Earlier this week Macalester Scots Coach Tony Jennison praised the progress of his senior quarterback, Samson Bialostok, speaking of how the QB has really been stepping up his game over the last three contests. After one quarter on Saturday he didn’t just step up his game; he scaled a mountain.

The senior led three first quarter touchdown drives where none lasted longer than 1:03. He moved the ball with his legs and with his arm, making big play after big play, on the way to giving his team a 26-0 lead before the first quarter ended. It was his most dominating performance of the season, and it took less than a half to make it happen.

The Scots received the ball to begin the game and started their opening drive from their own 36. On the first play RB Zandy Stowell rushed for seven-yards. On the second play Bialostok kept the ball and raced 57-yards for a touchdown. The game was less than a minute old and the team already led 7-0.

On Lawrence’s first possession they were shut down by a relentless Scots defense that forced a three-n-out. The punt was downed at the Macalester 31-yard line. Time to turn to a tried and true script. Stowell took the first play and rushed for five yards, setting up a second and five. Bialostok then faded back to pass and hit a wide open Garrett Eichhorn in stride for a 64-yard score and a 14-0 lead. Two plays, 69 yards and just 45 seconds off of the clock. The senior was clearly feeling it.

With so much momentum going his way, Coach Jennison decided to roll the dice on an onside kick, which was successfully recovered by Philip Wettersten at the Vikings 41. Bialostok then led a “lengthy” 3:09 drive that led to a 31-yard field goal by Michael Abramson to make it 17-0.

Each team was forced into a three-n-out on their next drives, and on the following possession for Lawrence they were forced to punt after three plays as well, however a bad snap went over the punters head and out of the end zone, costing the Vikings a safety and moving the score to 19-0. That would give the ball back to Bialostok, and after being forced into a three-n-out on the previous drive, he was not going to be denied on this one.

The punt following the safety was returned by Tre Nowaczynski 26-yards to the Lawrence 36. Stowell carried the ball on the first two plays of the drive for five and six yards, giving the Macalester Scots a first down at the Vikings 25. Bialostok then made a perfect pass to Ben Hillman for a 25-yard score, and the lead was 26-0.

Three touchdown drives had lasted seven-plays, moved the ball 191 yards and taken 2:47 of combined time. Bialostok on a roll? You bet!

Before it was all said and done, the Macalester Scots would add one more score. Two possessions after the Bialostok touchdown pass, the team mounted a 10-play, 73-yard drive that ended when Ethan Carpenter scored from three-yards out to make the score 33-0. Nine of the ten plays were rushes, with the 10th being a 24-yard catch and run by Carpenter.

Coming out for the second half the Scots removed both Bialostok and Stowell. The game was well in hand, and there was no point in risking injury to either one of them. On the day Bialostok finished 4-6 for 132 yards and two touchdowns. A ridiculous 22.0 average yards per attempt. He also had two carries for 58 yards and another touchdown. Stowell finished with six carried for 35 yards.

For the rest of the game the Macalester Scots relied on their defense to close out the game, and that is exactly what they did. Coach Marshall Mullenbach’s defense allowed just 26 yards rushing on 35 carries, and 238 total yards of offense. The Vikings finished with just 13 first downs and not one of their drives lasted even four minutes.

For the Scots, it was their second straight shutout at home, following a 34-0 win over Knox College. The shutout was a complete effort from the entire team as many of the starters were done at half, thus leaving their bench to close out the shutout. That is just what they did. Nicholas Egersdorf came off the bench to lead the team with seven tackles and a forced fumble. Cash McGregor had five tackles and two pass break-ups.

Riding a five-game winning streak that has moved the Macalester Scots to 6-1, they will welcome Carroll University to town next weekend in a game that will decide the North Division of the Midwest Conference. Both teams are undefeated in conference play, and this should be one of the most exciting games of the year.

By Robert Pannier