Panthers have record-setting SLIAC debut against Blackburn
Sept. 27, 2008

CARLINVILLE, Ill. – LaGrange College made its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference debut with a 61-0 rout of Blackburn College on Saturday. The Panthers set 19 individual and team records in winning their second straight game and improving their record to 3-1. Blackburn dropped to 1-3 on the season.

LaGrange rolled up 435 yards of total offense, including a record 268 yards on the ground. The total surpassed what the Panthers had rushed for in the three previous games combined. Junior Mario Wallace re-set his single game high with 149 yards on 17 carries and three touchdowns. Freshman Gerald Reed ran for 95 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown.

The Panther defense had its most dominating performance in recording the team's first ever shutout. Blackburn finished the game with -10 yards of total offense. The Beavers had only three first downs in the game and two of those were the result of penalties against the Panthers' defense.

The defense also forced a record seven turnovers by the Beavers. The Panthers returned two fumbles for scores and an interception for another. The Beavers were 0-for-12 in third down conversions, the second straight game an opponent has not converted against the Panthers.

In the first half, the Panthers raced to a 41-0 lead. The Panthers scored the first two times they had the ball. Wallace ran 55 yards on the Panthers' third play from scrimmage for a quick 7-0 lead. Drew Carter threw 20 yards to Nick Langley to finish a six-play 66-yard drive to make it 14-0 after the first quarter.

The Panthers' defense broke the game open with three scores in the second quarter. Two of the scores came in a 23-second span to start the quarter. George Okpani scooped up a fumble and returned it 24 yards for the first score. On Blackburn's next play from scrimmage, Jeremy Pickens picked off Chris Farrar's pass and returned it 42 yards to up the Panthers' lead to 28-0.

Later in the quarter, Tim Hill returned another fumble 11 yards to make it 35-0. Wallace closed out the first half scoring blitz with a 20-yard run with 53 seconds left in the half. Wallace finished the half with 143 of his rushing yards.

The Panthers upped the lead to 48-0 in the third quarter. Wallace finished his day with a two-yard run to cap a short 42-yard drive. It was the first third quarter points by the Panthers this season.

The Panthers' reserves closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Brett Mason scored from four yards out and Reed finished the scoring with a 26-yard run for the 61-0 final.

The Panthers stay on the road for the third straight week with a SLIAC game against MacMurray. The Panthers return home Oct. 11 to face Greenville in an SLIAC game.