The Monmouth College football team hit the toughest part of their schedule over the las three weeks of their schedule and came out 1-2. The Scots fell to perennial conference champion St. Norbert 42-28 and then lost their second straight contest by falling to Ripon 27-20. In the final game of the three week stretch, Monmouth punished Lake Forest 41-19.
            On Saturday, Oct. 20, against Lake Forest the Fighting Scots relied heavily on their freshman quarterback Alex Tanney.
            Tanney threw for 369 yards, three scores and one interception. The freshman has been a force in the Monmouth College passing game finding quality targets like sophomores Kyle Wantland and freshmen Mike Blodgett and Matt Shepherd.
            Wantland and Blodgett each had big days for the Scots against the Foresters. Wantland led the team in receptions, bringing in 10 passes for 95 yards. Blodgett was the leader in receiving yards, with four catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
            Fellow freshman, Shepherd, hauled in the other Tanney touchdown pass to go along with his two catches for 78 yards. The pair hooked up for a 54-yard score to open the scoring on just a five-play drive.|
            Shepherd also made the highlight reel for his special teams play. The freshman took the opening kickoff of the second half 76 yards for a score to put the Scots up 20-7.
            The second half turned into the Blodgett-Tanney show as the two hooked up for a pair of touchdowns. In the third quarter Tanney found Blodgett for a six yard score. Then the pair put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter with 72-yard touchdown. The scoring drive went for 93 yards in the closing minutes of the contest.
            The Scots’ defensive secondary stepped up big against the Foresters. Junior Cole Norman had 11 tackles, including eight solo takedowns. Fellow sophomore, Sean Wells, also had 11 tackles.
            Junior linebacker Marc Artozqui had a monster game. The junior had 15 tackles and an interception. The Artozqui interception came while the game was still close in the fourth quarter. The scoreboard read: Monmouth 27, Lake Forest 19, but the Artozqui pick led to a 6-yard touchdown run by junior running back Casey Orwig. This made the score 34-19 and put the game on ice.
            The Scots did not fair as well in the previous week, Saturday, Oct. 13 against Ripon. The Scots were left with their second straight defeat after seeing the Red Hawks score 13 fourth quarter points.
            In the biggest game every year, the Scots fell to St. Norbert 42-28 on Saturday, Oct. 6. Despite the backing of the home crowd Monmouth could not beat the Green Knights, leaving MC 1-10 against St. Norbert over the last 11 years.
            Monmouth’s next game will be on Saturday, Oct. 26 and will be this year’s Homecoming game. The Scots will face off against the Illinois College Blue Boys. Last year the Scots beat IC 17-7 in Jacksonville.
            The Blue Boys hold a record of 4-3 in the Midwest Conference and 4-4 overall. A Monmouth win would be a strong statement that they are still among the Midwest Conference elite despite the two tough conference losses earlier in the year.
            St. Norbert has since clinched the Midwest Conference title by beating Ripon on Oct. 20, 52-27. Monmouth will need some help and must win their remaining games for chances at second in the MWC.

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