SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Augustana scored 41 points in the first half, while holding Minnesota, Crookston (0-3, 0-3 NSIC) to 84 yards in the half, on its way to a 61-0 victory over the Golden Eagles. Augustana (2-1, 2-1 NSIC) recorded its first shutout since a 32-0 win over Upper Iowa on Nov. 13, 2010.

The 61 points scored by Augustana is the most since a 47-17 win over MSU Moorhead on Oct. 23, 2010 and the most points scored by a team at Kirkeby-Over Stadium, which opened in 2009.

Augustana finished the game with a season-high 530 yards of total offense, including 319 yards on the ground. Dajon Newell led the Vikings with 122 rushing yards. Freshman brother's Jason and Justin Greenway saw their first time on the field against the Golden Eagles.

Justin Greenway finished the game with 85 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

Josh Hanson finished the game 13 of 20 passing for 195 and four touchdowns. Grant Gebhardt led the Viking receivers with 60 yards on four catches and a touchdown. Noah Huisman caught three passes for 50 yards and a score.

Senior tight end Isaac Jorgensen caught his first touchdown pass of the season on an 11-yard reception in the second quarter.

Austin Luecke led the Viking defense with 11 tackles, including five solo tackles. Luecke also ran back an interception 42 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Thomas Vanasek finished with eight tackles and an interception.

Augustana started off the game with great field position, after a short opening kickoff and a15-yard facemask penalty, the Vikings opening drive started at their own 45-yard line. It took just five plays for the Vikings to go 55 yards for the game's first touchdown. Hanson found Gebhardt all alone in the corner of the end zone on a fade route, giving the Vikings a 7-0 lead at the 12:33 mark of the first quarter.

The Golden Eagles picked up a first down on its first possession on a 21-yard run by Haley but Andy Jirik and Jake Lee came up with a big sack on third and long, forcing UMC to punt. The Vikings were called for running into the kicker on the ensuing punt and took over at their own 30-yard line.

Hanson found Gerry in the middle of the field who put a move on the UMC defensive back finding his way into the end zone for his first career touchdown to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead with 8:11 left in the first quarter.

Newell found the end zone for the first time of the season in the first quarter. Newell took a 30-yard carry to the UMC nine yard line then crossed the goal line on a nine-yard carry on the next play to give the Vikings a 21-0 lead.

Newell plunged into the end zone, giving the Vikings a 28-0 lead, on a one-yard carry three plays into the second quarter for his second touchdown of the game.

Isaac Jorgensen caught his first touchdown pass of the season on an 11-yard reception from Hanson with 5:35 remaining in the first half. Behrens missed the extra point and the Vikings took a 34-0 lead.

The Vikings extended their lead to 41-0 after a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown by Austin Luecke. It marked the first career touchdown for Luecke, on his second career interception.

Augustana took a 41-0 lead into halftime after a failed field goal attempt as time expired. After a bad snap on the field goal attempt, Minnesota, Crookston returned the dropped snap 38-yards to the Augustana 37-yard line where Nick Lee was able was able to chase him down and make the tackle to end the half. Augustana was nine points shy of tying a school record for most points in a half. The Vikings scored 49 points in a 70-0 win over Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 8, 2001.

Newell rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries all in the first quarter. Newell has rushed for 100 or more yards twice this season, and six times in his career.

Augustana held Minnesota, Crookston to 84 yards of total offense in the first half. Luecke and Thomas Vanasek led the Viking defense with five tackles in the half.

Hanson was 9 of 14 passing in the first half for 132 yards and three touchdowns.

Minnesota, Crookston started off the second half with a 17-play 55-yard drive that stalled at the Augustana 20-yard line. The Golden Eagles were set up with a fourth and 12 situation and had an open Josh Perea in the end zone, but Vanasek knocked down the Derek Stewart pass to thwart the fourth-down attempt.

The Vikings answered with a long drive of their own going 80 yards on 12 plays that ended with Hanson tossing his fourth touchdown of the game to Noah Huisman on an 18-yard connection. Hanson has now thrown three or more touchdown passes in a game eight times in his career. This is the second game this season that Hanson has thrown four touchdown passes, the first coming in the season-opener against Northern State.

Tanner Foth came in to run the offense in the fourth quarter and led the Vikings on a 6-play 65-yard drive that he ended on a 19-yard touchdown run with 7:50 left to play in the game. The touchdown was the first of his career.

Augustana got a lot of new players on the field late in the game allowing Jason Greenway to run for a 60-yard touchdown with 1:05 remaining in the game to give the Vikings a 61-0 lead after an extra point by Behrens.

Augustana rushed for a season-high 319 yards, with eight different players gaining yards on the ground for the Vikings.

The Vikings will now travel to Minnesota Duluth next weekend to take on the second-ranked Bulldogs at 6 p.m.

Courtesy:  Augustana College

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