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ST. PAUL -- Josh Young (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) left Reynolds Field for the final time with a career day, as the senior rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns as Northwestern closed out its 2011 home schedule with a 39-21 victory over Crown College.  The game wasn't as close as the score represented, as the Eagles posted 460 total yards, compared to just 217 for the Storm.

Young jump started Northwestern from the get-go, capping off an 87-yard drive with a 29-yard scoring run that gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.  After Cody Durkee (Wilton, N.D./Wilton) (Wilton, N.D./Wilton) scored his first career touchdown, Young gave the Purple and Gold their third unanswered score with a seven-yard run, boosting NWC's lead to 20-0 as the two teams went into halftime.

Crown got on the board midway through the third quarter, when quarterback Wes Safford pushed through the middle for a one-yard TD run. Northwestern answered with three more scores though, starting with another quarterback keeper, this time from Josh Balzer (Shorview, Minn./Mounds View) (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View), who crossed the goal line on a three-yard scamper. Crown coughed up a fumble on its ensuing drive, with Sam Lepa (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) picking up the ball and running 14 yards into the end zone. On the Storm's next play from scrimmage, the visitors fumbled again, and Balzer marched the Eagles down the field before Chad Rusinkovich (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) hauled in a 10-yard touchdown catch to make the score 39-7.

After Nate Metzger returned Kevin Langemade's (Prescott, Wis./Prescott) kick 28 yards, one of five personal foul penalties committed by the Eagles gave Crown the ball at the NWC 40-yard line.  Overall, Northwestern was whistled for 14 penalties for 142 yards. Three minutes after Crown's drive began, the Storm's Neil Johnson brought the scoring margin within 25 points with a five-yard run.  On Crown's final play of the game, Amos Schmidt accounted for the 39-21 final score with a one-yard run as the game clock had 14 seconds remaining.

Northwestern had 25 first downs on the day, compared to 16 for Crown.  Young contributed heavily to the Eagles' 254 yards rushing, while Balzer threw for 198 yards and a score on 15 completions.  Rusinkovich posted 100 yards or more receiving for the third time this year, finishing with 139 on Saturday.

While passing for a mere 102 yards, Safford was his team's leading rusher with 58 yards on 15 carries. The Storm were without 1,000-yard rusher Tyler Hallblade, who sat out the game after suffering an injury the week before.

Defensively, Josh Swore (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) was all over for Northwestern, recording nine tackles, 4.5 of which were for a loss.  Swore and Kassidy Cook (Postville, Iowa/Postville) (Postville, Iowa/Postville) each had a sack on the day.  Kendall Sommerlot (Pocahontas, Iowa/Pocahontas Area) (Pocahontas, Iowa/Pocahontas) added seven tackles, while Dave Kleiner (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville Academy) (Lakeville, Minn./Bethany Academy) contributed six.

The win was Northwestern's fourth on the year as the Eagles improve to 4-3 overall and 4-2 against UMAC teams.  Crown is still in search of its first win at 0-6 (0-5 UMAC).  Next Saturday, Northwestern will head to New Ulm, Minn. to face Martin Luther College with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.