HANCHOCK, Mich. – University of Northwestern Football traveled to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Saturday afternoon to battle Finlandia University for their conference opener. The Eagles' run game dominated with 280 yards for three touchdowns on the ground while the defense shut out the Lions in a 30-0 win for UNW.
 
While the ground game was incredible throughout, Northwestern first struck with a big play through the air. On the first play of a first-quarter drive, Collin Currier (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) found Damon Clapper (Dallas Center, Iowa/Dallas Center - Grimes) open down the right sideline and launched a deep ball for the tight end. Damon did the rest, outrunning the pursuing Lions to the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown to put UNW up 6-0.
 
The Eagles added three more points in the opening quarter as Cole Uplegger (New Prague, Minn./New Prague) chipped in a 23-yarder, putting Northwestern up 9-0.
 
In the second quarter, UNW drove down the field on a 16-play, 75-yard, nine-minute and 10-second drive that ended with another Eagle touchdown. This time, Currier used his legs to scamper in on a six-yard run to extend Northwestern's lead to 16-0.
 
After halftime, the Eagles went right back to work. Sivert Klefsaas (Motley, Minn./Staples-Motley) capped off a 44-yard drive in the third quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run to put Northwestern up 23-0.
 
On the second play of the ensuing Finlandia drive, Tyshawn Campbell (Winter Haven, Fla./Winter Haven) picked off the Lions on their own 32-yard line. The Eagles capitalized on the interception by scoring three plays later on a Jeremiah Staten (South Elgin, Ill./Wheaton Academy) 13-yard touchdown run.
 
Up 30-0, Northwestern proceeded to cruise through the fourth quarter with the defense holding the Lions' offense at bay to secure the shutout victory.
 
Staten led the Eagles on the ground, rushing 29 times for 134 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.6 per carry. Klefsaas ran for 105 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, averaging an incredible 6.8 yards per carry.
 
Currior threw for 122 yards through the air and ran for 44 yards on 5.3 per rush on the ground, scoring two total touchdowns.
 
Clapper's 94 yards on five receptions led the Eagles receivers through the air.
 
Jayden Goodwin (New Richmond, Wis./Saint Croix Central) and Brad Kulinski (Milwaukee, Wis./Martin Luther) each had 10 total tackles. Campbell had six tackles to go along with his interception.
 
As a team, the Eagles put up 402 yards of total offense to Finlandia's 117.
 
Up next for the Eagles is a return home to Reynolds Field for Football Frenzy on Saturday, October 8, at 12:00 P.M. against Greenville University.