ST PAUL, Minn. — The Hope College football team made its first trip to Minnesota a memorable one.
The Flying Dutchmen marched into the end zone on the game's opening drive and cruised to a 56-7 win at the University of Northwestern (Minnesota) on Saturday in St. Paul.
Hope wrapped up the non-league portion of its schedule with a 3-1 record. The Flying Dutchmen kick off league play on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 3 p.m. at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium against Adrian College.
"It was a no-doubter," head coach Peter Stuursma said of the first of the Flying Dutchmen's six first-half scoring drives. "There was balance getting chunks of yardage between the run and pass. The defense stepped up, and we got the ball back. We went right back down the field in eight plays and 71 yards.
"It was a big relief for our guys that we can do this. We had a bad taste in our mouths after last week. We put it behind us."
In its first game within the state of Minnesota, Hope bounced back from a 33-28 loss at Mount St. Joseph University (Ohio) on September 17 with touchdowns from seven different players.
Wide receiver Terrell Harris (Whitehall, Michigan / Whitehall HS) opened the scoring with a 6-yard touchdown off a shovel pass from quarterback Chase Brown (Comstock Park, Michigan / Comstock Park).
Harris, a junior, topped the Flying Dutchmen with five receptions and 91 receiving yards.
Running back Elijah Smith (Hastings, Michigan / Hastings) capped the second scoring drive with a 10-yard run.
Hope pushed ahead 21-0 with 1 ½ minutes remaining in the first quarter on a 5-yard Brown touchdown pass to tight end Chase Frantti (Spring Grove, Illinois / Culver Academies). It was Frantti's first career touchdown.
The Flying Dutchmen tacked on three more touchdowns during the second quarter for a 42-0 halftime lead.
- 24-yard pass from Brown to wide receiver Carter Nofziger (West Branch, Michigan / Ogemaw Heights)
- 1-yard run from running back Ja'Kaurie Kirkland (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Northview)
- 12-yard run from quarterback Chance Strickland (Mason, Michigan / Mason).
During the second half, running back Dan Romano (Royal Oak, Michigan / Shrine Catholic) and Kirkland both scored on five-yard runs.
The Flying Dutchmen kept Northwestern (0-4) off the scoreboard until 3:21 remaining in the fourth quarter when Bryson James caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Caden Cantrell.
Linebacker Luke Palmer (Fort Wayne, Indiana / Homestead) led Hope with nine tackles and one sack.
Cornerback Adam VanderKooy (Indianapolis, Indiana / Brebeuf Jesuit) intercepted a pass for the fourth consecutive game.
VanderKooy now has five interceptions on the season. Joe Diekevers holds the school record with nine interceptions during the 2004 season.
