Assane Ka Touchdown Celebration - story image
Kelly Cieslak - KeepersbyKelly.com

Preuss, Ka Make History, Crusaders Score First Points

By Zachary Shore

The season of firsts continued for the Madonna University football team as they scored the first points in program history at Cardinal Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a 61-17 loss to No. 6 Concordia University (Mich.).

FIRST POINTS

Despite a 45-0 deficit at halftime, the Blue and Gold continued to compete and showed what the team is capable of as they played the home team to a 10-10 tie in the third quarter, led by the running game. Chrisitan Gaiera got the ball moving with the longest rush of the season, 23-yards, on the second play of the second half, but two plays later Jalen Crawford ripped off a 30-yard rush down to the 22-yard line. Madonna entered the red zone with a pair of two-yard rushes before Moritz Pruess make program history with a 35-yard field goal to get the Crusaders on the board for the first time in 10 quarters.

FIRST TOUCHDOWN

The home team matched the field goal, but the Crusaders kept coming. Assane Ka, in at quarterback for MU, converted a pair of 3rd-and-long plays, one with his legs, the other a 15-yard pass to Gunner Golden, to keep the drive alive. A trick play saw Nick Hastings complete a 30-yard pass to J’Juan Briggs to get down to the 10-yard line and Ka put an exclamation point on the drive with the first touchdown in MU history with a nine-yard run up the middle. 

LET'S DO THAT AGAIN

Kylar Bosak made history on defense with the program’s first interception and Max Morris put an exclamation point on a banner day for the football program as he completed a five-yard pass to Hastings for MU’s second touchdown of the day. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • Starting quarterback Luke Pfromm led the team in passing yards as he finished 5-of-9 for 67 yards with a long of 54, which came in the first half. 
  • Morris finished 6-of-8 for 27 yards
  • Ka was 1-for-2 for 15 yards.
  • Hastings starred on the outside as he finished with two catches for a team-high 59 yards and a touchdown, while also going 1-for-1 for 30 yards.
  • Gaiera also had a big day as he led the team with three receptions and eight rushing attempts for a single-game high 51 yards. 
  • Crawford finished with 37 yards and Ka added 16.
  • Dalen Cobb, who had a dazzling 56 yard punt return, led the team with 12 tackles, eight solo, while Jacob Reyna added eight, seven solo. 
  • Bobby Martin had a team-high two QB hurries while D’Vonta Garrett and Ryan Lozier each recorded a pass breakup.

SAY WHAT?

THROUGH THE LENS

Assane Ka Rollout vs Concordia
Christian Gaiera breaks off a long run vs Concordia
Assane Ka running for touchdown
Assane Ka td celebration 2
Sideline celebration
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The Crusaders will host the program’s first home game on Saturday, April 3 as they host Marian University at Churchill High School with kickoff slated for 12:30 p.m. 

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