NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College football team erased deficits on three occasions but could not overcome a fourth as the Knights dropped the season finale 31-24 to visiting Concordia College-Moorhead.
 
Prior to the game, the Knights (6-4, 6-3 MIAC) celebrated the 20 seniors on the roster.
 
"It's pretty amazing what this senior class has been able to do," said Carleton head coach Tom Journell. "They are the second-winningest class in Carleton history. They are going to be hard to replace. It's an amazing group, and I have been privileged to coach them."
 
Carleton quarterback Jack Curtis, who spent the majority of the season undergoing chemotherapy and played for the second consecutive week with two broken fingers on his throwing hand, still managed to pass for 344 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Knights did not have an answer for Concordia (7-3, 6-3 MIAC) running back Mason Hughes, who ran 26 times for 230 yards and two scores.
 
After punting on the game's opening drive, Concordia picked off a pass and returned it to the 3-yard line. Hughes punched it in to give the Cobbers and early 7-0 advantage.
 
Carleton responded quickly. After a short running play on first down, Curtis found tight end Rye Storrs over the middle for a 73-yard touchdown pass, tying the game at 7-7.
 
Early in the second quarter, Cobbers quarterback Jersey Selzler found Jake Merseth for a 37-yard completion. Two plays later, Selzler and Merseth connected again, this time for a 34-yard touchdown, and the visitors moved back in front 14-7.
 
The Knights answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a six-yard scoring strike from Curtis to Jaxon Watson, knotting the scoreboard at 14 apiece.
 
Hughes started the next Cobber possession with a 61-yard rush to flip the field, and Concordia concluded the drive and regained the lead on a 33-yard field goal by Mitchell Druley. Curtis and the Knights countered with a 69-yard touchdown drive capped by another Curtis to Watson connection, this one a 21-yard scoring strike with only eight seconds remaining before halftime. Carleton had its first lead of the day, 21-17, going into halftime.
 
Marcus Merkelbach tied the Carleton record for most field goals made in a career with 19 when extended the Knights' lead to 24-17 with a 30-yard kick on the first drive of the second half. Hughes rushed the ball three straight times on the next Cobber drive, with the third of those carries being a 61-yard rumble that tied the game up at 24-24.
 
The Cobbers regained the advantage on the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter. Facing 4th-and-5 from the Carleton 30-yard line, Selzler found wideout Alejandro Sanchez for a spectacular touchdown grab over a defender, bringing the score to 31-24 in favor of Concordia.
 
The next possession saw Carleton advance down the field and have 1st-and-goal at the 5-yard line. However, the Cobber defense stood tall, keeping the Knights out of the endzone and maintaining the visitors' seven-point lead.
 
The Knights forced a punt, but on the next Carleton drive, Curtis re-injured his right hand and was forced to leave the contest. Two plays later, the hosts turned the ball over on downs near midfield with barely over three minutes remaining.
 
The Cobbers looked to close the game out, but the Knights used timeouts and came up with a huge stop to get the ball back with 1:59 left on the clock. Curtis came back onto the field and advanced the Knights into Concordia territory, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete and time expired on the season.
 
Curtis' favorite target on the day was Watson, who had nine catches for 83 yards and the two touchdowns. Storrs, James Alexander, Evan Olds, and Jaden Coleman all had at least six receptions each, and Storrs led the team in receiving yards with 131.
 
Seniors Owen Detmer and Jacob Ventura led the defense. The former racked up 12 tackles, and the latter added two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
 
In addition to Hughes' big day on the ground, Selzler was 7-for-17 with 172 passing yards and two touchdowns for Concordia.
 
Record Book Re-Write
Curtis finished the season 284-of-392 (72.4 percent) for 3,120 passing yards and 29 touchdown tosses. He broke Carleton single-season records for completions, completion percentage, passing yards and had the second-highest passing touchdown total (see charts below).
 
Over his four seasons with the Knights, Curtis was 824-of-1216 (67.8 percent) for 8,599 yards and 83 touchdowns as he smashed the program records for career completions, completion percentage, passing yards, and passing touchdowns (see charts below).
 
He is eighth in MIAC history for passing yards (all games) and fifth in conference history with 6,986 passing yards in MIAC games. His 83 TD tosses rank ninth in conference history (all games), and he is sixth with 67 touchdown passes in MIAC games (see charts below).
 
• Place kicker Marcus Merkelbach went 3-for-3 on PATs in his final collegiate game, adding to his program record 41 PATs this season and 111 in his career (see charts below).
 
