BELOIT, Wis. — The Lawrence University football team didn’t score in the second half Saturday, and Beloit College pulled away for a 38-21 Midwest Conference victory over the Vikings at Strong Stadium.
The teams went to halftime tied 21-21.
Running back Mason Dixon ran 12 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns to lead Beloit (1-2, 1-1 MWC), which snapped a 13-game losing streak. It was all or next-to-nothing for Dixon, who had runs of 56, 48, 42, 18 and 16 yards but had a combined 21 yards on his other seven carries.
Lawrence quarterback Luke Barthelmess had 26 carries for 76 yards and completed 15 of 30 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Running back Isaac Barthelmess ran 15 times for 63 yards for the Vikings (0-3, 0-3).
Beloit led 7-0 on the first play from scrimmage when Kameron Sallee hit Michael Nolden with a 50-yard touchdown pass. Lawrence answered back after a short punt by the Bucs gave the Vikings the ball at the Beloit 36-yard line.
Luke Barthelmess connected with Dan Dubnicka on a 30-yard completion to the Beloit six, and Isaac Barthelmess scored on the next play to tie it at 7-7.
Beloit took a 14-7 lead on Dixon’s 16-yard scoring run, but Lawrence scored the next 14 points. The Vikings moved 58 yards in seven plays for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14 in the second quarter. Isaac Barthelmess’ two-yard touchdown run finished the drive.
After an on-sides kick was recovered by the Vikings, Lawrence drove in for another touchdown. After Dalton Sendelbach’s 18-yard run gave the Vikings a first down at the Beloit 10, Luke Barthelmess hit linebacker Andy Paider, who plays offense on Lawrence’s “jumbo” package, with a touchdown pass for a 21-14 lead.
Beloit used a big kickoff return to answer back and scored just two plays later for a 21-21 tie at the half. The Bucs used a big run by Dixon to set up a field goal and take a 24-21 lead. Dixon then ripped off touchdown runs of 48 and 42 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Lawrence, which got into Beloit territory only twice in the second half, dominated the time of possession 41:58-18:02.