Foresters Open Midwest Conference Play With a 20-7 Win at Grinnell
Furlong scores twice, sets career-high in rushing yards   

Devin Furlong had rushing touchdowns in the second and third quarters in Saturday's win.

GRINNELL, IA – The Lake Forest College football team improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the Midwest Conference after defeating Grinnell College 20-7 on Saturday (September 10). Grinnell fell to 0-2 overall and in league play.

Lake Forest was led offensively by junior running back Devin Furlong (Lake Worth, FL/Cardinal Newman), who finished the afternoon with a career-high 94 rushing yards on 15 carries and a pair of touchdowns. Junior quarterback Matt Mahaney (West Chicago, IL/Addison Driscoll) connected on nine of his intended 22 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown. Three of Mahaney’s completions, including the touchdown pass, landed in the hands of senior wide receiver Jeff Huebner (Antioch, IL/Antioch), who finished the afternoon with 51 yards.

The Forester defense was anchored by junior linebacker Ryan Gallegos’s (Plantation, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas) team-high 11 tackles. Sophomore defensive back Jim Werner (Davie, FL/Nova) finished second with eight stops.

Lake Forest’s first four drives ended in punts, but the Forester offense kicked into gear midway through the second period. Starting at the Pioneers’ 46, Mahaney hit senior wide receiver A.J. Rodino (Elkhart, IN/Elkhart Memorial) for back-to-back receptions totaling 38 yards, which positioned the offense on the home team’s eight yard line. The Foresters advanced to the five after a three-yard rush, then Furlong barreled through the Grinnell line for the game’s first touchdown. After the successful extra point kick, Lake Forest led 7-0.

The score remained that way until late in the third quarter, when senior defensive back Keith Hanson (Fairfax, VA/Vermont Academy) picked off a Grinnell pass at the Lake Forest 41 and returned it 36 yards. From the Pioneers’ 23, Furlong recorded a five-yard carry, then found a hole and scored his second touchdown of the game on an 18-yard rush. After another good extra point kick, Lake Forest’s lead jumped to 14-0. After missing the team’s opener last week against Macalester College, Hanson recorded seven tackles, three pass deflections, and his third career interception in the game.

However, Grinnell responded on its ensuing drive with a touchdown as time expired in the third quarter to cut the Foresters’ lead in half, but Lake Forest added its third and final touchdown on the opening drive of the fourth period. The drive featured a pair of rushes totaling eight yards, and three Mahaney-to-Huebner connections: a seven-yard catch, a 34-yard pass play, and a ten-yard touchdown grab, to put the Foresters up 20-7, the game’s final score.

Lake Forest amassed 183 rushing yards in the contest, and held its opponent to only 51. The Foresters notched three interceptions and the same number of tackles for loss.

The team will look to stay perfect on the season on Saturday (September 17) as Lake Forest will battle conference foe Beloit College. The Foresters have taken the last five contests against the Buccaneers, which include last year’s 26-15 win. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m.

Box Score