GALESBURG, Illinois -- The Prairie Fire dropped a hard fought game on Homecoming to Cornell College 38-16.
 
After a three-and-out by Knox on their first drive of the game, Cornell scored on their first two drives of the game, the second coming after a successful fake punt attempt by the Rams. After that, the Prairie Fire defense stood strong, holding Cornell to no points until a field goal just before halftime.
 
The Rams scored on their first drive out of halftime but Knox answered two drives later with a 17-play, 91-yard touchdown drive capped off by a touchdown pass from Matt McCaffrey (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) to Mathew Hemmingsen (Galesburg, IL, Carl Sandburg College) and a two-point conversion with the same combination to make the score 24-8. Cornell was able to quickly answer, however, with a touchdown drive to open the fourth quarter and making the score 31-8. The Fire came right back with a 12-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. The scoring play came from a pass by McCaffrey to Ilir Emini (Yorkville, IL, Yorkville) and a two-point conversion on a catch by Patrick Marzolino (Orange, CA, El Modena). However in their next drive Cornell closed the game with a touchdown to make the final score 38-16.
 
McCaffrey led the Fire in passing with 260 yards and rushing with 22. Marzolino led the way for the receivers with 8 receptions for 109 yards, Emini added 9 catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. His ninth catch was the 194^th of his career and set the Knox career record for receptions. On the defensive end, Brock Gabel (Bourbonnais, IL, Bishop McNamara) had 9 tackles including 6 solos and one tackle for loss. Sam Coffey (Winnetka, IL, New Trier) added 8 tackles with 6 solos as well.
 
Knox will travel to Jacksonville, Illinois to take on Illinois College on October 24.