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Even a casual observer of Lawrence University football knew the Vikings were going to be able to throw the pigskin this season. With record-setting quarterback Luke Barthelmess and receiver Tyler Mazur back, the Vikings had the pieces in place for a potent aerial attack.

But the Vikings likely raised a few eyebrows around the Midwest Conference last Saturday when they opened the season by showcasing an impressive ground game against Cornell College.

“The goal this year, from recruiting right on through the season, was to recruit more running backs and have a more balanced attack,” Lawrence coach Mike Barthelmess said. “We feel like if are going to win, we have to run the ball more effectively.”

The Vikings certainly did that in the season opener. Lawrence ran for 272 yards, and that is the Vikings’ highest rushing output since they went for 286 vs. Knox College back on Oct. 13, 2007.

“What we’re trying to do is take what the defense gives us,” Barthelmess said. “We were going to keep running the football until (Cornell) took it away.”

The Vikings actually ran for more yards (272) than they passed for (267), and that hasn’t happened for a few seasons. The last time Lawrence gained more yards on the ground than in the air was vs. Knox in 2009 (167 rushing/147 passing).

Luke Barthelmess did the most damage by running 16 times for 132 yards, and he became the first Lawrence back to rush for more than 100 yards since Craig Ebert did it in the 2008 season finale. Barthelmess also completed 26 of 43 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns.

“Luke always has the option to throw the football or run the football on every single play,” Barthelmess said. “Both he and the coordinators were taking advantage of what the defense was giving us.”

Senior running back Ben Hartman added 21 carries for 86 yards, and freshman running back Scott Vandeloo of Kaukauna added 43 yards on 11 carries. The Vikings lost freshman Corey Fisher to an injury, and freshman Dalton Sendelbach also saw action.

“We have three good running backs, and we’re going to use them,” Barthelmess said. “If defenses want to stack the box to take that way, we’re going to throw the football.”

The other big, and I do mean big, reason the Vikings were successful on the ground was the offensive line. With a group that averages 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, the Vikings have the ability to move the defense.

“The offensive linemen always prefer to run the football,” Barthelmess said. “If you’re a real offensive lineman you want to dig in there and create holes for your running backs. I’m sure that’s the most fun they’ve had since they’ve been here.”

Scoring streak

It took Erich Lohrmann until the first game of his junior season to get his first goal for the Lawrence men’s soccer team. He didn’t have to wait as long for No. 2 or No. 3. Just two days later, in the season’s second game, Lohrmann scored both goals in Lawrence’s 2-1 victory at Marian.

Still perfect

The Lawrence women’s tennis has several players that kept perfect records intact when the Vikings beat Carthage College 5-4 on Tuesday.

Junior Gayatri Malhotra is now 4-0 at No. 3 singles, and the No. 2 doubles team of sophomore Hannah Geoffrey and freshman Ali Heiring are also 4-0.

This marks the second consecutive season the Vikings have defeated Carthage 5-4, and the win in 2011 started an eight-match winning streak for Lawrence.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Director of Athletic Media Relations Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Change has been following the Lawrence University football team lately like a dog chasing a mailman.

In the last nine months, the Vikings have seen Mike Barthelmess assume the mantle of head coach, a restructuring of duties for the assistant coaches and the return of Lawrence Hall of Famer Rich Agness to the coaching staff.

One thing that hasn’t changed, and it’s likely to be a key to success for the Vikings, is the potent combination of Luke Barthelmess to Tyler Mazur. Lawrence’s standout quarterback and wide receiver set a passel of records last season, but that may just be a warm-up for 2012. The Vikings open the season on Saturday at the Banta Bowl against Cornell College.

“We’re expecting them to raise their level of play this year,” Mike Barthelmess said of Mazur and Luke Barthelmess, the son of the head coach. “As much success as they had last year, we expect them to be better this year.”

Mazur was named to the all-Midwest Conference team a season ago after catching 63 passes for 878 yards and 11 touchdowns. The versatile Mazur also ran 22 times for 96 yards and five scores.

Barthelmess completed 202 of 363 passes for 2,721 yards, 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also led the team with 356 yards rushing.

“We could be at the top of the conference in offensive statistics,” Mike Barthelmess said. “I think Luke and Tyler have the ability to be all-conference players and all-Americans. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens. I’m excited to watch as a fan to see the additional stuff we’re doing offensively.”

Coach Barthelmess has turned over offensive coordinator duties to assistants Byron Abram and Mark Beller while he handles the special teams. Teams will have an idea of what Barthelmess and Mazur are going to do, but this dynamic duo also will throw some new looks at the opposition.

“I’ve personally seen Luke mature in the offense since last year compared to the end of the season and spring ball,” Mazur said. “The way he’s able to pick up the offense and his confidence reverberates through the receivers and the line. I think we have a higher confidence level than we had last year.”

It is going to be difficult to top last season when Barthelmess set five season and four game records for the Vikings. His biggest day came when he threw for a conference-record 549 yards at Knox and tossed a Lawrence-record six touchdown passes.

One of those plays typified the blossoming relationship between quarterback and receiver. Mazur lined up deep in Lawrence territory and immediately saw he had no one lined up opposite him.

“We looked at each for a split second,” Mazur said. “We made eye contact. He went back, took one step, threw it to me and 94 yards later it was a touchdown.”

Mazur would finish the game with 220 receiving yards and tied the school record with four touchdown catches. He would go on to set Lawrence game records for touchdowns (5) and points (30) that week. Mazur also set season record with 96 points and 16 touchdowns.

“The chemistry is kind of eerie, almost in the sense that we see the same things on the field without having to say anything,” Luke Barthelmess said of Mazur.

Mazur started his career at Lawrence as a quarterback and was the starter in 2010. Luke Barthelmess then won the job in 2011, and Mazur immediately became the go-to guy at receiver. The Vikings also use Mazur at quarterback in the red zone and in short-yardage situations because of his superlative running ability.

“The thing I love most about Tyler is that he’s unselfish,” said Mike Barthelmess, who said Mazur stands out as a mentor to the incoming players. “It’s really cool to see how he’s giving of himself to his teammates.”

Any animosity that could have remained after Mazur and Barthelmess battled for the quarterback job melted in a close friendship. They are the first players on the practice field and the last to leave. They talk about practice, play catch and generally act like the great friends they’ve become.

“That happens pretty much every day,” Mazur said. “We toss it around. Play a little long toss and chat about practice. First on the field, last off the field, just trying to get every little bit out of it. We’ve become friends. We’re not trying to battle against each other. We’re trying to work with each other.”

Luke Barthelmess and Mazur also share an extreme passion for football. That has helped forge their friendship, and it also has taught them that every moment spent with the team is precious.

“You don’t want to feel you’ve wasted a minute,” Luke Barthelmess said. “We’re going into my junior year here, and I know I’m going to blink and it’s going to be this time next year. I’m terrified to think I might waste a minute.”

Vikings hit the road

Most of Lawrence’s fall sports teams open on the road this weekend. The volleyball team is playing four matches in Virginia, and the women’s soccer is headed to the Chicago suburbs for a pair of matches. Cross country is closer to home as it participates in the Tom Barry Invitational in Green Bay. Men’s soccer is at home when it opens its season on Friday against Northland International on Whiting Field West.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Director of Athletic Media Relations Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.