With 13 seconds left, St. Norbert pulled off a miraculous victory versus Wisconsin Lutheran. This will rank as an all-time classic.
Fall Football Saturdays
After covering athletics and various levels of professional and college in three sports, I decided to venture out and cover my first NCAA Division 3 football game. I chose St. Norbert College because of its proximity to me and their reputation for treating the media and fans with the utmost of respect. Upon arrival at Schneider Stadium, I was greeted by staff and fans alike. The friendliest of this environment is genuine and you can tell the fanbase is rabid in their adoration for their team.
Lost In the Shuffle
The reason why I started the Add Drop Podcast and accompanying writing was to give schools, regardless of size a platform. Granted, many can cover the bigger schools. Yet, I hold the belief that athletics, at all levels, needs that outlet, the ability to have a voice. What better place to start than De Pere, Wisconsin? Tucked just outside of Green Bay, St. Norbert boasts a proud athletic tradition that extends back decades. The Green Knights remain an integral part of this community, proven by the near-sold out crowd to watch St. Norbert take on Wisconsin Lutheran College.
More Than Bucky
Living up in Wisconsin, you see quite the number of University of Wisconsin fans. However, within that Bucky fandom are the various Division 3 schools that dot the map. In Wisconsin Lutheran, you have a Milwaukee-based school that is known for excellent academics. Similarly, St. Norbert is another institution of high academic acclaim. Yet, these schools put that aside when stepping on the field. The pad popping and number of vicious hits resonate regardless of level. In fact, this game is a testament to that.
Intense Pressure
Throughout the game, the Green Knights’ defense made sure WLC quarterback Bryce Barbian felt their presence. During the first drive, SNC senior defensive lineman Oliver Sgrignuoli drilled Barbian for the sack. The hit, as clean a vicious hit as you will see, looked to stun Barbian. However, the Warriors’ resilient sophomore quarterback pulled himself off the ground, and walked to the sidelines. Barbian faced intense pressure most of the day. Yet, he never flinches, completing 34 of 52 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns. Like a prizefighter, the Cudahy, Wisconsin native answered the bell all day long. Sgrignuoli played with a relentless approach the balance of the afternoon, tallying two sack, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
The Opposite Effect
While the St. Norbert pass rush made life occasionally painful for the Warriors, their offensive line allowed quarterback Peyton Lyon to operate mostly unharried. The offensive line surrendered just one sack. Wisconsin Lutheran’s rush could not generate any sustained heat. Furthermore, the big men upfront opened holes, for Owen Kudick and Delton Zuleger to combine for 276 yards and three scores on 42 carries. Most importantly, when Lyon needed time late in the game, the line provided a clean pocket and time to look vertically.
Perpetually Open
Despite playing under what looked like constant duress, Bryce Barbian connected with Trevion Green an astounding fourteen times. Green, the senior tight end from Miami, not only found soft spots in St. Norbert’s defense, but worked to generate separation. Moreover, understanding the pressure applied to his quarterback, Green worked back to Barbian, presented a target. That type of chemistry in just the second game will pay dividends later in the season for Wisconsin Lutheran.
A Tale of Two Downs
While looking at stats and reviewing games notes could tell the story of this game, how each team performed in clutch situations really outlined the competitiveness of this game. While SNC didn’t convert a fourth down in three tries, they converted 57 percent of their third downs. Meanwhile, WLC enjoyed the inverse. The Warriors struggled on third downs, gaining first downs on just four of seventeen attempts. In contrast, they rolled the dice on fourth down, cashing in on two-thirds of their tries. In the first conference game of the season, Coaches Treske and McCarty relied on gutsy decision-making throughout.
Not So Fast
After Owen Kudick capped an eight-play, 62-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run, St. Norbert expanded their lead to 31-20. If you looked on the Wisconsin Lutheran sideline, you saw a few bowed heads and sad faces. At the same time, you saw the majority of the team looking to get the ball and battle back. When the Warriors took over on offense during their last two drives, they scored twelve points in nine seconds. With the help of an onside kick, WLC added their second touchdown with 43 seconds left. At that point, a stunned hush fell over the crowd at Schneider Stadium.
The Grandkids Drive
With a one-deficit, facing the vanishing of an eleven-point lead, the Green Knights needed magic. Paul Bageanis took the kickoff back to the SNC 31-yard-line. After back-to-back first downs, Lyon threw an incompletion. From the WLC 47, Lyon dropped back, uncorked a deep ball, Bageanis leapt between two defenders, pulling the pass down, cementing a comeback for the ages and cementing one of the wildest fourth quarters in recent memory. Decades from now, when these current Green Knights and Warriors congregate at a reunion, that warm September day in 2023 will spring to mind. The descendants of these players will hear every detail.
Takeaways
If you cover enough games, you will always see something new. Under those circumstances, games are like snowflakes, no two are similar. This game from coin toss to victory bell exemplified the best in college athletics. Each coach prepared their team with a singular goal but divergent approaches. In addition to on the field, St. Norbert, as an institution displayed the classy reputation they’ve earned over decades. The school raised money for the wildfire victims in Hawaii, spearheaded by assistant defensive line coach, Kalama Kaluhiokalani. Additionally, Wisconsin Lutheran should not hang their heads. Granted, moral victories do not count. Yet, this game serves as a building block. Games like this are the reason why I started the Add Drop Podcast.
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