De Pere, WI – The Prairie Fire begins Midwest Conference play on Saturday, September 8 at St. Norbert College.
Knox tries to rebound from a 62-55 loss to Eureka College in the season opener on September 1 at the Knosher Bowl. The Green Knights (0-1) lost their first game 40-3 against John Carroll University on August 31 in Dublin, Ireland.
The Prairie Fire offense had a big day against Eureka, scoring touchdowns on seven of the first eight possessions and churning out 469 yards of offense – 279 on the ground and 190 through the air.
Junior running back Derek Mortensen (Crystal Lake, IL, Crystal Lake South) led the running game with a career-high 140 yards and three touchdowns. Fellow junior running back Cort Scheel (Wilmington, IL, University of Dubuque) added 70 rushing yards and one TD. Junior quarterback Drew Diaz (Niles, IL, Niles Notre Dame) ran for 68 yards and a score while throwing for 169 yards and one touchdown.
Junior wide receiver Dustin Armstrong (Cincinnati, OH, Country Day) was on the other end of the passing TD by Diaz, a 69-yard play-action throw with 6:37 remaining in the third quarter that gave the Fire a 48-38 lead. Armstrong led the receiving corps with a career-best 115 yards on five catches (23.2 average yards per reception).
The offensive line played well, opening up space to make the run game effective and providing good pass protection. The unit did not allow a sack in the game.
Special teams also made major contributions, led by senior Mike Schroeder (Glenview, IL, Glenbrook South). He had 225 kick return yards (a new school record), including a 79-yard touchdown return late in the first half, and 232 all-purpose yards (tied for sixth all-time). In addition, Schroeder, named the Midwest Conference Special Teams Performer of the Week, made two key tackles on Knox kickoffs that resulted in Eureka starting drives inside its own 20 yard line. He also won the first Prairie Fire Performer of the Week Award of the fall sports season.
The defense looks to improve after surrendering 821 total yards of offense to the Red Devils. Eureka passed for an NCAA record 736 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 85 yards and three touchdowns.
A positive was four sacks by the Prairie Fire. Junior defensive lineman Devin Compton (Aurora, IL, West Aurora) had 1.5; senior linebacker Mike Hendrick (Smithton, IL, Freeburg) added one (and a team-leading 12 tackles), and three others each received credit for a half sack: senior linebacker John Bass (Chicago, IL, Lindblom Math and Science Academy), senior defensive lineman Patrick McGinty (Bridgeton, MO, Pattonville), and junior defensive lineman Steve Bora (Northfield, IL, New Trier ).
The Knox defense also had five tackles for a loss to just two for Eureka.
St. Norbert has won the last 13 games against the Prairie Fire. The last win for Knox over the Green Knights was a 21-19 triumph during the 1998 season in Galesburg.
SNC's first game of the season started well with a field goal in the first quarter for a 3-0 lead against John Carroll. The Blue Streaks responded by scoring 40 unanswered points the rest of the way, including a 27 point outburst in the second quarter.
John Carroll held the Knights to 90 yards of total offense and seven first downs.
Pregame notes for the Knox at St. Norbert football game, which kicks off at 1:00 p.m., are available by clicking here (courtesy of St. Norbert College).
The Green Knights won last season's contest against the Fire 43-7 in De Pere.
The game on September 8 will be video streamed live at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/snc.portal#
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