Box Score
Box score
MILWAUKEE - The Northwestern College Eagles
scored 27 points in the fourth quarter to overcome a three-point
deficit and defeat Wisconsin Lutheran College 44-27 on Saturday
afternoon in the 2009 season opener for both teams at Raabe
Stadium.
After playing through a scoreless first quarter, the Warriors
grabbed a 6-0 lead over the Eagles at the 14:11 mark of the second
quarter when freshman quarterback Zach Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren
Township) found fullback Josh Ferrell (Cocoa, Fla./Temple
Christian) from five yards out. WLC failed to convert on the
point-after attempt.
Northwestern responded to the Warriors' drive by scoring 17
unanswered points the remainder of the quarter on a pair of Zach
Tarter touchdown tosses to Jake Rusinkovic and a Cody Crum 44-yard
field goal. Wisconsin Lutheran struck again right before halftime
on a Shaw five-yard touchdown pass to junior Dominique Johnson
(Milwaukee, Wis./Vincent) to make the score 17-12 in favor of the
Eagles at intermission.
WLC accounted for the only scoring drive of the third quarter
when Shaw connected with Ferrell for a second time on an eight-yard
scoring strike. Shaw found Ryan Adamovich (Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna)
for the two-point conversion to put the Warriors in front 20-17
heading into the final quarter.
The two-time defending UMAC champion Eagles flexed their muscles
in the fourth quarter by scoring four touchdowns, including a
20-yard interception return for a touchdown. Junior Larry Hairl
(Chicago, Ill./Clemente) added a late one-yard touchdown run with
1:25 left for the final score of the afternoon.
Shaw finished 14-for-33 for 143 yards, three touchdowns and two
interceptions in his first collegiate start under center. Johnson
caught six passes for 100 yards and one touchdown to lead the
receiving corps. Sophomore Jesse Muldrow (Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin
Lutheran) rushed for 79 yards on just eight carries to guide the
Warriors' ground game.
Defensively, Nate Rosenberg (Hortonville, Wis./Fox Valley
Lutheran) finished with a career-high 17 tackles to lead all
players. Josh McCormick (Fond du Lac, Wis./Winnebago Lutheran),
Alex Allister (Lake Mills, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) and Darnell
Williams (Campbellsport, Wis./Campbellsport) each recorded
interceptions.
Eagles quarterback Zach Tarter completed 20 of 29 passes for 301
yards and three touchdowns. Jake Stroud and Kyle Nash each finished
with nine tackles for Northwestern (1-0).
Wisconsin Lutheran (0-1) travels to Decorah, Iowa, next Saturday
for a non-conference game against the Luther College Norse. Kickoff
is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Carlson Stadium.
