Box Score WHITEWATER, Wisc. – The Carleton College football team was undone by long scoring plays from the No. 12-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks in a 69-7 loss to open the season.
Carleton (0-1) forced a three-and-out on Wisconsin-Whitewater's (1-0) opening offensive drive, but the Knights couldn't make headway on offense. Carleton punter
Matt Geivett pinned the Warhawks at their own two-yard line on his first career boot, but it took just one play for Whitewater to take a lead. Darrick Hill galloped 98 yards to paydirt, putting the hosts ahead 7-0 at 10:19 in the first quarter. That run was the longest run from scrimmage in UWW history. Geivett dropped another punt inside the 20 after the Knights' next drive, but Justin Klinkner dropped a pass into the hands of Jacques Brooks, who flew for an 84-yard score and a 14-0 Warhawks edge with 7:12 remaining in the opening frame.
Carleton opened its scoring on the season thanks to a pair of deep strikes from new starting quarterback
Tyler Mastronardi. The junior tossed a 33-yard pass down the right sideline to
Cooper Pollard to convert a third down and found
Tyler Dimond in the end zone from 37 yards out on the next play to cut the deficit in half with just over five minutes to go in the first quarter. Dimond's tally moved him into sole possession of third place on the Carleton career touchdown receptions leaderboard (see chart below).
Whitewater extended its lead with another long touchdown, a 61-yard Klinkner pass to Tyler Vasey at 3:53 in the first that made the score 21-7. Klinkner connected with Brooks three minutes into the second quarter for another TD toss; Tommy Novotny ran 32 yards to the end zone five minutes later for the home team, and Brooks completed a trifecta of touchdown catches just after the two-minute warning to make the score 42-7 at the half.
The Warhawks recorded two more touchdowns through the air in the third quarter and took advantage of Carleton fumbles with a pair of field goals. Jayveon Gold ran in a 20-yard touchdown at 10:56 in the fourth quarter to wrap up the scoring.
Mastronardi completed 17-of-23 attempts from the shotgun, collecting 114 yards and a touchdown. Rookie QB
Logan Lachermeier relieved Mastronardi and went 9-for-12 through the air for 41 yards.
Evan Olds reeled in 11 passes for 31 yards, the most receptions by a Knight in a game since Dimond carded 12 on Nov. 9, 2024 against Gustavus.
Jake Reinke starred defensively. The senior tied a career high with 11 tackles, posted 0.5 tackles for loss, intercepted a pass near the end of the first half, and broke up a pass.
Ronan Thomas also set a career high with eight stops.
The Warhawks set a program record with 762 yards from scrimmage to Carleton's 200.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton takes a week off to ready up for MIAC play, which begins Saturday, Sept. 19 against Macalester College. The battle for the Book of Knowledge rivalry trophy will be contested at 7:00 p.m. at Macalester Stadium.
Most Career Touchdown Receptions by a Carleton Receiver
1. 32 - Jim Bradford - 1988-91
2. 28 – Chris Gardner – 2005-08
3. 27 - Tyler Dimond - 2022-Present
4. 26 - Jeff Scherer - 1988-91
4. 26 – Matt Frank – 2005-08
4. 26 – Ntense Obono – 2021-24
