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Football

Eagles survive late push from MacMurray, win 37-34

Box Score

ST. PAUL -- Northwestern College escaped a late rally by MacMurray College to earn its first win of the 2010 season, defeating the Highlanders 37-34 in the Eagles' homecoming game. Down 37-26, MacMurray scored a touchdown and converted a two-point attempt to come within three points before NWC fell on the Highlanders' on-side kick attempt to preserve the victory.

NWC led 20-7 at the half after scoring the first two touchdowns of the game.  Eric Baumgartner (Roseville, Minn./Homeschooled) (Roseville, Minn./Home School) caught a 20-yard pass from Josh Balzer (Shorview, Minn./Mounds View) (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) to cap off a nine-play, 63-yard drive over the game's first five minutes. Two plays into MacMurray's drive, the Eagles' Zack Markwith (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Louis) picked off quarterback Marcus Kay to setup a 15-yard touchdown by Josh Young (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy).

MacMurray, who, like Northwestern, was looking for its first win of the year, found the end zone at the end of the first quarter after eating up 6:19 of clock as Kelsey Mankins ran up the gut for a score. Mankins successfully captained the Highlanders' wildcat offense on numerous occasions as the full-time linebacker was responsible for another MacMurray touchdown later in the game.

Niether team was able to generate points in the second quarter until Cody Crum (Rushville, Ill./Rushville Industry) (Rushville, Ill./Industry) scored on an 11-yard fade pass from Balzer to close out the half to send the Eagles into halftime with a 20-7 advantage.

MacMurray scored back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter as freshman quarterback Justin McAfee breathed new life into the Highlander offense. McAfee hooked up with Marc Randle for a 24-yard score before McAfee found the end zone on a four-yard run to tie the score at 20-20. Despite a Tim Youtzy (Hinton, Iowa/Hinton) (Hinton, Iowa/Hinton) touchdown run and a successful 27-yard field goal by Crum, McAfee kept his team in the game with a 12-yard pass to Brian Clay with five minutes remaining in the game.

Dan Sunde (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Lutheran Academy) gave the Eagles some much-needed insurance two minutes later as the senior scored on a one-yard run. MacMurray's Mankins bolstered through the Northwestern defense for another wildcat score, leaving the onside kick attempt to determine the game's outcome with a minute in the game. Markwith fell on the ball for Northwestern and the homecoming crowd left Reynolds Field with a sigh of relief.

The proximity of the final score was also reflected in the first downs count with Northwestern holding a 21-19 advantage. While the Eagles produced the majority of their offense via the rush, MacMurray capitalized on the passing game.

Balzer completed 12 of his 25 passes for 118 yards and two scores while coughing up an interception. Youtzy led the Eagles in rushing with 87 yards on 16 attempts. Young finished with 63 yards on 19 rushes. All three of Northwestern's running backs -- Youtzy, Young and Sunde -- recorded a score on the day. Chad Rusinkovich (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) was the Eagles' leading receivier, catching four balls for 36 yards.

MacMurray's Kay was 15 of 23 for 103 yards before being replaced by McAfee, who finished the game with 179 yards and three scores in two and a half quarters. Clay, the Highlanders' featured back, caught 11 passes -- many of which were on screen plays -- for 89 yards and a TD.

Defensively, Luke Delain (Denmark, Wis./Denmark) (Denmark, Wis./Denmark) was all over the field as the junior finished with 20 tackles. On the other side of the field, Mankins was almost as dominant for MacMurray as he tallied 19 tackles. Kabakas Clark (Bartow, Fla./Bartow) (Bartow, Fla./Bartow) added 10 tackles and an interception in the game.

The Eagles, now 1-3 overall and 1-0 in UMAC play, will have to work out some kinks before next week's game at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minn. Crown headed into Saturday's game at St. Scholastica with a 3-1 overall mark and a 1-0 record in the conference standings. Kickoff between the pair of purple and gold teams is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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