lonergan
Ann Leppke
0
Haskell HINU 0-5
65
Winner Quincy QU 2-2
Haskell HINU
0-5
0
Final
65
Quincy QU
2-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HINU Haskell 0 0 0 0 0
QU Quincy 14 21 17 13 65

Game Recap: Football | | Brendan Bittner

Hawks Enjoy Big Homecoming Day With 65-0 Win

QUINCY, Ill. – Quincy University celebrated Homecoming on Saturday (Sept. 27) at Flinn Staduim and the Hawks enjoyed their own festivities on the field, beating Haskell Indian Nations, 65-0.
 
The QU defense turned in its first shutout since Oct. 17, 2011 when it blanked Iowa Wesleyan, 31-0. It was also the largest margin of victory for the Hawks since the program's reinstatement in 1986. The previous record for margin of victory was 59 points in a 65-6 win over Lakeland in 1993.
 
The defense surrendered just 58 total yards and negative-2 yards rushing. The Indians (0-5) picked up just eight first downs and the QU defense forced nine 3-and-outs in the game. The Hawks also forced three turnovers as the Indians reached the QU side of the field just once.
 
The Hawks (2-2) scored nine touchdowns in the game and quarterback Nick Lonergan (Jacksonville, Ill.) got going early. The redshirt-junior went 5-for-7 on the opening drive as the offense came out almost-exclusively through the air and in no-huddle mode. Lonergan capped the drive with a 19-yard scramble for a touchdown.
 
The defense forced the first of 10 Haskell punts on the afternoon on the Indians' first drive and put the ball back into Lonergan's hands. Lonergan had just one incompletion on the next possession, connecting with freshman wide receiver Kody Wood (Jacksonville, Ill.) for 26 yards and hitting sophomore receiver Eric Poindexter (Newport News, Va./Monroe College) on a 22 yard pass to set the Hawks up in the red zone.
 
Three plays later, Lonergan ran it in again from four yards out to push the lead to 14-0.
 
Lonergan was 11-for-15 in the first quarter alone for 133 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
 
Redshirt-freshman corner Kyle Harris (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt West) gave the Hawks possession at their own 8-yard line early in the second quarter by picking off a Maverick Lang pass.
 
The Hawks marched 92 yards down the field as Lonergan found Poindexter on a 24 yard touchdown pass to give QU a 21-0 lead.
 
QU set up in great field position on its next possession after forcing a 3-and-out and redshirt-freshman tailback Chris Harris (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) finished a 37-yard drive with an 11-yard bullish touchdown run. It was his fourth straight game with a rushing touchdown.
 
After another 3-and-out, Poindexter returned a punt 47 yards for a touchdown – the Hawks' first punt return touchdown since Jarrod Sergent did it against McKendree on Oct. 13, 2012. That score gave the Hawks a 35-0 lead going into halftime.
 
Lonergan was 18-for-26 for 232 yards and one passing touchdown in the first half.
 
The Hawks did not attempt a pass in the second half as they turned it over to the offensive line and the ground game.
 
Harris ran the ball five times for 40 yards on the Hawks' first possession of the third quarter, scoring from one yard out to push it to 42-0.
 
Poindexter returned the next punt 35 yards to the Haskell 25-yard line where redshirt-junior Sterling Ross (New Port Richey, Fla./Ridgeview) took over in the backfield. He ran it three times and found paydirt from 14 yards out to give QU a 49-0 lead.
 
The Indians picked up three first downs on their next possession, but were finally forced to punt. The snap sailed through the hands of punter Cory Walkingstick and freshman Leo Nunez (St. Cloud, Fla.) fell on it at the Haskell 16-yard line.
 
Four plays later, redshirt-sophomore Blake Allison (Decatur, Ill./Saint Teresa) nailed his first field goal attempt of the season from 38 yards to give the Hawks a 52-0 lead.
 
Ross would break out a 35-yard rushing touchdown with 8:38 left in the game to make it 58-0. Redshirt-freshman Blake Swearingen (Highland, Ill.) completed the scoring with a one-yard dive that he set up two plays earlier with a 33-yard scamper.
 
Nunez came up with an interception for the Hawks' third forced turnover of the game with 2:20 left to play.
 
Harris ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries to lead a ground attack that finished with 231 yards and seven touchdowns. Ross carried the ball eight times for 72 yards and two touchdowns and Swearingen had 11 carries for 69 yards and a score.
 
Poindexter was QU's leading receiver with four catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt-freshman Evan Powell (St. Clair, Mo.) also had four grabs for 30 yards. Poindexter returned three punts for 102 yards (34 yards per return) and a touchdown.
 
Senior linebacker Dan Camp (Rochester, Ill.) and redshirt-freshman linebacker Nate Rueckemann (McHenry, Ill.) had six tackles apiece to lead the defense, which was able to rotate multiple players at each position. Senior linebacker Ike Onike (Lilburn, Ga./Parkview) and redshirt-sophomore Darius Carey (Florissant, Mo./CBC) each had five stops.
 
The Hawks will return to Great Lakes Valley Conference play for the remainder of the season next Saturday (Oct. 4) when they play host to two-time defending league champion Indianapolis. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
 
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