Ground Game the Difference as Foresters Pick Up Season's First Win
Head Coach Chad Eisele Records First Career Coaching Victory

MONMOUTH, IL - Lake Forest used a pounding running attack and timely defense to notch their first win of the 2000 season and even their record at 1-1. The Foresters are 1-0 in the Midwest Conference. Monmouth fell to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the MWC.

In the battle of first-year head coaches, Chad Eisele bested Steve Bell. Eisele picked up the first career coaching victory of his two-game career. Eisele was elevated to the head coaching position after three seasons (1997-99) as Lake Forest's defensive coordinator.

Lake Forest out-gained Monmouth 290 yards to 15 yards on the ground for the game. The Foresters have allowed just 102 yards rushing through the season's first two games.

Freshman fullback Tom Starnicky (Oak Lawn, IL/Marist), in his first career start, rushed 20 times for 119 yards. Jason Arendsee (Baraboo, WI/Baraboo) added 92 yards and a score. Four different backs scored rushing touchdowns on the day for Lake Forest.

The Foresters added 127 yards through the air from freshman quarterback Brad Cozzie (Chicago, IL/Mount Carmel), who also started for the first time, and finished with 417 total yards of offense. Cozzie was intercepted three times. Andy Heikes (Palos Heights, IL/Stagg) finished with 80 yards receiving for the second consecutive week. His yards came on just two catches. Monmouth had 326 total yards on the afternoon.

Lake Forest jumped out to an early 17-0 lead, including a 14-0 margin at halftime. Cozzie scored on an eight-yard touchdown run to cap off the Forester's opening drive. 

Arendsee scored on a 40-yard scamper with 4:38 in the second quarter to push the Foresters' lead to 14-0. Monmouth's final drive of the second half ran out of time at the five-yard line and Lake Forest by two scores at the half.

Pat Dunne (Chicago, IL/Marist) connected on a 21-yard field goal with 12:29 in the third quarter to give Lake Forest a 17-0 lead before Monmouth got on the board with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Jon Baikie to Mike Pfeiffer with 8:15 in the third. 

LF sophomore running back Nick Harrison (New Milford, NJ/Dwight-Englewood) opened the scoring in the fourth quarter when he converted a fourth-and-two situation into a 23-yard touchdown run. It was Harrison's first career touchdown. The extra point failed and Lake Forest led 23-7 with just under 11 minutes to play in the game. 

Monmouth pulled within nine points at the 5:10 mark off a nine-yard touchdown pass from Brad Hulke to Preston Eiler, which came after Toby Lannholm intercepted a Lake Forest screen attempt and returned it to the LF nine-yard line. The ensuing two-point conversion failed and Lake Forest held a 23-13 lead. 

After a Lake Forest punt, the Foresters stopped Monmouth on downs and pushed their lead to the final margin of 30-13 on a Jim Smith (Chicago, IL/Mount Carmel) 25-yard touchdown run. 

Defensively for Lake Forest, senior middle linebacker Andy O'Hara (South Bend, IN/Riley) finished with eight tackles, a half-sack, and an interception. Sophomore Ian Thompson (Park Forest, IL/Rich East) recorded two sacks and nine tackles. Casey Urlacher (Lake Bluff, IL/Lovington (NM)) led the team in tackles for the second straight week with 11 total tackles, including eight solos.

For Monmouth, Baikie and Hulke combined to complete 23-of-46 passes for 311 yards. Ryan Wood had eight catches for 140 yards.

Lake Forest will return to action next Saturday (September 23rd) for their Homecoming contest. The Foresters will host Grinnell (1-1, 1-0) at 1:30.

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