Derek Mortensen (Crystal Lake, IL, Crystal Lake South) set five new school records in leading the Prairie Fire to a 63-42 Midwest Conference victory against Lawrence University during Senior and Parents Day on November 3.
Mortensen, who carried the football 29 times for 203 yards and scored six touchdowns, is the latest recipient of the Prairie Fire Performer of the Week Award. It’s the third time he’s won the award this fall.
Mortensen’s six rushing touchdowns broke the previous record of five by Estelle Roberts in 1905. His six touchdowns in the game against the Vikings also established a new all-time mark, topping Roberts and Ziggy Hamblin. Hamblin tied Roberts for the previous record of 33 points in a game in 1919. Mortensen had 38 against Lawrence, a new single-game Knox football record.
The two other records he set were rushing touchdowns in a season (15) and rushing touchdowns in a career (28).
Over the last four games, Mortensen has 744 rushing yards on 122 carries -- an average of 6.1 yards per carry -- and 11 touchdowns. He eclipsed 200 yards rushing in two of the games, including a 232-yard effort at Cornell College that ranks as the fifth-most rushing yards in a game of all-time by a Knox player. Mortensen moved up to second all-time in Midwest Conference history with his six rushing touchdowns while the Prairie Fire tied the conference record with eight rushing touchdowns against the Vikings.
Mortensen has rushed for more than 100 yards in six games this season (#2 all-time at Knox), topped 100 yards rushing in four straight games (tied for #2 all-time at Knox), and eclipsed 200 rushing yards twice with 232 at Cornell College on October 13 and 203 against Lawrence (tied for #1 all-time in a season). He’s averaging 134.2 rushing yards per game this season (#2 all-time in a season), has 230 rushing attempts (#2 all-time in a season), and 2482 career rushing yards (#4 all-time).
Mortensen, with 1208 yards rushing this season, needs 111 on November 10 at Monmouth College in the 124th Bronze Turkey game to set the all-time single-season record for rushing yards.
The all-time mark is currently held by Drew Sherman, who gained 1318 yards on the ground during the 1999 season.
The Prairie Fire and the Fighting Scots will kick off the Bronze Turkey game at 1:00 p.m. at Monmouth's April Zorn Memorial Stadium. The game will be streamed live beginning at 12:50 p.m. online at
http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/monmouth.portal#
