For the first two weeks of the season, Zandy Stowell was trying to get healthy so that he could be ready to help the Macalester Scots battle to keep their Midwest Conference crown. His first few games back the team found itself in blowouts, so his action was limited, but Saturday afternoon against Beloit the Fighting Scots needed a big day from their star running back and he sure came through, helping Macalester defeat the Beloit Buccaneers 28-14.

The game got off to a fast start for the Fighting Scots. Beloit received the opening kickoff, but the Scots defense came up big when Fabian Arrizon intercepted Danny May on the third play of the game to give Macalester the ball at the Buccaneers 37. Three plays later Stowell found a hole, then was relentless as he rushed 28-yards for the score to stake his team to a 7-0 lead.

On the Buccaneers next possession the Scots defense came up big again, forcing a three-and-out. The punt gave the Macalester Scots good field position at their own 43. Stowell carried the ball on two of the first three plays of the drive, then Jeremy Stephan came up with huge back-to-back runs, gaining 10-yards on his first carry and 13 on the second. That moved the ball to the Beloit 18, and three plays later Stowell crossed the goal line again to make it 14-0.

In the second quarter the Scots extended their lead. Beginning from their own 43-yard line, QB Benny Goldman, making his first start of the season, led his team on an impressive 15-play drive that moved 57-yards in almost seven and a half minutes. Goldman wisely took what the defense was willing to give him all game long, and this drive was a perfect example of that. The senior completed all six of his passes for 4o-yards and Stowell scored from three-yards out to make it 21-0.

The offense was incredibly impressive for the Fighting Scots as was their defense. The Buccaneers had the ball seven times in the first half, and the Scots defense forced three turnovers, two interceptions and a fumble. Six of those seven possessions ended after just three plays or less, and Beloit seemed to have no answers for the Scots defense.

In the third quarter Beloit finally got on the scoreboard, scoring with just 11 seconds left in the third quarter. The Buccaneers mounted an impressive drive, moving 66-yards in six-plays before star running back Mason Dixon scored from 25-yards out. May had a huge 28-yard pass completion on the drive and the visitors looked like they were ready to get right back into this game.

However, the Scots had other plans. Following the Beloit touchdown, Macalester mounted one of their patented 10-play drives that consumed 5:03 off of the clock. The drive went 62-yards before Stowell would add his fourth touchdown of the game from five-yards out.

With 2:46 left in the game the visitors would add one more score. May found Kam Sailee for seven-yards to make it 28-14, but that was as close as Beloit would get.

The Macalester Scots put up 438-yards of total offense led by Stowell, who rushed for 196-yards and 4 TDs on 31-carries. Stephan added 84-yards on 12-carries. Goldman was solid all game, going 15-21 for 108-yards. Tre Nowaczynski finished with 5-catches for 41-yards.

The Scots defense was outstanding, allowing Beloit just 272-yards of total offense and creating five turnovers. Senior Zach Hauser led the defense with 9-tackles and had 2 sacks. Forest Redlin had 8-tackles and forced a fumble. Alec Beatty, the team’s No. 2 quarterback, continues to impress on defense, picking off two passes and recovering a fumble. Elliot Tanin and Arrizon each had an interception as well.

The Macalester Fighting Scots move to 3-3 (1-1) on the season as the head east to face Lawrence next Saturday.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier