Football's offense stalls in loss to Wisconsin Lutheran to close season

MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin Lutheran College intercepted a pass for a touchdown midway through the third quarter and Concordia University Wisconsin's offense stalled in a 21-14 season-ending loss at Raabe Stadium.

The loss also returned the Luther Cup into the Warriors possession after two seasons sitting in the Falcons trophy case. CUW turned the ball over three times and finished with just 60 total offensive yards in the second half and 324 yards for the game.

The Falcons and Warriors were tied at 14-14 heading into halftime of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference contest, but the play of the game came from Tanner Behnke who intercepted an Austin Damaschke pass and returned it 23 yards for the game-winning score.

Damaschke (senior, Bristol, Wis.) threw for 226 yards and a touchdown, and led the team with 51 rushing yards. He ended his outstanding career with 9,963 passing yards (85 passing touchdowns) and 11,691 total offensive yards. Damaschke also owns nearly every passing record for CUW and the NACC.

Senior Shay Klitzke (Annandale, Minn.) rushed for a 3-yard touchdown in the second quarter and ended the game with 53 total yards, while sophomore Dominic Saragaglia (Schaumburg, Ill.) hauled in nine receptions for 102 yards – his first career 100-yard receiving game. Freshman Lovester Marshall (Lakeland, Fla.) finished the game with a career-high six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore Tyler White (Milwaukee, Wis.) had 95 kick return yards, while junior Aaron Krapfl (Anamosa, Iowa) and junior Kalvin Baena (Appleton, Wis.) each intercepted a pass. It was Baena's first career interception. Junior Austin Kaatz (Pewaukee, Wis.) recorded a career-high 11 tackles and recovered a pair of fumbles, and sophomore Cody Furey (Cedarburg, Wis.) blocked a punt and forced a fumble.

Freshman Richie Guess (Homer Glenn, Ill.) senior Uzziel McDermit (Kansasville, Wis.) and sophomore Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.) each had nine tackles. CUW's defense forced a season-high four fumbles and recovered five fumbles.

Joshua Helton led WLC (7-3, 5-1 NACC) with a game-high 134 yards, while Gino DeGeorge threw for 322 yards and a touchdown. Mitch Skarban hauled in nine passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. Jestin Heimbruch led the Warriors defense with 11 tackles (eight solo) and forced two fumbles.

Chris Williams started the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run to cap a 45-yard drive by WLC midway through the opening quarter.

CUW answered with a Klitzke 3-yard run 30 seconds into the second quarter to conclude a 12-play and 93-yard scoring drive. Damaschke later found Marshall for an 11-yard touchdown grab seven minutes later to put the Falcons in front 14-7.

Skarban hauled in a 37-yard passing score for the Warriors to knot the scoreboard 14-14 at halftime. Benchke's interception return for a touchdown was the only score in the second half. WLC earned a share of it's first-ever league title.

CUW concludes its season with a 5-5 overall record and a 3-3 record in the NACC.