Box Score Hamline racked up 394 yards offense but could not hold off Concordia in the late going, dropping a 30-20 decision to the Cobbers at Klas Field Saturday.
Justice Spriggs threw for 246 yards and hooked up twice with
Philip Sherman (87) for TDs as the Pipers stayed with the Cobbers stride for stride offensively.
Brendan Nachtrieb rushed for a career high 118 yards and
Austin Duncan added to his school record with his 30th career touchdown before 1,841 fans.
The Pipers were full of tricks all days. They started the game with an onside kick that they recovered. But Hu was called for illegal touching and the Cobbers took advantage of the good position to march in for the game's first score. Duncan got that one back with a 10 yard scamper four minutes later. Hamline then marched down the field again, going 91 yards in nine plays, capped by Spriggs connecting with Sherman for the score. The Cobbers responded in kind on a TD pass but
Jack Swanberg blocked his third kick of the year on the extra point try and the wild first quarter ended with HU holding a 14-13 lead.
Concordia scored in the second quarter to take a 20-14 lead into the locker room. Hamline evened matters when Spriggs and Sherman hooked up for a 14 yard score midway in the third quarter. But the extra point try was wide and the game remained tied at 20.
CC untied it with a TD later in the quarter. In the fourth, the Cobbers used up more than eight minutes on the clock for a drive that ended in a field goal that closed down the scoring for the day. In all, Spriggs, making just his second career start, completed 21 of 32 passes and was not intercepted. Sherman was his top target with five grabs for 74 yards.
Hamline was an impressive 3-for-5 on fourth down conversions, including a fake punt that netted
Jordan Deno 23 yards.
Defensively,
Jonny Nguyen led the way with nine tackles, including six solos and 2.5 for loss.
Anthony Hill contributed an interception.
HU is 2-5 overall, 0-5 in the MIAC. They play at St. Olaf next Saturday. Game time is 1:00 p.m.
