Falcons Rout Regents in Home Finale

MEQUON, Wis. - Concordia collected its seventh victory in the season in dominant fashion, beating the Regents of Rockford 66-21 in the program's highest-scoring game in a decade. The win marked the Falcons' third consecutive over Rockford, moving the team's all-time series record to 14-2.

Concordia's offense sputtered on the game's opening drive, being sent five yards backward before a Regents interception. However, the offense would dominate the rest of the game, being denied points on only one of the final eleven drives. It wouldn't take long for the group to hit the field again,  junior Gio Nowotarski (Reading, Pa.), picked up an interception of his own on the next play.

The ensuing possession marked the first of four consecutive seven-point drives for the Falcons, which saw two rushing touchdowns from senior Ashar Thomas (Punta Gorda, Fla.) and two passes from senior Michael Purkey (Woodstock, Ill.) that found sophomores Jason Leonard (Tampa, Fla.) and Mason Knueppel (Jackson, Wis.). Thomas' deposits into the end zone would push his team-leading mark to thirteen on the season.

Concordia would settle for a field goal on its next scoring drive, as freshman Logan Navis (Cedar Grove, Wis.) would put the ball through the uprights for three points for the first time in Falcons blue from 22 yards out.

Following the field goal's intermission from the slurry of touchdowns, the Falcons got back to work on the following drive, and bumped the score to 38-0 after a 29-yard connection from Purkey to senior Al'jarius Kelly (Fort Meyers, Fla.).

The Regents would pick up their first points of the game upon getting the ball back, despite being held to just 17 total yards on their first six possessions. The 69-yard touchdown drive was capped off by a 2-yard rush from quarterback Jaelen Ray.

The Falcons would have the final say on the scoreboard before the half, as senior offensive lineman Jerrell Carey (Chicago, Ill.) scored his first career touchdown giving Concordia a 45-7 halftime advantage.

After sending the Regents five yards backward on the opening drive of the third quarter, Concordia stormed up the field for yet another score, as Purkey's fourth touchdown of the game found sophomore Nick Crowell (Las Vegas, Nev.) at the goal line.

The two squads would trade scores for the remainder of the game, collecting 14 points apiece en route to a 66-21 final margin. Concordia junior Jordan Garcia (Lockheart, Texas) would take responsibility for both touchdowns for the Falcons to collect the first multi-score game of his career. 

The Falcons would finish the game with 613 yards of offense, their highest total since a 2018 loss to Benedictine.

Concordia will face the Spartans of Aurora for the NACC title on Saturday.