Football Runs Over Rockford

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Concordia Wisconsin football team took care of business on a road trip to Rockford on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons improved to 4-2 on the year and 3-2 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference with a 42-35 victory.

The Falcons threw the first punch on Saturday with a methodical drive down the field to start the game. The 13-play drive was capped off by a six-yard rush to the left for junior Pierre Summers III. (Columbus, Ga.) with 5:42 left in the opening quarter.

The next Rockford drive ended with an interception for freshman Max Michonski (Chicago, Ill.) at the 47-yard line. The next play freshman Justin Clark (Goodyear, Ariz.) found freshman Jack Bradley (Tucson, Ariz.) wide open at the 35-yard line and Bradley cruised to the endzone after splitting the cover-two defense for his first collegiate touchdown.

The Regents responded with a drive that cut into the second quarter and finished with a two-yard touchdown pass. Junior Marquiton Sellers (Winnsboro, La.) blocked the extra-point attempt.

Rockford cut into the Concordia lead with a 69-yard touchdown pass on the next drive to cut the CUW lead to 14-13 with 9:53 left in the first half.

The Purple and White took the lead with 1:53 left in the half with a 12-play drive.

The Rockford lead quickly disappeared as the Falcons flew down the field and Justin Clark scrambled to his right to find junior Jason Leonard (Tampa, Fla.) in the corner of the endzone. The extra point from sophomore Logan Navis (Cedar Grove, Wis.) gave the Falcons a 21-20 lead at halftime. The final Rockford drive of the half ended with sophomore Adonis Roberts (Hammond, Ind.) forcing a fumble that was recovered by sophomore Cole Krych (Apollo Beach, Fla.).

The second half started with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Justin Clark to Jason Leonard up the middle.

The Regents rallied with a touchdown on the next drive to bring the score to 28-27.

With 2:56 left in the third quarter, freshman Caleb Espinoza (Pasadena, Texas) broke through a hole and rushed down the left sideline for a 60-yard touchdown giving the Falcons a 35-27 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Rockford once again bounced back and tied the game with 13:56 remaining.

Concordia had the last laugh when Caleb Espinoza rushed up the middle for a 41-yard touchdown.

Rockford moved down the field for one last drive, but senior Gio Nowotarski (Reading, Pa.) broke up a pass at the 15-yard line on fourth down to secure the victory.

Justin Clark threw for 256 yards in the victory and three touchdowns and added 19 yards on the ground.

Jack Bradley finished with 83 yards on four catches and a touchdown, while Jason Leonard had 66 yards and two touchdowns.

The Falcons rushed for 329 yards in the victory with Caleb Espinoza leading the game with 152 yards and two touchdowns. Pierre Summers III had 90 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Justice Kaneta (Brighton, Colo.) had 11 tackles in the victory.

Gio Nowotarski broke up three passes and finished with seven tackles.

The Cheese Bowl is on the line on Saturday with Lakeland visiting Tomasini Stadium.