ST. PAUL, Minn.- Reynolds Field was packed and loud on Saturday afternoon as the University of Northwestern Football team hosted Crown College. The game marked a couple of milestones for the Eagles. It was their first conference contest at home this season and it was Homecoming Saturday. The game was also the 50 Years of UNW Football Celebration as the program began in 1973. Aside from all of the festivities taking place off of the field and around the game, it was the action on the field that was the biggest story as the Eagles stormed back from a halftime deficit to defeat the Polars 47-23.
Prior to the game, members of the original Northwestern Football team from 1973 joined the officials and the team captains at midfield for the coin toss. At halftime, every UNW Football alumni in attendance was asked to stand so that they could be recognized for their contributions to the legacy of Eagle Football. In another special treat, Dave Halstensgard returned to the press box to be the public address announcer for the first half. Dave's voice is legendary and is synonymous with Northwestern football. He had done the PA at Northwestern Football games for 39 years prior to this afternoon, and by announcing the first half of today's game he has reached the 40 years mark. UNW Football has built up an incredible legacy over the last 50 years and the future continues to be bright for this program.
On the field, the Eagles scored first thanks to a
Dominic Borges (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin) field goal with 5:26 remaining in the first quarter. However, Crown used their passing game to move down the field and score a touchdown as a response. The extra point was no good and the Polars took a 6-3 lead into the second quarter.
Jaylen Brown (Cusseta, Ga./Chattahoochee County) had the best game of his collegiate career so far on Saturday. The freshman had five catches for 74 yards and with 13:31 remaining in the first half, he caught his first career touchdown to put the Eagles back in front. It was a 13 yard pitch and catch in the back corner of the end zone with quarterback
Caden Cantrell (Snowflake, Ariz./Snowflake) dropping the ball into the bucket on a fade route. UNW led 10-6.
Throughout the remainder of the second quarter, the Eagles continued to move the ball but were bitten by the turnover bug. UNW turned the ball over three times in the first half and Crown capitalized. The Polars scored a touchdown with just under four minutes left in the half and a field goal as time expired in the second quarter to hold a 16-10 lead at the break.
The Eagles exploded in the second half and used touchdowns from all three phases of the game to not only comeback against the Polars, but also pull away from them. Five minutes into the second half, Cantrell scampered to the left side for an eight yard touchdown run. Borges drilled the extra point and the Eagles held a slim 17-16 lead. They would never trail again.
Two and a half minutes later, Borges made another field goal. On the first play of the ensuing Crown possession, the Eagles' defense made their biggest play of the game.
Jayden Goodwin (New Richmond, Wis./Saint Croix Central) forced a fumble while
Naketa Ellington (Richland, Ga./Chattahoochee County) scooped it up and knew exactly what to do with it. He returned it 32 yards for an Eagle touchdown. With just under three minutes left in the third quarter, Cantrell ran in for another score. UNW led 34-16 as time expired in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, it was time for the Eagles' special teams to complete the trifecta and be the third UNW unit to score a touchdown. Crown was forced to punt it to the Eagles and
Luke Malamisuro (Cambridge Isanti, Minn./Cambridge Isanti) was waiting for it. He muffed the kick, but recovered extremely well. He picked the football up, made Crown tacklers miss, and was off to the races for a 78 yard punt return for a touchdown.
Jeremiah Staten (South Elgin, Ill./Wheaton Academy) scored a four yard touchdown run with 3:16 remaining and Crown would get their only points of the second half with a touchdown with only 14 seconds left. UNW won the game 47-23 to improve to 2-0 in UMAC play.
Caden Cantrell (Snowflake, Ariz./Snowflake), a week removed from becoming the first UNW quarterback in the 50 year history of the team to throw for 400 yards, threw for 301 yards and a touchdown on 20-33 passing.
Beau Burk (Ogilvie, Minn./Ogilvie), who set the UNW single game receiving record last week, had another big game finishing with 8 catches for 141 yards.
Jeremiah Staten (South Elgin, Ill./Wheaton Academy) carried the ball 19 times for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Brad Kulinski (Milwaukee, Wis./Martin Luther) led the Eagles' defense with eight tackles and
Jayden Goodwin (New Richmond, Wis./Saint Croix Central) had seven tackles of his own to go with his forced fumble.
Luke Malamisuro (Cambridge Isanti, Minn./Cambridge Isanti) had a huge day racking up five tackles and an interception along with his punt returned for a touchdown.
The Eagles will now enjoy their bye week as they will not play a game this upcoming Saturday. However, in two weeks they will play in a huge game against Greenville University. The Eagles and the Panthers landed in a tie for first with each other in the UMAC Preseason Poll. That conference game on October 21
st will have major implications on the UMAC standings this season.