Most PAT kicks made — single season
1. 44  --  Marcus Merkelbach (44-46)  --  2025
2. 38  --  Trent Ramirez (38-42)  --  2022
3. 36  --  Marcus Merkelbach (36-37)  --  2023
4. 32  --  Dan Hedlund (32-32) – 1988
4. 32  --  Pat Bell (32-32) – 1990
 
Most PAT kicks made — career
1. 111  --  Marcus Merkelbach (111-116)  --  2022-25
1. 85  --  Trent Ramirez (85-101)  --  2019-2023
2. 76  --  Pat Bell (76-76)  --  1989-90,92
3. 74 – Tim Kane (74-85) – 2005-08
4. 72 – Brandt Davis (72-84) – 2013-16
 
 
Most Pass Completions — single season
1. 284  --  Jack Curtis (284-392-7)  --  2025
2. 266  --  Jack Curtis (266-422-10)  --  2023
3. 264  --  Shane Henfling (264-395-10) – 2008
4. 254  --  Christian Zaytoun (254-433-19)  --  2018
5. 222  --  Jack Curtis (324-222-11)  --  2024
 
Highest Completion Percentage — single season
1. 72.4  --  Jack Curtis (284-392-7)  --  2025
2. 68.5  --  Jack Curtis (324-222-11)  --  2024
3. 66.8 – Shane Henfling (264-395-10) – 2008
4. 64.4  --  Jonathan Singleton (195-303-7)  --  2022
5. 63.6  --  Mike Hartwell (112-176-4)  --  2012
6. 63.0  --  Jack Curtis (266-422-10)  --  2023
 
Most Passing Yards — single season
1. 3120  --  Jack Curtis (284-392-7)  --  2025
2. 3045  --  Shane Henfling (264-395-10) – 2008
3. 2702  --  Jack Curtis (266-422-10)  --  2023
4. 2322  --  Jack Curtis (324-222-11)  --  2024
5. 2305  --  Darren Caspers (183-345-10) – 2006
 
Most Passing Touchdowns — single season
1. 30  --  Shane Henfling – 2008
2. 29  --  Jack Curtis  --  2023
3. 28  --  Jack Curtis  --  2023
4. 27  --  Christian Zaytoun  --  2018
5. 25  --  John Nielson  --  1990
5. 25  --  Jonathan Singleton  --  2021
7. 22  --  Jack Curtis  --  2024
 
Most Passing Yards/game — single season
1. 312.0  --  Jack Curtis (10 games)  --  2025
2. 304.5  --  Shane Henfling (10 games) – 2008
3. 270.2  --  Jack Curtis (10 games)  --  2023
4. 269.5  --  Jonathan Singleton (8 games)  --  2019
5. 258.0  --  Jack Curtis (9 games)  --  2024
 
Most Pass Completions — career
1. 824  --  Jack Curtis (824-1216-31)  --  2022-25
2. 632  --  Jonathan Singleton (632-1063-16)  --  2019-22
3. 475  --  Christian Zaytoun (475-856-42)  --  2015-18
4. 468  --  Darren Caspers (468-905-30) – 2003-06
5. 416  --  Shane Henfling (416-664-21) – 2005-08
 
Most Passing Yards — career
1. 8599  --  Jack Curtis (824-1216-31)  --  2022-25
2. 6241  --  Jonathan Singleton (632-1063-16)  --  2019-22
3. 5427  --  C.G. Shoap (390-833-73)  --  1994-97
4. 5297  --  Darren Caspers (468-905-30) – 2003-06
5. 5058  --  Ted Kluender (331-705-45)  --  1989-93
 
Most Passing Yards/Game — career
1. 232.41  --  Jack Curtis (37 games)  --  2022-25
2. 231.15 – Jonathan Singleton (27 games) – 2019-22
3. 199.32 – Shane Henfling (25 games) – 2005-08
4. 180.86 – Vaughn Schmid (22 games) – 2008-10
5. 164.81  --  Christian Zaytoun (27 games)  --  2015-18
 
Most Passing Touchdowns — career
1. 83  --  Jack Curtis  --  2022-25
2. 65  --  Jonathan Singleton  --  2019-22
3. 51  --  Shane Henfling – 2005-08
4. 50  --  Ted Kluender  --  1989,91-93
5. 44  --  John Nielson  --  1987-90
 
