It isn’t often that a headline for a victory would be almost identical to the one from the previous week, but the Macalester Scots, behind senior running back Zandy Stowell, have found their swagger on the ground again. After getting a 191-yard performance from Stowell to sink the Buccaneers last week, the Scots took to the ground again against another nautically named team, this time downing the Lawrence University Vikings 35-7, with freshman quarterback Alec Beatty aiding in leading the charge.

The first quarter ended scoreless as both team’s defenses set the tone early. In the second quarter the Fighting Scots took the lead with two touchdowns coming courtesy of their freshman quarterback.

The first score came just 17-seconds into the second quarter. Macalester began their fourth possession of the game at their own 25-yard line, with just 38-seconds left in the quarter. Stowell gained 12-yards on the first two plays of the drive, but then senior Benny Goldman was sacked, setting up a second and 20. Beatty replaced Goldman at the quarterback position and, on his first carry of the game, he found a hole and ran 73-yards virtually untouched to give the Scots the 7-0 lead.

The Macalester defense forced a punt on the next possession for Lawrence, but a fumble on the punt return gave the Vikings the ball at the Scots 19. They would take full advantage of this opportunity, as quarterback Ryan Butterfield found Wes Hetcher for the 19-yard hookup on the first play of the possession to tie the score. It was an amazing turn of events, but the excitement on the Vikings sidelines would quickly be doused.

The Macalester Scots took possession of the ball following the touchdown, and went on another one of their patented extended drives the team became synonymous with last season. This time they moved 78-yards in 13-plays for the score, with Beatty scoring from five-yards out to cap off the drive. The freshman quarterback and senior running back led the way on the drive, combining to carry the ball eight times on the possession. Beatty also caught a two-yard pass on the team’s first play of the drive.

Up 14-7 heading into half, this was anyone’s game but, coming out of the locker rooms, the Scots took over the contest, riding the legs of Beatty and Stowell. On Macalester’s second possession of the second half the team went on a nine-play, 77-yard drive that ended with Beatty scoring his third touchdown of the day, this time from three-yards out. Sam Bordo had the first carry of the drive, then it was Stowell and Beatty exclusively. Clearly the Vikings defense was wearing down, and it was only going to get worse.

Up by 14, the Scots would score again on their next possession. Stowell began the drive with a 42-yard carry where he barreled over several Lawrence defenders before finally going down. Six plays later Stowell would have his number called again, scoring from one-yard out to make it 28-7.

In the fourth quarter, Macalester would add their final score of the game. Lawrence went for it on fourth and 7 from their own 37, but Butterfield’s pass fell incomplete. Stowell then scored from 22-yards out to give the Scots a 28-point lead. The exhausted Lawrence defense just had nothing left in the tank, and Stowell showed why he is arguably the best running back in the Midwest Conference.

The two-headed beast of Stowell and Beatty combined for 372-yards on the ground alone. Stowell gained 193-yards and 2 TDs on 25-carries, and Beatty rushed for 179-yards and 3 touchdowns on just 13-carries, a whopping 13.8 yards per carry average. Overall the Macalester Scots gained 416-yards rushing.

The incredible day of the Scots rush attack made for a very well rested Macalester defense, and that showed on the field. The Lawrence University Vikings gained a total of 160-yards. Of the 13 possessions for the Vikings 10 ended in four plays or fewer. It was a truly remarkable performance by the Scots defense.

While having an incredible performance carrying the ball, Beatty also led the Macalester Scots in tackles with 6. Forest Redlin added five, and three others added four.

Read feature on Quarterback Alec Beatty

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier