Monmouth College Football secures victory with thrillng finish
Nayeli Perez - Contributing Writer
Monmouth College football clinched a nail-biting 16-14 win against Lake Forest in a game full of suspense. With a season record of 7-2 7-1 in the conference, Monmouth is now in contention for a share of the Midwest Conference championship.
The game started with an impressive defensive stand by the Scots, forcing Lake Forest to go
three-and-out on their first possession. Carter Boyer (Quarterback) then completed a precision pass to Nate Thornton (Wide Receiver) for a 22-yard gain. Lake Forest penalty paved the way for Nate Wrublik (Running Back) to punch in a one-yard touchdown run. Alec Hesson (Kicker/Punter) added the extra point and gave Monmouth an early 7-0 lead.
On the second play of the second quarter, Hesson sealed the deal with a 21-yard field goal, extending the lead to 10-0. Monmouth's special teams came to the forefront. Lake Forest lined up to punt from their own 42, but Jackson Bergren (Wide Receiver) broke through the line to block the kick, Michael Lord (Defensive Back) recovered the loose ball. On the second play in the second quarter, Boyer connected with Thornton for a 12-yard touchdown pass, although the extra point was missed, left the score at 16-0 in favor of Monmouth.
Lake Forest finally found their stride, scoring on a 71-yard pass play with 2:06 left in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, with just over ten minutes remaining, Monmouth faced another setback as Boyer lost the ball on the Monmouth 32. Lake Forest secured a 23-yard touchdown run on
4th-and-1, narrowing the gap to 16-14. Monmouth, holding onto a slim lead, struggled to move the chains and went 3-and-out. Lake Forest returned the punt to their 41-yard line, setting the stage for a dramatic final 16-14, but Monmouth's defense held firm, securing the win. The pivotal moment came in the final 30 seconds, when Tevin Baker (Defensive End) blocked a potentially game-winning field goal attempt.
"It's always nice to see the boys work so hard for something and then to come out on top. This is a date on the schedule we circled, and the sun meant everything to the team and put us on top of the conference again," said wide receiver coach, Nate Graham.
Boyer completed 16-of-30 passes for 165 yards, while contributing 41 yards on the ground. He threw a touchdown pass but was intercepted once during the game. McKade Brooks (Running Back) rushed for 48 yards, and Wrublik added 15 yards on the ground, including a crucial touchdown. Thornton hauled five passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Bergren added four receptions for 50 yards.
On the defensive side, Jermaih Glenn-Louis Charles (Linebacker), led the way with 10 tackles. Nick Serrano (Defensive Tackle) had nine tackles. Anthony Cikauskas (Defensive Line), contributed two crucial sacks, and Serrano added one sack to his name. Rockyen Spinks