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CROOKSTON, Minn. – Augustana's defense made two big first quarter stops and the Viking offense responded with 54 unanswered points in a 54-0 season-opening victory over Minnesota Crookston on Saturday. Augustana (1-0) has shut-out Minnesota Crookston (0-1) in five straight games, out-scoring the Golden Eagles 270-0 in those meetings.
Augustana has now won three straight season-opening games, moving to 48-41-4 all-time and 5-1 in season openers since joining the NSIC in 2008.
Minnesota Crookston put the Vikings on their heels twice in the first quarter with drives of 15 and nine plays but Augustana's defense forced a punt and stopped the Golden Eagles on fourth down deep in Viking territory. UMC had nine first downs in the first quarter alone, but finished the first half with 12.
Trey Heid led the Viking offense with poise completing 20 of 31 passes for 288 yards matching his career-high with three touchdowns while running for 29 yards and a score as well.
After
Dajon Newell left the game due to injury,
CJ Ham controlled the ground game rushing for a career-high 146 yards and two touchdowns. The 100-yard rushing performance marked the second career for Ham and the first by a Viking player since
Dajon Newell rushed for 165 yards in the season finale against Southwest Minnesota State on Nov. 10, 2012.
Matt Gerry was one of three Viking receivers to haul in a touchdown this afternoon. Gerry finished with a career-high 82 receiving yards while grabbing one touchdown pass.
Matt Heller caught his first career touchdown pass to go along with a career-high 71 receiving yards and
Grant Gebhardt caught five passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Augustana had great field position to start the game after a three-and-out and a short punt,
Lucas Wainman gave the Vikings a 3-0 lead with a 52-yard field goal just over two minutes into the game. Wainman has hit two 50-plus yard field goals in his career at Augustana, including a school record 53-yarder in last year's season opener.
Just one play into the second quarter the Vikings went in front 10-0 when Heid found Gerry for a 21-yard touchdown pass to cap-off a seven-play 70-yard drive.
Minnesota Crookston started its next drive at its own 16 yard line and drove into Augustana territory once again but a Dre Person fumble which was recovered by Augustana's
Ben Skelly ended the threat and set up Augustana's second touchdown of the afternoon.
Skelly finished the game with seven tackles (one for loss) an a fumble recovery for the Vikings.
Nate Kirby led the Vikings with eight tackles, including four solo, and
Garrett Earl added seven (five solo).
Heid scampered for a 15-yard touchdown with 6:22 left in the first half giving the Vikings a 17-0 lead and then led the Vikings on a 10-play 80-yard drive with 1:28 left in the half ending with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Heller to put Augustana up 24-0 at the half.
The Vikings started with the ball in the second half and after a 22-yard run in the middle of a nine-play 65-yard drove, Ham took one into the end zone from 18 yards and the Vikings took a 30-0 lead after the extra point attempt failed following a bad snap.
The Vikings went on to add 10 more points, including a 32-yard field goal by Wainman, to take a 40-0 lead into the fourth quarter.
Augustana took the ground in the fourth quarter as
Justin Greenway rushed 14 times for 84 yards and a touchdown and the Vikings extended their lead to 54-0 on rushing touchdowns by Ham and Greenway.
The Vikings return to Sioux Falls next Saturday as they will host No. 3 Minnesota Duluth at 1:05 p.m. at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
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