SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University football team registered 13 unanswered points down 20-12 with almost 12:00 remaining in the fourth quarter, and stopped Minnesota Morris on the final two drives. It culminated in Caleb Lueders' game-ending interception in the end zone that locked a 25-20 victory for the Pipers at Klas Field on Saturday.
Hamline improves to 2-0 for the fourth-straight season, while Minnesota Morris falls to 1-1.
Hamline 25, Minnesota Morris 20
Isaiah Watson's 28-yard kickoff return gave Hamline good field position on their opening drive that started at their own 48 yard line. That eight-play, 52 yard series ended with a seven-yard touchdown run from senior quarterback Alejandro Villanueva that gave Hamline a 6-0 lead with 10:19 left in the first quarter, before they failed a two-point attempt.
Cougars running back Izayah Boss, who finished with 257 yards and two touchdowns in the contest, racked up 54 on their first try on offense. It ended with a 41-yard run that gave Morris a 7-6 lead with 8:01 remaining in the opening quarter.Â
The Pipers ate up 6:33 of clock on their next drive, where Villanueva completed 5-of-7 passes for 44 yards. It ended with a 15-yard touchdown connection with Dawson Schaffer that gave Hamline a 12-7 lead with 1:23 remaining in the opening frame, where things remained at halftime.Â
The Cougars capitalized on their first drives of the third and fourth quarters. Boss's 47 yards in the third quarter's opening drive set up quarterback Ethan Klimek's 13-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Tang that gave Morris a 13-12 edge with 11:22 on the clock. They widened their lead to 20-12 off Boss's 65-yard touchdown run with 11:50 remaining in the fourth.
This ignited a Hamline squad who responded with 13 unanswered points behind two scoring drives and two big stops.Â
Nicholas Vasko and Malik Wynn combined for 41 yards rushing on the next series. It included a two-yard touchdown plunge from Vasko that narrowed Hamline's deficit to 20-18 with 4:39 left in the contest.Â
The Pipers defense stopped Morris on a three-and-out behind a pair of Elijah Gingras tackles. It gave Hamline the ball back with 2:45 left. Vasko's 36 yards rushing on Hamline's final offensive series set up Villanueva's four-yard touchdown pass to Schaffer that gave them a 25-20 lead with 0:25 remaining.Â
The Cougars managed to get four plays off within the final 0:18, which included Caleb Lueders' game-ending interception on Klimek's Hail Mary attempt to lock Hamline a 25-20 win.
Vasko led the Pipers on the ground with 124 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries. Schaffer continued his strong start to the season with five receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Villanueva completed 14-of-21 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
Gingras led the Hamline defense with eight tackles, while Croix Zacharias had six stops and one interception. Lueders had Hamline's other interception.
The Pipers will open MIAC play against Carleton for Homecoming at Klas Field on Saturday, September 28 at 1 p.m.
