ST. PAUL, Minn. – In a high-scoring affair, it was the defense that stood tall in the end for the Carleton College football team, which defeated Hamline University 49-41 under the lights.
Evan Olds surpassed 100 yards on the ground and rumbled for a pair of touchdown runs, while
Tyler Dimond scored four times with one rushing touchdown and three receiving touchdowns, breaking the Carleton career receiving touchdowns record.
Carleton (4-2, 4-1 MIAC) scored on seven of its nine offensive possessions — not including running out the clock at the end of each half — and needed all of those points.
Hamline (1-5, 0-5 MIAC) took an early lead, covering 75 yards on 10 plays and ending the game's first drive with a 33-yard scoring pass from Daylen Cummings to Tristan Falkowski. Hamline recovered an onside kickoff and drove back down the field, scoring on a short pass from Cummings to Ty Burgoon to take a 14-0 lead before the Knights' offense took the field for the first time.
On Carleton's initial offensive possession, it responded with 12-play drive capped by an 8-yard pass from
Tyler Mastronardi to Dimond.
Hamline added a short Kieran Barrientos field goal early in the second quarter to extend the Pipers' lead to 17-7. The Knights wasted little time to cut into the deficit, marching 67 yards in three plays. Mastronardi found Dimond behind the defense for 48 yards. After Olds hauled in an eight-yard pass, he secured his first rushing score of the evening from 11 yards out.
Only four minutes later, the Pipers once again found paydirt with a 14-yard rushing touchdown from Cummings, extending their lead to 24-14. Not to be outdone, Carleton, using a 2-QB system, changed the look, with
Logan Lachermeier as the signal-caller. The Knights found their favorite target as Dimond twisted his body on a short screen pass for a catch and run, breaking a tackle, and outracing defenders on his way to a 49-yard score. Carleton went into the break down 24-21.
The scoreboard operator stayed busy in the second half as the game saw five straight touchdowns between the two teams. Carleton's first three possessions coming out of intermission averaged just over two minutes each, and all resulted in touchdowns.
Lachermeier delivered a quick pass to Dimond over the middle, and the senior wideout was off to the races for a 61-yard catch and run score, giving the Knights their first lead of the contest. It was the fifth time this season that Dimond was involved in a scoring play of at least 40 yards (see chart below)
The Pipers responded with Cummings' second rushing touchdown and a lead that lasted less than two minutes. Dimond's 24-yard run, his fourth score of the game, put the Knights back in front 35-31 with 6:08 remaining in the third quarter.
The lead flip-flopped twice more with a 75-yard drive from Hamline followed by a Carleton touchdown on the opening play of the 4th quarter, this one a five-yard run by Mastronardi to push the Knights to a 42-38 advantage.
On the ensuing drive, the Pipers moved the ball down to the Carleton 12-yard line, but the Knights' defense forced the home team to kick a field goal, holding onto a 42-41 lead. A second
Evan Olds' rushing touchdown gave Carleton the extra cushion, and two more defensive stands sealed the road victory.
Carleton compiled 483 yards of total offense compared to Hamline's 600 total yards.
Jack Cenurelli figured in a game-high 11 tackles, including 10 solo stops.
Carson Rheaume had a strip sack.
Dimond finished the evening with five catches for 186 yards, a 24-yard touchdown run, and a 1-for-1 passing line for 27 yards. He now has 33 career receiving touchdowns, moving ahead of Jim Bradford '91 (32). Dimond now has 2,833 career receiving yards, leapfrogging Matt Frank '09 (2,766 yards) for second place in Carleton annals, second to Bradford (3,719).
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton returns to Laird Stadium and will host No. 2-ranked Saint John's University next Saturday, October 24, at 1:00 p.m.
Carleton Career Touchdown Receptions Leaders
1.
33 - Tyler Dimond - 2022-Present
2. 32 - Jim Bradford - 1988-91
3. 28 – Chris Gardner – 2005-08
4. 26 - Jeff Scherer - 1988-91
4. 26 – Matt Frank – 2005-08
4. 26 - Ntense Obono - 2021-2024
Carleton Career Receiving Yards Leaders
1. 3719 - Jim Bradford (212) - 1988-91
2.
2833 - Tyler Dimond (170) - 2022-Current
3. 2766 – Matt Frank (220) – 2005-08
4. 2590 – Chris Gardner (158) – 2005-08
5. 2465 - Steve Gorka (182) - 1994-97
40+Yard Scoring Plays this Season for Tyler Dimond
9/19 – at Macalester (40-yard TD pass to
Cooper Pollard)
9/19 – at Macalester (83-yard kickoff return TD)
10/10 – vs. St. Scholastica (60-yard TD reception from
Logan Lachermeier)
10/17 – at Hamline (49-yard TD reception from
Logan Lachermeier)
10/17 – at Hamline (61-yard TD reception from
Logan Lachermeier)
