The Hamline Pipers are quickly establishing that they are for real this season. After downing Minnesota-Morris last weekend 40-7, the Pipers defense came up big again, holding the defending Midwest Conference Champion Macalester Scots to 158 yards of total offense in the 27-10 victory at Macalester. That moved Hamline to 2-0 and dropped the Scots to 0-2.

The game got off to a tough start for the Hamline Pipers when their opening drive stalled, and the punt was blocked by Fabian Arrizon. The ball was recovered at the Hamline 15, and five plays later the Scots got a 36-yard field goal from Ben Haltmaier to make it 3-0 Macalester.

Neither team was able to move the ball well for most of the rest of the first quarter, but just before the first 15-minute segment ended, Hamline began a drive from their own 42-yard-line that would finally get them on the board. Kyle Johnson completed a 12-yard pass to Ryan Ferkinhoff on the drive’s first play, moving the Pipers into Scots territory. The second quarter began with Hamline at third and 9, but Johnson bailed them out with a 45-yard strike to Naji El-Araby for the touchdown, making it was 7-3 Hamline.

The defensive battle continued through much of the second quarter, but the Hamline Pipers would add one more score before intermission, as the arm of Johnson led to another touchdown.

The Pipers took possession of the ball at midfield with 1:51 left to play in half No. 1. Johnson faded back to pass and found Nick Kampa for the touchdown, and just nine seconds into the drive they had another score. Zach Hauser blocked the extra point for Macalester, making it 13-3.

That kind of score so late in the half would have crushed a lot of lesser teams, but not the Scots. Following the ensuing kickoff, they took over at their own 42. QB Christian Adams methodically and quickly moved the team down the field, completing each of his three passes to move the ball to the Hamline 29. With only about half a minute left in the half, Adams was sacked making the odds of capitalizing minimal, but the sophomore remained incredibly poised and hooked up with Sam Bordo on the next play for 35-yards and the touchdown. That made it 13-10 heading into half.

In the second half the Hamline Pipers took over. The defense for the visitors held Macalester to just 53 second-half yards on 27-plays. It seemed that Adams had no time to throw the ball and there was no room for the Macalester running backs to run.

Meanwhile the Hamline Pipers would add two more scores. On the Pipers first drive of the second half, Johnson used his arms and his legs to lead the team to the score. The Pipers QB completed two passes for 23-yards, and he also rushed for 18 more, including a 13-yarder for a touchdown. His pass to El-Araby gave Hamline the two-point conversion and it was 21-10.

In the fourth quarter, Johnson led a 6-play, 50-yard drive that resulted in another touchdown. The QB was 3-5 on the drive for 50 yards. A nine-yard pass to Nick Kampa gave the Pipers the score, and they missed the extra-point to make it 27-10.

Austin Duncan, the school’s all-time leading rusher, gained 119 yards on 30 carries for Hamline. Kampa had 7 receptions for 100 yards and 2 TDs. Johnson was 19-29 for 301 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The defense for the Hamline Pipers recorded six sacks on the evening and made two interceptions. The Scots gained just 43-yards on the ground, as star running back Zandy Stowell was out with a hamstring injury.

Next week the Macalester Scots travel to Galesburg to take on Knox College.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier