PLYMOUTH, Wis. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College survived a late Lakeland rally to earn a 34-31 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win on Saturday at Taylor Field. The Warriors' victory marked their fourth straight over the Muskies in the all-time series.
WLC (2-4, 2-2 NACC) jumped on top midway through the first quarter when freshman
Quincy Rheams (Dallas, Texas) connected with junior
Tywin McKinney (Milwaukee, Wis.) for a 4-yard touchdown, capping an eight-play, 41-yard drive. LU (1-5, 1-3 NACC) answered late in the quarter with a 29-yard scoring pass from Robby Michael to Jaden Davis, but the extra point missed, and Wisconsin Lutheran led 7-6 after one.
The Warriors broke the game open in the second quarter with three touchdowns in a span of just over four minutes. Rheams finished an eight-play, 58-yard march with a 2-yard keeper at the 5:24 mark, and sophomore backup quarterback
Joshua Rico (Dallas, Texas) found senior
Jamil Gordon (San Marcos, Texas) for a 36-yard score less than two minutes later. After Lakeland trimmed the deficit to 20-13, Rico capped the first-half scoring with a 9-yard touchdown toss to sophomore
Liam Heiges (Appleton, Wis.) with 1:06 remaining, sending WLC into halftime ahead 27-13.
The Muskies pulled within one score in the third quarter when Michael scored on a 2-yard run to make it 27-19. LU grabbed its first lead early in the fourth on back-to-back touchdown passes from Michael — a 3-yard strike to Jeremy Kobe and a 50-yard bomb to Deshawn Hampton — for a 31-27 advantage with 9:41 left.
Wisconsin Lutheran responded with its best drive of the day. The Warriors marched 80 yards in seven plays, and Heiges finished it with a 7-yard touchdown run with 1:57 remaining to reclaim a 34-31 lead. The defense then sealed the win with an interception by freshman
Landon Bryant (Onalaska, Wis.) on Lakeland's ensuing possession, and junior
Chris Korb (Kirkland, Ill.) made a touchdown-saving tackle on the Muskies' final desperation play of the game as time expired.
WLC finished with 326 total yards (237 passing, 89 rushing), while LU totaled 606 yards (441 passing, 165 rushing). Wisconsin Lutheran was perfect in four red-zone trips.
Rico completed 9-of-14 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while Rheams went 8-for-12 for 72 yards and a score and added a rushing TD. Heiges led the ground game with 73 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and added a 9-yard touchdown reception.
Jamil Gordon caught eight passes for 95 yards and a touchdown, and junior
Benett Reader (Appleton, Wis.) had three receptions for 102 yards.
Defensively, Korb and senior
Layson Handwork (Merritt Island, Fla.) led the Warriors with eight tackles apiece, while seniors
Kason McFadden (Wylie, Texas) and
Malik Gordon (San Marcos, Texas) added seven each. Bryant recorded two interceptions.
Michael paced Lakeland, completing 26-of-51 passes for 441 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for a score. Caden Kleparski caught nine passes for 163 yards and a touchdown, and Jontae Lambert ran for 58 yards. Defensively, Trayvonne Roberts led the Muskies with 10 tackles.
The Warriors continue NACC play next Saturday, October 25 with a 5 p.m. kickoff at Eureka (2-5, 1-4 NACC). Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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