MEQUON, Wis. – The CUW football team took back the Luther Cup on a windy Saturday afternoon at Tomasini Stadium in a matchup with Wisconsin Lutheran with a 45-21 victory to send the Falcons to 8-1 on the year and 6-1 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.
The Blue and White opened the day with a celebration of the senior class that not even a torrential downpour could dampen.
The Falcons kicked off the scoring in the first quarter with the only points of the frame with a one-yard rush from senior quarterback James Linn (Chino Hills, Calif.). The touchdown came after a seven-play, 42-yard drive. Sophomore Zach Heinen (Sand Springs, Okla.) scored the extra-point opportunity.
In the second quarter, the Falcons took the 10-0 lead after a 26-yard field goal from Heinen after an 85-yard drive by the Falcon offense.
Wisconsin Lutheran cut the Falcon lead to three with a touchdown with nine minutes left in the quarter.
Junior Ashar Thomas (Punta Gorda, Fla.) found the endzone in the second quarter with a two-yard touchdown run. Heinen made the extra-point attempt after the 13-play, 76-yard Falcon drive.
Wisconsin Lutheran pulled it back to within three with the final score of the first half on a three-yard rush with 45 seconds left in the half. The Falcons held the lead into the locker room with a score of 17-14.
The Blue and White blew the game open in the second half with 28 points to the Warrior seven.
Ashar Thomas struck again with an 11-yard run after a 75-yard drive to put the Falcons up 24-14. Senior Geoffrey Mazur (Baton Rouge, La.) followed that up with a 40-yard touchdown four minutes later. Junior Samuel Campbell Jr. (Milwaukee, Wis.) scored the lone Falcon touchdown in the air with a 57-yard snag from Linn in a two-play drive. Heinen made all three extra points in the third quarter.
The Warriors closed out the quarter with a 44-yard rushing touchdown.
Junior Michael Joshua Jr. (Richton Park, Ill.) was the third Falcon running back with a touchdown after a one-yard rush for the final Falcon score which came in the first minute of the fourth quarter.
The Falcons closed the door on the Warriors with an interception from Jakryi Moore.
James Linn recorded 241 yards in the air and 24 yards on the ground with one passing and one rushing touchdown.
Ashar Thomas led the Falcon ground game with 161 yards on 24 rushing attempts and two touchdowns.
Freshman Jason Leonard (Tampa, Fla.) led the Falcon receivers with 115 yards on two catches and a long of 73 yards. Campbell Jr. was close behind with two catches for 68 yards.
Heinen finished the matchup 6-6 on extra points and 1-1 in field goals with a 26-yarder.
Senior Paul Ball (Kenosha, Wis.) led the Falcon defense with one sack and three tackles for loss.
The Falcons will finish their regular season at Aurora for the NACC crown on Saturday afternoon.
