Football

BELOIT, Wis. — The Beloit College football team ran out to a big early lead and went on to a 49-34 Midwest Conference North Division victory over Lawrence University on Saturday.

Mason Dixon ran 19 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns, including a 77-yard scamper, to lead Beloit (2-1, 1-0 MWC). Beloit quarterback Danny May was 13-of-19 passing for 233 yards and four touchdowns.

Lawrence quarterback Ryan Butterfield was 12-of-17 for 140 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran five times for 54 yards.

Trevor Spina caught seven passes for 94 yards, and Jacob Berman had six catches for 88 yards. Spina, Berman and Cam Boerm all caught touchdown passes for the Vikings.

The Bucs scored three times in the first 8:43 to rush out to a 21-0 lead. Lawrence (1-2, 0-1) got on the board on Donnel Haley’s two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter but trailed 42-7 at the half.

The Vikings trailed 49-7 before putting up 27 points in the final quarter. Corey Fisher had a nine-yard scoring run, and Butterfield then threw touchdown passes of 25, 16 and 34 yards to complete the scoring.

Box score

Jake Gostisha fully understands the old saying, if life gives you lemons …

Not only is the Lawrence University football standout making lemonade, Gostisha is doing it in stunningly fine fashion.

A high school quarterback at Appleton East, Gostisha is now playing defensive end, leading the Vikings in tackles and setting a great example for his Lawrence teammates.

“He works his tail off in everything he does. When we asked him to move to defense, he said, ‘That’s fine coach,’ ” Lawrence defensive coordinator Yon Boone said of Gostisha. “He’s exceeded our expectations this year already.”

Gostisha, a sophomore, leads Lawrence with 18 tackles, has a team-best 3.0 sacks and is second on the squad with 3.0 tackles for loss. He’s coming off a nine-tackle, 2.0-sack performance in Lawrence’s 51-6 win at Maranatha Baptist last Saturday.

“(The coaches) pretty much just asked me if I wanted to move to defensive end,” Gostisha said. “I played a little bit last year at D-end, but they thought it would be an easier transition for me than for other people.”

Losing the chance to be the team’s quarterback and exchanging it for battling in the trenches down after down might be viewed by some as a demotion. Gostisha has taken the opposite tack, especially given the fact the Vikings have a pair of talented freshmen quarterbacks on the roster.

“It’s actually a blast,” Gostisha said of playing defense. “It’s a lot more fun to deliver the hit than to get the hit.”

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Gostisha might lack the bulk of a typical defensive end, but offensive tackles rarely see his combination of speed and length in their defensive foes.

“Stish has great athleticism and length,” Boone said. “He uses his hands really well and he has a high motor. The sky is the limit for him. He’s developing this year.”

Gostisha understands that he may have some limitations against offensive linemen, but he also knows he has some great advantages.

“When it’s big on big and they’re coming straight at me, that’s pretty tough,” Gostisha said. “But in situations where I can use my speed, and I have more speed than a typical offensive lineman, I can work around them.”

The other resource Gostisha has is his brother, Mike, a 2010 Lawrence graduate and former All-Midwest Conference defensive end for the Vikings.

“He has helped me out a lot, and he’s been teaching me moves that worked for him,” Gostisha said of his brother.

To top things off, Gostisha also has taken on the role of long-snapper.

“He had never long-snapped a day in his life,” Boone said with a smile. “He embraced that and is one of the better long-snappers in the league. He’s one of those guys that whatever you give him, he’s going to do well.”

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University football team opens Midwest Conference North Division play on Saturday when the Vikings travel to Strong Stadium to face Beloit College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Preview

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University’s Colt Duncan has been named the Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week in the wake of a big Vikings victory.

Duncan (Columbia, Tenn./Zion Christian) earned the honor after Lawrence’s 51-6 nonconference victory at Maranatha Baptist University.

A senior linebacker, Duncan finished with eight tackles, which included a career-high 2.5 sacks and a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss. Duncan also recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal.

It was the first weekly conference honor for Duncan, and the first time a Lawrence player has won since Patrick O’Mahoney was named the Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 15, 2014. It was the first time the Vikings have won the Defensive Player of the Week honor since defensive end Andy Paider did it on Oct. 7, 2013.

