The Lawrence football team traveled to face Ripon College last Saturday in the Vikings’ ninth game of the season.
The Red Hawks scored first on a 24-yard scamper by junior running back Josh Pasek 11 minutes into the game. Shortly after the second quarter commenced, Ripon drove the ball the full length of the field on a 10-play, four-minute drive that ultimately set up a short run by Appleton native Matt Schmalzer to make the score 14-0.
However, the Vikings struck back on the next possession with a seven-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Nick Maxam to wide receiver Nate Nelson to cut the Red Hawk lead to seven with 11 minutes left in the half.
With 6:44 left in the half, Vikings running back Ben Hartmann fumbled the ball, which was returned 32 yards for a touchdown by Ripon’s Joe Faulds to put the Red Hawks up by 14 points. The Vikings were able to score again before the half ended on a 25 yard field goal by Cody Robel, leaving the score 21-10 at halftime.
Neither team would score in the first twelve minutes of the third quarter, but with 2:39 left on the clock, Ripon’s T. J. Pierce scored on a four-yard run to put the Red Hawks up 18 points with the first three quarters almost finished.
The Vikings continued to fight despite being down by three scores with only a quarter to play. Maxam led the Vikings on a 10-play, 69-yard drive bridging the third and fourth quarters and leading to a one-yard touchdown run by Jeremiah Johnson. The score remained 28-17 until the last minute of the game, when the Ripon scored twice on a rushing touchdown and a pick-six.
The Red Hawks missed their chance to score 14 points in 14 seconds when kicker Jacob Gahart missed his final extra point try of the game, but Ripon’s 41-17 win improved the squad’s record to 7-2 in conference play.
The Vikings will travel to face Minnesota-Morris in their final game of the season Saturday. Senior defensive lineman John Buntrock promised that the Vikings will “not only beat Minnesota-Morris, but [they] will tear their hearts out and eat them for dinner.”
The Vikings hope to notch a victory with the same ease as they did last year, when a 21-13 defeat of UM-Morris was the Vikings’ only win.
Football beaten by Ripon