Highest Completion Percentage — career
1. 67.8  --  Jack Curtis (824-1216-31)  --  2022-25
2. 62.5  --  Shane Henfling (416-664-21)  --  2005-08
3. 59.5  --  Jonathan Singleton (632-1063-16)  --  2019-22
4. 57.9  --  Vaughn Schmid (323-558-23)  --  2008-10
5. 57.7  --  Ethan Trujillo (138-239-10) – 2013-16
 
MIAC Leaderboard for Most Passing Yards (all games) — career
Yards  --  Player  --  Team  --  Years
12888  --  Aaron Syverson  --  SJU  --  2021-24
11639  --  Jackson Erdmann  --  SJU  --  2016-19
10737  --  Alex Kofoed  --  SJU  --  2004-07
10281  --  Ayrton Scott  --  AUG  --  2012-15
9936  --  Michael Nadeau  --  MAC  --  2019-23
8777  --  Jordan Berg  --  AUG  --  2006-08
8741  --  Michael Veldman  --  GAC  --  2016-21
8599  --  Jack Curtis  --  CAR  --  2022-25
8549  --  Mitch Hendricks  --  GAC/SJU  --  2012-15
8496  --  Jordan Stolp  --  GAC  --  2004-07
8134  --  Kurt Ramler  --  SJU  --  1993-96
8128  --  Scott Kirchoff  --  BET  --  1999-03
 
MIAC Leaderboard for Most Passing Yards (MIAC games) — career
Yards  --  Player  --  Team  --  Years
9295  --  Aaron Syverson  --  SJU  --  2021-24
8430  --  Ayrton Scott  --  AUG  --  2012-15
7414  --  Jordan Berg  --  AUG  --  2006-08
7290  --  Alex Kofoed  --  SJU  --  2004-07
6986  --  Jack Curtis  --  CAR  --  2022-pres
6918  --  Jordan Stolp  --  GAC  --  2004-07
6824  --  Mitch Hendricks  --  GAC/SJU  --  2012-15
 
MIAC Leaderboard for Most TD Passes (all games) — career
TDs  --  Player  --  Team  --  Years
147   --  Aaron Syverson  --  SJU   --  2021-24
139   --  Jackson Erdmann  --  SJU   --  2016-19
100   --  Alex Kofoed  --  SJU   --  2004-07
97   --  Ayrton Scott  --  AUG   --  2012-15
87   --  Michael Veldman  --  GAC   --  2016-21
87   --  Kurt Ramler  --  SJU   --  1993-96
85   --  Cade Sheehan  --  AUG   --  2020-23
84   --  Michael Nadeau  --  MAC   --  2019-23
83   --  Jack Curtis  --  CAR   --  2022-25
 
MIAC Leaderboard for Most TD Passes (all games) — career
TDs  --  Player  --  Team  --  Years
109   --  Aaron Syverson  --  SJU   --  2021-24
79   --  Ayrton Scott  --  AUG   --  2012-15
75   --  Jackson Erdmann  --  SJU   --  2016-19
70   --  Kurt Ramler  --  SJU   --  1993-96
69   --  Alex Kofoed  --  SJU   --  2004-07
67   --  Jack Curtis  --  CAR   --  2022-25
61   --  Michael Veldman  --  GAC   --  2016-21
60   --  Cade Sheehan  --  AUG   --  2020-23
 
Most PAT kicks made — single season
1. 44  --  Marcus Merkelbach (44-46)  --  2025
2. 38  --  Trent Ramirez (38-42)  --  2022
3. 36  --  Marcus Merkelbach (36-37)  --  2023
4. 32  --  Dan Hedlund (32-32) – 1988
4. 32  --  Pat Bell (32-32) – 1990
 
Most PAT kicks made — career
1. 111  --  Marcus Merkelbach (111-116)  --  2022-25
1. 85  --  Trent Ramirez (85-101)  --  2019-2023
2. 76  --  Pat Bell (76-76)  --  1989-90,92
3. 74 – Tim Kane (74-85) – 2005-08
4. 72 – Brandt Davis (72-84) – 2013-16
 
Most Field Goals Made – career
1. 19 - Brandt Davis (19-27) - 2013-16
1. 19 - Marcus Merkelbach (19-23) 2022-25
2. 17 - Dan Hedlund (17-25) - 1985-88
3. 15 - Trent Ramirez (15-25) - 2019-2022
3. 15 - Pat Bell (15-28) - 1989-90,92