LAKE FOREST, Ill. — A late rally came up short on Saturday for the Lawrence University football team, and Lake Forest College hung on for a 20-16 Midwest Conference win at Farwell Field.
Lawrence (0-2, 0-2 MWC) got a touchdown from quarterback Luke Barthelmess with 15 seconds left, but the onsides kick attempt failed and secured the win for Lake Forest (1-1, 1-0 MWC).
Barthelmess was 24 of 43 passing for 362 yards and a touchdown, but he was sacked eight times by the Lake Forest defense. Dan Dubnicka had the biggest game of his Lawrence career with five catches for 136 yards.
Running back Al Mitchell did nearly all the damage for Lake Forest by running 23 times for 202 yards and a touchdown.
Mitchell gave Lake Forest a 6-0 lead when he ran 68 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. Lawrence cut the lead in half when it drove the ball to the Lake Forest 12 before the drive stalled. Cody Robel booted a 28-yard field goal with 8:54 left in the first half to trim the lead to 6-3.
The Foresters then sacked Barthelmess in the end zone for a safety and an 8-3 lead with 5:20 left in the half. Lake Forest took the ensuing free kick and scored. Joey Valdivia ran 18 yards for the score and a 14-3 lead.
The teams then exchanged fumbles, and Lawrence moved the ball to the Lake Forest 10 in the final seconds of the first half. Lake Forest got another sack to end the half.
Lawrence trimmed the margin to 14-10 early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings got the ball after Jon Hope intercepted Pete Scaffidi at the Lake Forest 27-yard line. Barthelmess hit Jermaine Taylor for 20 yards, and Ben Hartman then grabbed an eight-yard touchdown pass with 14:17 left in the contest.
Lake Forest countered by driving 69 yards in 12 plays for a touchdown. Alec Howe finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, and Lake Forest led 20-14.
Lawrence then drove to the Lake Forest 26, but turned the ball over on downs. The Vikings got the ball back with 1:42 left and moved 98 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Barthelmess ran it in from seven yards out to trim the margin to 20-16.
The Vikings touched the ensuing onsides kick before it went 10 yards and Lake Forest took a knee to end the game.