The Lawrence University football team ended the 2004 campaign like they began it, with a convincing win. The Vikings defeated Macalester 35-7, and finished the year 2-8 in the last game of Dave Brown’s tenure as Lawrence University head coach. Brown announced the week before the game that he would be resigning after the season.
The Vikings jumped out early on the Scots, and took away any chance for Macalester to get back into the game. Mac came into the game with a 1-7 record, their lone win coming against the only team the Vikings had defeated before Saturday: Knox. LU deferred the kickoff to Macalester, and their defense showed its might right away.
Joe VanderZanden intercepted the ball on the LU 27-yard line and returned it 15 yards. After trading punts, LU got the ball back and marched downfield. Aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty, Adrell Bullock ran the ball four times, the fourth time for a one-yard score into the end zone to put LU up 7-0. Bullock would be named the MWC offensive player of the week for his efforts. He ended with 173 yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings.
After another Macalester punt, LU scored on three plays. The third was a 51-yard scoring strike from Eric Aspenson to Jake Tewalt, and LU was up 14-0 after the first quarter.
The Vikings showed their defensive clout again on the next drive as VanderZanden forced a fumble that was recovered by Robert Patla on the Mac 24-yard line. It would lead to a blocked Vince Iacopelli field goal. VanderZanden was named MWC Defensive player of the week as he finished with an interception, a forced fumble, 13 tackles, and three for a loss.
After another Macalester punt ended the first quarter, Bullock wasted no time with an amazing 59-yard touchdown run. He started to his left, broke several tackles and cut across the field, outracing the defense to the end zone for six. LU went up 21-0.
Macalester looked like they might be making a scoring drive a few drives later, but once again the LU defense showed a strong face. Tyler Krzewina intercepted an Adam Denny pass on the 12-yard line, and LU once again shut down Mac’s high-powered passing offense. Krzewina, with this interception, is now tied for fifth on LU’s all-time interceptions list. Krzewina, of course, is only a sophomore.
The Vikings would make one last scoring drive in the second half, capping it off with a 13-yard scoring lob to the corner of the end zone from Aspenson to Nick Korn. LU led 28-0 at the half, its biggest lead of the season.
After Iacopeli missed a 32-yard field goal wide left to start the second half, Macalester finally got on the scoreboard. Denny led a long drive capped off with a 22-yard scoring strike to his running back Mike Vernon. It would be the only score Macalester would see on the day, and the score would be 28-7.
LU’s last touchdown would come on the very next drive as Macalester tried an onside kick, but touched it illegally, giving the ball to the Vikings on the Mac 42-yard line. Aspenson wasted no time hitting Anthony Totoraitis for a touchdown. It was the senior tight end’s first career touchdown catch in his last game in the Banta Bowl. As the Scots tried one last drive, senior cornerback Nate Seminak capped off his career with an interception in the end zone. LU would win 35-7 and the seven seniors and Coach Brown would go out with a win.
The Vikings showed lots of promise and potential for next season. Bullock and Aspenson are only sophomores, so the offense looks strong for two more years. The defense looks to have its leaders set in Krzewina and VanderZanden. With luck LU will next fall break the streak of 17 consecutive losing seasons, and make a run at the top echelon of the MWC.
Vikings end football season with best game of the year
