Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
On a night when a full house at Klas Field honored one of the best defensive football teams in Hamline history -- the 1966 team that won the MIAC championship -- there was plenty of offense on display as well.
Justice Spriggs passed for four touchdowns and Jaimen Hampton (pictured) ran for 99 yards and a score as the Pipers turned back St. Olaf, 34-16 for a happy Homecoming, indeed. Hamline improved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the MIAC with a solid effort that included 28 first downs and 433 yards total offense.
Spriggs was 20-for-28 for 248 yards and maintained his lead in the MIAC for yardage per game at 312.6. His four scoring strikes moved him into a tie with St. John's Jackson Erdmann for the league lead with 15. Hampton shared the spotlight with a game high 99 yards rushing. Included in that effort: a 17-yard scoring run in the second quarter.
Hamline got the ball rolling when Spriggs hooked up with Josiah Harris for a 11-yard score midway in the first quarter. On the first play of the second stanza, the pair did it again from the exact same distance. The Oles got within six at 13-7 only to see Hampton, who had rushed for just 79 yards all season prior to this game, break free for his score late in the half. St. Olaf kicked a field goal on the last play of the half to send teams to the locker room with the score 20-10.
The Piper took the second half and marched the length of the field, finishing with Spriggs connecting with Nick Kampa for a 30-yard score. The soph signal caller then capped his night with a 14-yarder to Harrison Jones on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The defense bent at times but rarely broke, They recorded four sacks, six tackles for loss, three QB hurries, forced a fumble and intercepted a pass. Zach Schwalbach led the way with 11 tackles (seven solo, four assists). Jonny Nguyen had two tackles for loss and Mitchell Maday added to his MIAC lead in sacks with his seventh of the season.
It was all achieved before an exuberant crowd that honored 30 returning members of the past champs -- including their head coach, 92 year old HU legend Dick Mulkern -- in a halftime ceremony.
Hamline is 4-0 at Klas this year. They now head on the road for the next two weeks. On October 15, they visit Concordia (3-2, 2-1 MIAC) in Moorhead for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff. On October 22, they travel to MIAC leader and nationally ranked St. Thomas.