APPLETON, Wis. — The Ripon College football scored 21 points in the first quarter Saturday and went on to a 43-15 Midwest Conference North Division victory over Lawrence University at Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.
Ripon (6-3, 3-2 MWC North) retained possession of the Doehling-Hesleton Memorial Trophy in the oldest college football rivalry in Wisconsin.
In the 115th meeting between the teams, Ripon rushed 57 times for 404 yards on its way to 521 total yards of offense. Connor Greenwald ran 13 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Red Hawks.
Lawrence quarterback Ryan Butterfield connected with Terrence Simon on a pair of touchdown passes. Butterfield went 10-for-20 for 124 yards, and Simon had three catches for 41 yards. Running back Donnel Haley ran 12 times for a career-high 74 yards for the Vikings (1-8, 0-5).
Three Vikings recorded double figures in tackles as Jake Gostisha and Jacob Lueck finished with 13 tackles apiece. Alic Riedel had 11 stops and intercepted a pass for the Vikings.
It was Riedel who got the game started on a great note as he returned the opening kickoff 57 yards to the Ripon 35. The drive ended with an interception, and Ripon took control.
The Red Hawks scored on an 11-play, 75-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead. After a three-and-out, Ripon went 38 yards in eight plays for a 14-0 advantage. After a second three-and-out, Ripon quarterback Griffin McNeal hit Nathan Silloway for 51 yards and a touchdown for a 21-0 edge.
Ripon was up 28-0 when Larwrence drove 73 yards in just five plays. Cole Erickson made a leaping catch for a 30-yard gain on the first play, and Butterfield hit Simon with a 31-yard scoring pass four plays later to cut the margin to 28-8.
Ripon led 36-8 at the half and were up 43-8 when the Vikings took advantage of a turnover in the fourth quarter. Lawrence’s Nick Ulloa recovered a fumbled punt at the Ripon 18-yard line with 12:06 left.
Butterfield found Corey Fisher for 14 yard to the Ripon four-yard line, and Lawrence scored three plays later when Simon caught a seven-yard scoring pass with 10:34 remaining.
Lawrence wraps up its season next weekend when it faces Grinnell College in the Midwest Conference 11th-place game on Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.