Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
GALESBURG, Illinois - The Prairie Fire used a smash-mouth rushing attack to score all six of their touchdowns, including five through the first two quarters to take a commanding 35-0 lead at the half.
Both teams turned the football over on their opening drives, but Knox turned the Vikings' first miscue into points. First-year quarterback Matt Mc Caffrey scored on a 1-yard keeper with 4:22 left in the first quarter and Knox led 7-0 following the PAT kick by first-year Drake Sykes.
First-year running back Terry White began his huge afternoon by busting loose for a 21-yard touchdown run with 30 seconds to go in the quarter. He topped that by breaking tackles and racing 47 yards to pay dirt with 11:38 remaining in the second quarter. Sykes connected on the extra-point kicks for a 21-0 Prairie Fire lead.
Knox (2-1) scored 14 more points in the final 2:09 of the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Mc Caffrey and a 13-yard rush by senior Adam Brooking. Sykes finished the half 5-for-5 on PAT kicks as the Prairie Fire held an insurmountable lead at the break.
Lawrence (1-2) dashed any hopes of a Knox shutout when quarterback Chance Byrd, under pressure, found Trevor Spina open in the middle of the field and he ran for an 80-yard touchdown with 7:39 remaining in the third period. The extra point kick trimmed the Prairie Fire lead to 35-7.
Knox answered with a field goal by Sykes from 24-yards out with 1:39 in the third to extend the lead to 38-7.
Both teams added a touchdown in the fourth quarter to account for the final score.
Byrd scored on a 15-yard run less than a minute in to bring Lawrence a little closer, 38-14.
White came back with a 67-yard touchdown run, his third of the game, with 11:38 to play and Sykes banged home the extra point to arrive at the final score.
White finished with 176 yards on 15 carries while Brooking had 17 carries for 104 yards.
The Prairie Fire churned out 502 total yards of offense and held the Vikings to 226. Knox rushed for 345 while Mc Caffrey was 12-of-19 passing for 157 yards. Junior Ilir Emini led the receivers with nine catches and 75 yards.