PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Charles Kobe (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) and Justin McMahon (Sr.-Kyle, Texas) intercepted two passes each on Senior Day and the Lakeland University football team closed out the season with a 35-28 win over Rockford University Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field.
The Muskies defense shut down Rockford quarterback Jaelen Ray, intercepting one of the most prolific passers in NCAA Division III five times, and Lakeland sent out 17 seniors with a win. The Muskies closed the season 4-5 overall and 4-4 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, and ensured a finish ahead of the Regents (4-6 overall, 2-6 NACC) in the final standings.
Ray entered the game seventh in Division III in total passing yards and averaging 290.4 yards per game while completing 68.1% of his passes through the air. On this gray November afternoon, Lakeland held him to 12 of 29 passing for just 141 yards and five interceptions.
Kobe intercepted a pair of passes in the first half, with his first two interceptions of the season both stopping Regents drives early in Rockford's own territory. McMahon also added his first pick of the game late in the half, intercepting a pass in the end zone with 1:07 left in the half to preserve a 13-7 halftime lead.
The Lakeland offense had an uneven first half, first driving 91 yards in 11 plays on the game's opening possession for a 7-0 lead after a 29-yard run by Robby Michael (Jr.-Sheboygan, Wis.). The Muskies gained just 97 yards the rest of the half, though a 43-yard drive in the second quarter ended with Michael running it in from four yards out to make it 13-7.
Lakeland gained some breathing room in the third quarter with another long drive, going 93 yards in eight plays with Michael finding an open Jeremy Kobe (Jr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) down the left sideline for a 24-yard touchdown. Michael's two-point conversion pass to Kolby Cohen (Sr.-Missouri City, Texas) also was successful in making the score 21-7 with 5:33 left in the third.
McMahon then intercepted his second pass of the game and sixth of the season to thwart another Regents drive, turning his head and coming up with an underthrown ball at the Rockford 7. The Muskies then went on another 93-yard drive, taking 10 plays and scoring on a Jatron Bevly (Jr.-Springfield, Ill.) 11-yard run to go up 28-7 early in the fourth quarter.
Rockford would not go quietly, scoring three times in the fourth quarter, including Jack Carey scoring on runs of six and 13 yards to close the Regents within 28-20. Lakeland answered with an 11-play, 66-yard drive with Michael scoring his third TD of the game from four yards out to open the lead back to 35-20 with 6:19 left in the game.
The Muskies then intercepted Ray for the fifth time with Markese Collins (Jr.-Phenix City, Ala.) doing the honors picking off a pass deep over the middle to seemingly close it out. Rockford got the ball back again with 2:21 left, though, and went 74 yards in just 1:20, with Ray hitting Carey for a 15-yard score out of the backfield. Ray also found Carey for a two-point conversion to make it 35-28 with just over a minute left and setting up a final onside kick attempt. Lakeland's Mason Motquin (Fr.-Forestville, Wis.) quickly recovered the kick, though, and the Muskies were able to run out the clock.
Michael finished the game rushing 38 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns. With his second career 200-yard rushing game, he finished the season with 1,006 yards rushing, becoming the eighth Lakeland player and first quarterback to top 1,000 yards rushing in a season. Michael also finishes his junior season with 2,669 career yards rushing, and on Saturday passed both Pat Curran (2,502 yards from 1966-68) and Craig Buzea (2,585 from 1981-84) to move into fourth on the Muskies' career rushing list.
Bevly also added 20 carries for 87 yards in his final game, and as a team Lakeland rushed for 310 yards, contributing heavily to the Muskies holding possession for 37:49. Michael had slower going through the air, completing 12 of 27 passes for 99 yards, with Jeremy Kobe catching five passes for 54 yards.
Karlis Ozols (Sr.-Fond du Lac, Wis.) finished with 12 tackles (seven solo, two assisted), with two tackles for loss including the Muskies' lone sack. Matt Glogowski (Sr.-San Diego, Calif.) added eight tackles (six solo, two assisted) and Jake Leclaire (Sr.-Stuart, Fla.) finished with seven tackles.
Carey rushed 32 times for 153 yards for Rockford, while Joey Alvarez led the Regents defense with 19 tackles (16 solo, three assisted), including a pair of forced fumbles.