Galesburg, IL – A senior member of the Prairie Football team is being recognized by the Midwest Conference for his record-setting performance against Eureka College.
Mike Schroeder (Glenview, IL, Glenbrook South), a running back and kick/punt returner, was named on September 4 the MWC Special Teams Performer of the Week.
Schroeder piled up 225 kick return yards, including a 79-yard return for a touchdown late in the first half in the season and home opener for Knox against Eureka on September 1 in the inaugural Abraham Lincoln Bowl.
Schroeder shattered the previous Knox football record for kick return yards in a game, 149 by Dan Kizior against Illinois College during the 2009 season.
Schroeder broke another record that he shared with two other players. His nine kick returns against Eureka tops the previous all-time game high of six that he had in 2009 and 2011, both against St. Norbert College. Neil Magruder (2003) and John Boylan (2004) each had six kickoff returns in a game as well.
In addition, Schroeder had a 7-yard punt return to finish the contest with 232 all-purpose yards, tying him with Bill Senn (1924) for sixth all-time.
Besides his spectacular kick returns, Schroeder made two big tackles on special teams that forced the Red Devils to begin drives inside their own 20 yard line.
Knox scored touchdowns on eight of its first nine possessions. The 55 points put up by the offense is the most since a 57-31 win in the 2005 Homecoming game against Grinnell College.
Schroeder and his Prairie Fire teammates begin the Midwest Conference portion of the 2012 schedule on September 8 at St. Norbert College. The kickoff is at 1:00 p.m.
The Green Knights (0-1) are coming off a 40-3 loss against John Carroll University on August 31 in Dublin, Ireland. St. Norbert led 3-0 on a 39-yard field goal with 5:13 to play in the first quarter, but John Carroll rolled off 40 unanswered points, including 27 in the second quarter, to post the win.
The game between Knox and St. Norbert will be video streamed online at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/snc.portal#
Follow Prairie Fire athletics on Twitter
