Happy Homecoming

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/08/22)---It was all sunshine and happy memories as Concordia rattled off 29 unanswered points and downed Macalester 36-7 in the annual Homecoming game.

If the team win wasn't enough for a Homecoming celebration, then senior running back Peyton Mortenson added the pom-pom on top of the cheer. Mortenson rushed for three touchdowns and a season-high 166 yards to lead the offensive output. He also recorded a personal milestone in the second quarter when he became the 27th player in program history to reach the 1,000-yard rushing mark.

Mortenson needed 24 yards coming into the game to reach the milestone, and now has 1,142 rushing yards.

The win snaps a 2-game losing skid for the Cobbers, and pushed their overall record back over the .500 mark for the season. Concordia is now 3-2 in all games and 1-2 in conference play. CC is 1-0 in divisional play, as Saturday's game was the first for both teams in the Skyline Division of the MIAC.

Concordia finished the game with an edge in almost every statistical category. The Cobbers outgained the Scots 420-236 in total offensive yards, and held the ball for over 38-minutes in the game. CC did not turn the ball over in the contest, while coming away with a fumble recovery and an interception on the very last play of the game.

Concordia rushed the ball 63 times for 306 yards, and went 11-for-15 for 114 yards through the air.

The 306 rushing yards is the second highest total of the season. The Cobbers have now rushed for 1,058 yards on the year which is the most by any team in the league this year.

Macalester (2-3, 0-3 MIAC) was 29-for-48 for 236 passing yards, and only rushed the ball 15 times for 43 yards.

Concordia's Black Shirt defense has only allowed 250 rushing yards all season which is tops in the MIAC and in the Top 15 of Division III.  

The script for a happy Homecoming game was written on the very first possession of the game. The Black Shirts forced the Scots to punt after five plays, and then senior Jackson Haire blocked the ensuing punt, which allowed CC to take over possession of the ball on the Macalester 15-yard line.

Concordia ran the ball three straight times with Mortenson scoring on a 1-yard plunge to open the scoring.

Macalester tied the game on the next possession when they drove the ball 77 yards in nine plays with a 23-yard TD pass capping the stretch.

The teams traded short drives before the Cobbers scored the game-winning touchdown on a 42-yard pass from Cooper Mattern to junior wideout Dawson Schaffer.          

Concordia would be a recipient of a Macalester at the start of the second quarter when the snap back to the punter sailed over his head and out of the end zone.          

The Cobbers would score on their next two possessions to push the halftime lead to 29-7.

The final touchdown of the game came on the first possession of the fourth quarter. Mortenson finished off a 13-play, 81-yard drive with a 7-yard scoring scamper.

Besides the 166 rushing yards from Mortenson, freshman Zavier Carroll ran the ball 13 times and gained 71 yards. Mattern put up 68 yards on 18 carries and had a rushing TD.   

Joey Headrick and Owen Miller both caught a team-high three passes. Headrick came away with 37 receiving yards and Miller had 25.

Noah Jenson led the defense with 9.0 tackles and posted 1.5 tackles for a loss. Fellow senior Ty Moser made 8.0 tackles.

Maverick Cashman came away with a career-high 6.0 tackles, while Stuart DeMerit's second interception of the season finished off the game as the horn sounded in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT: Concordia will travel to Arden Hills to take on No.11-ranked Bethel on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m.