Lawrence is now 1-1 on the season and opens MWC North Division play when it travels to Beloit College on Saturday.

WATERTOWN, Wis. — The Lawrence University football team bolted to a 24-6 lead at the half and rolled to 51-6 nonconference win over Maranatha Baptist University on Saturday.

Three Vikings (1-1) scored their first career touchdowns, and rookie Lawrence head coach Rob McCarthy picked up his first career victory.

Cam Boerm caught a pair of touchdown passes and Jacob Berman ran for a pair of scores for Lawrence. Senior running back Corey Fisher also got his first career touchdown for the Vikings.

Lawrence freshman quarterback Ryan Butterfield tossed his first two career touchdown passes and finished 6-for-11 passing for 92 yards. He also ran three times for 22 yards. Boerm finished with five catches for 61 yards, and Berman ran eight times for 88 yards and two scores.

Lawrence’s other freshman quarterback, Kemani Pittman, also was 8-for-13 and finished with 54 yards passing.

The Vikings, who finished with 420 yards of offense, limited Maranatha (0-2) to just 236 yards, including just 28 on the ground.

Junior linebacker Jacob Lueck had a team-high 10 tackles for Lawrence and that included 2.0 tackles for loss. Lueck also forced two fumbles and recovered a fumbles. Maranatha fumbled five times on the afternoon and lost all five to the Vikings. Lawrence also intercepted three passes as Hunter Adams, Wes Hetcher and Nick Ulloa all recorded picks.

Lawrence’s defense was in the backfield all afternoon as the Vikings picked up seven sacks, including 2.5 by Colt Duncan and 2.0 by Jake Gostisha.

The Vikings took advantage of a short field on its first two scoring drives to jump out to a 13-0 lead. Fisher scored on a two-yard run, and Trevor Spina scored from a yard out.

After a Maranatha touchdown cut the lead to 13-6, Lawrence scored twice in the final 2:41 of the first half. Boerm caught a 25-yard touchdown pass, and Pat O’Mahoney kicked a 27-yard field goal to give Lawrence a 24-6 lead at the half.

Dalton Sendelbach had a six-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Berman then scored on runs of 39 and 10 yards early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings added a late touchdown by Boerm to finish the scoring.

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University football team returns to action on Saturday when it makes its first ever trip to Maranatha Baptist University. The nonconference game kicks off at 2 p.m. at Maranatha Stadium in Watertown, Wis.

Preview

APPLETON, Wis. — The Rockford University football team used a powerful running game to roll to a 52-17 nonconference victory over Lawrence University on Saturday.

It was the first football game played on the renovated Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.

Chance Manning ran 32 times for 211 yards and three touchdowns for Rockford (1-0), and he caught two passes for 86 yards and a score. The Regents finished with 58 carries for 438 yards and rolled up 605 yards of offense.

Quarterback Adam O’Malley completed 7-of-13 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 10 times for 62 yards.

Lawrence (0-1) was limited to just 83 yards of offense, including just 25 through the air.

Rockford jumped out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter with a trio of big plays. Pete Berry broke free for a 65-yard scoring run, Manning added a 40-yard TD run and Manning caught a 53-yard touchdown pass.

Manning added two more touchdown runs in the second quarter, and the Regents led 35-0 at the half.

Sophomore Alic Riedel got Lawrence on the board with an 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. It was Riedel’s first collegiate touchdown.

Austin Tucker’s 64-yard fumble return set up Lawrence’s next score as the Vikings took over at the Rockford 16-yard line. Trevor Spina punched it in from a yard out two plays later to cut the lead to 45-14.

The Vikings later added a 24-yard field goal from Pat O’Mahoney to complete their scoring.

Box score

Belief is a powerful thing. Thinking you can’t win dooms you to failure. Believing you have a chance to win can inspire great things.

Consider first-year Lawrence University football coach Rob McCarthy a believer.

“We’re not sitting back this year, and our guys aren’t either. We have to believe from within, and then make others believe as we go,” said McCarthy, whose team opens the season on Saturday against Rockford University on Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.

“We definitely think we can be competitive. We hope to finish in the top half of the division. That’s our goal. I think we can surprise some people. I’m excited about that component.”

McCarthy took over the Lawrence program back in January and has been building a coaching staff and a team while installing new offensive and defensive systems.

