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Spreigl Sets MIAC Record - Oles Keep Goat in Season-ending Win

Jason Welle
November 13, 2000

Junior runningback Manuel Spreigl (Jr., So. St. Paul, Minn.) set a new MIAC scoring record with six touchdowns in St. Olaf College?s victory over cross-town rival Carleton College. The 42-35 win was the final game for both teams this season and also the final game for Carleton?s retiring head coach, Bob Sullivan. Sullivan watched the coveted "Goatrophy," a traveling trophy between the two schools, remain in Ole hands for the fourth year in a row. St. Olaf capped its best season in ten years, finishing 7-3 overall (6-3 MIAC) and maintaining head coach Paul Miller?s perfect record against Carleton.

St. Olaf opened the scoring with 1:01 left in the first quarter when Spreigl took a sweep left 20 yards into the end zone. Spreigel scored again with 9:32 remaining in the half when he finished a 61-yard drive with a 5 yard run, putting the Oles up 14-0. Carleton?s offense found its first true success on the last drive of the second quarter. Jon Groteboer connected with Brody Felchle for an 18-yard touchdown with 1:56 to go in the half. But the Oles? two-minute offense responded in style, marching 73 yards in only a minute and a half. Spreigl scored his third touchdown on a one yard run with 26 seconds left before the break, making the halftime score 21-7.

St. Olaf went up 28-7 at 11:02 in the third quarter when Spreigl broke free for a 40 yard touchdown run. The Knights bounced right back, moving the ball 60 yards before Matt Lafferty (So., Apple Valley, Minn.) intercepted Groteboer on the Oles? two yard line. Spreigl took a handoff on the ensuing play from scrimmage 98 yards for his fifth touchdown, giving St. Olaf a seemingly insurmountable 35-7 lead. But Carleton would not lay down. The Knights drove 61 yards on their next possession before Jon Hodgson scored on a one yard rush. They brought the score closer with 7:29 left in the game when Groteboer found Erik Miller for an 11 yard touchdown, making the score 35-21. Spreigl set the MIAC scoring record on the Oles? next possession when he took a handoff up the middle for a one yard touchdown, his sixth of the game. Carleton kept the game close with two scores late. Hodgson scored on another one yard run with 3:25 left in the game and Groteboer threw an eight yard pass to Dan Reider with 1:18 left. The Knights? comeback attempt came too late, however, as the Oles knelt it down to kill the clock and complete their victory.

St. Olaf outgained Carleton 490 to 457 for the game, but the Knights held a slight edge in time of possession, keeping the ball for 31:18 to the Oles? 28:42. Powered by Spreigl?s 257 rushing yards, St. Olaf outrushed Carleton 275-147. Groteboer completed 26 of 42 for 310 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. St. Olaf?s Brian Senske (FY, Apple Valley, Minn.) was 12 for 21, gaining 215 yards and throwing one interception. Reider led all recievers, catching nine passes for 136 yards and one touchdown.

St. Olaf finishes its season in a tie for third place in the MIAC with a 6-3 conference record. Sullivan retires after 42 years of coaching, 22 at Carleton. The Knights finished 1-9 in his final campaign, 1-8 in league play.

Contact Pat Buresh at 507-786-3315 or buresh@stolaf.edu.