (Winterset, IA/Winterset High School) (Winterset, Iowa/Winterset) had a breakout play five minutes into the period, catching a mid-range pass from Tarter and hauling it across the entire width of the field for a 50-yard touchdown.

Josh Lundeen (Princeton, MN/Faith Christian High School) (Princeton, Minn./Faith Academy) ended the game's scoring with a 19-yard touchdown reception in the last play of the third quarter, making up for Northwestern's point total of 42 for the evening.

Boggess and Pennington, mixed in with a little James Grant (Tacoma, WA/Franklin Pierce High School) (Tacoma, Wash./Franklin Pierce), made for a overpowering dose of rushing yards for NWC. Boggess had 21 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown on the day, while Pennington averaged 8.3 yards per carry with 108 yards on 13 carries. Grant had nine carries, tallying 44 yards on the ground.

Tarter was 16-for-18 passing on the day, completing his first nine attempts and not throwing an incomplete pass until the third quarter. The sophomore threw for a total of 238 yards and two touchdowns.

Lundeen led the Eagles' receiving corps with eight catches for 102 yards and a score to move his career receiving yardage over 2,000. He is the first receiver in Northwestern's history to ever reach that mark. In 2007, Lundeen is averaging 91.3 yards per game.

Daggett added 76 yards receiving and a touchdown to contribute to NWC's air attack. Tight end Nathan Clanton (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka High School) (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) also had 37 yards on his former turf, being a graduate of Minnetonka High School.

Defensively, Max Meagher (Paynesville, MN/Paynesville High School) (Paynesville, Minn./Paynesville) and Andy Magaard (Ogilvie, Minn./Ogilvie) had 13 tackles apiece to lead Northwestern. Meagher also had a sack and a pass break-up in the win.

Ty Crabtree (Fergus Falls, MN/Hillcrest Academy) (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy) had two tackles to go with his third interception of the year in the game.

Matthew Bremer had 210 passing yards on 18-of-39 passing for Crown. Johnson led the Storm's rushing attack with 77 yards.

Crown falls to 4-2 overall (3-2 UMAC) with the loss.

The Eagles will hit the practice field again on Monday before hosting UMAC foe Trinity Bible College – whom they have never lost to - next Saturday, Oct. 20 at Reynolds Field. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Continuing their now five-game winning streak with the victory, Northwestern (5-2, 5-0 UMAC) maintained ownership of the UMAC North Division, and will play against Rockford College - the conference's South Division champion -(scheduled 8 p.m. start time) at UMAC Dome Day, held on Friday, Oct. 26 at the H.H.H. Metrodome in Minneapolis. Dome Day will feature five games in one day, with each of the ten UMAC schools participating.