He started with offensive coordinator Mark Speckman, added defensive coordinator Yon Boone and defensive line coach Chris Cunningham rounds out the full-time staff. McCarthy also added four part-time staff members.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the quality of coaches I’ve got at every position,” McCarthy said. “They are fine coaches, but they’re great, great teachers. I’m thrilled about the staff we’ve been able to put together.”

Those men have been teaching on and off the field.

“Our big rallying point is the commitment to excellence,” said McCarthy, noting that extends from the field to the classroom to the community. “That’s really been a focal point through fall camp. It’s just changing a culture. The atmosphere has been great, and the new guys have acclimated well.”

Lawrence added 11 new faces, and they hail from as far away as Florida and Texas. This talented and athletic group joins the 26 returning players, including local standouts Alic Riedel and Jake Gostisha from Appleton East and Dan Rothbauer and Cole Erickson from Appleton North.

“Camp went very, very well. The guys are eager and hungry to win and they’ve done a great job learning the schemes,” McCarthy said.

“The guys have really bought into what we’re doing and we’re excited for the game on Saturday. They’ve been great and far exceeded my expectations.”

While the “Fly” offense and multiple defensive schemes are new to Lawrence fans, the venue also is dramatically different. Renovations to Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl are ongoing and will be completed shortly, but the early feedback on the renovated facility has been glowing. In short, both the players and the fans love the new look.

“That’s going to be a great place to play,” McCarthy said with a smile. The coach added that the renovated facility figures to be a key recruiting tool as the Vikings “embrace who we are.”

“We’re going to be national recruiters and really focus on the Fox Valley. The key is putting in the work to identify the kids who want to be at a place like Lawrence,” McCarthy said.

“I think kids will be excited about what we’re doing. I know the current kids are.”

The Lawrence University football team kicks off its season on Saturday in the newly renovated Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl. Lawrence hosts Rockford University in a nonconference contest. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As we enter the 2015 football season, please note that Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl remains under construction. While the facility is ready for play, not all amenities are open for fans so special procedures are in place until further notice.

All fans must enter through the visitors gate on the east side of the stadium (the side opposite the press box). Please walk down along the north side of the visitors stands and make your way along the north boundary of the field to reach the home stands. No entry will be permitted through the main gate since construction is still taking place in that area. The west gate is for entry and exit of the teams only.

Parking is available in the Mead Pool lot on John Street and along Banta Court. Portable bathroom facilities are located on the east side of the stadium and just beyond the north end zone.

Thanks for your patience and understanding as we work through the completion of the facility.

Preview

APPLETON, Wis. — Chris Cunningham has joined the Lawrence University football coaching staff, Vikings head coach Rob McCarthy announced today.

Cunningham will coach the defensive line, McCarthy said.

“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to help bring the Lawrence football program back to dominance,” Cunningham said. “We have tremendous support from our administration with the stadium renovation in progress, and I’m working with fellow coaches who have a passion for our student-athletes to be great on and off of the field. I’m truly excited to be a part of the Viking family.”

Cunningham comes to Lawrence from the University of Pikeville, where he has worked for the past year. At Pikeville, a NAIA school located in Kentucky, Cunningham served as the linebackers/special teams coach and head academic coordinator.

“Chris’ playing and coaching background makes him a great addition to our defense,” McCarthy said. “His enthusiasm and proven record as a recruiter makes him a great addition to the staff and his high character and passion for teaching makes him a great addition to the Lawrence community.”

A native of Miami, Fla., Cunningham is a graduate of Dade Christian School where he was a two-time all-county and all-state football selection. He attended Eastern Kentucky University and earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management. A football player at Eastern Kentucky, Cunningham played defensive end and linebacker for the Colonels and helped them win an Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2008.

A 2011 graduate of Eastern Kentucky, Cunningham was named a Colonel Scholar-Athlete for three consecutive years and was selected multiple times for the Dean’s List.

Cunningham remained at Eastern Kentucky, which competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, and worked as a student assistant coach for the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference champions.

For the next two seasons, Cunningham served as a graduate assistant coach and guided the defensive backs. Cunningham, who earned his master’s degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2014, coached a pair of All-Ohio Valley Conference defensive backs.

Lawrence opens its season on Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl on Sept. 5 when the Vikings host Rockford University.