Box Score

ST. PAUL – Northwestern College didn't need long to establish itself in Saturday's home-opening football game against MacMurray College, as the Eagles used a 26-7 halftime score to throttle themselves to a 54-14 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) win over the Highlanders.

Northwestern had 216 rushing yards in the first half as the combination of Chris Simon-Wallace (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka), Josh Sinnen (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) and Tim Youtzy (Hinton, Iowa/Hinton) ran all over MacMurray. Sinnen got the Eagles' first two scores on the board with runs from three and 31 yards out before 10 minutes had ticked off the clock. Northwestern would score two more times before halftime.

MacMurray won the coin toss and elected to receive. The Eagles defense didn't let the Highlanders stay on the field for long though, as a three-and-out gave NWC the ball just a minute and five seconds into the game. 2:52 later, Sinnen's three-yard scamper and an Ethan Zepp (Grimes, Iowa/Des Moines Christian) point-after kick gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead. Northwestern's second drive of the day took less time than its first, as the Eagles needed just a minute and 42 seconds to go 75 yards down the field to double their points on the scoreboard.

The Eagles defense continued to hold up its end of the deal as five of MacMurray's first half drives ended after five plays or less. Meanwhile, Matt Dammann (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) and Youtzy added touchdowns to their season's resume. Damman's came through the air on a 12-yard strike from quarterback Josh Balzer (Shorview, Minn./Mounds View), while Youtzy found pay dirt on a one-yard run towards the conclusion of the second quarter.

Freshman Joe Sutton (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde St. Margaret's) got in on the action as the Eagles took possession to start the second half as his 12-yard reception put Northwestern up 33-7. Balzer hooked up with Brian Lecheler (Abbotsford, Wis./Abbotsford) on a one-play scoring drive midway through the third quarter that went for 35 yards. Four of the Eagles' eight scores on Saturday came on plays of 35 yards or longer, including a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown by Luke Sommerlot (Pocahontas, Iowa/Pocahontas Area ).

Both of the Highlanders' two scores took place in the final minute of each half. Even with an Eagles' score in the fourth quarter, MacMurray had possession of the football for over 13 minutes in that period.

Balzer threw for 258 yards and four touchdowns, while Lecheler crossed the 100-yard mark for the fourth straight game. With just one catch, Sinnen was Northwestern's second-leading receiver as he caught a third quarter pass for 82-yard scoring play. The sophomore had 77 yards rushing, while Simon-Wallace added 76 yards on the ground.

Linebacker Joey Bauman (Kerkhoven, Minn./Kerkhoven Murdock Sunburg) was the Eagles' leading tackler for the second straight game, bringing down 11 Highlanders throughout the game. Valentine Awasom (Coon Rapids, Minn./Blaine) had 10 tackles on the day, while his fellow defensive linemen, Josh Swore (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) and Nathan Van Zee (Moose Lake, Minn./Moose Lake) each recorded sacks. Both Swore and Van Zee had two sacks last week at Presentation.

Patrick Hall had 91 of MacMurray's 131 rushing yards. Quarterback Cody Hussey was held to 106 yards and a touchdown on 16 completions. 

The Eagles football team didn't provide the only excitement on Saturday afternoon, as Matt Frost, a junior at Northwestern, kicked a 33-yard field goal through the uprights to win free tuition for a year valued at $26, 740 in the school's annual Football Frenzy event. Read more about Frost's big day here.

Northwestern, now 3-1 on the year, returns to Reynolds Field next Saturday for its homecoming game against the University of Minnesota Morris. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.