MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - Ripon extended their season-long win streak to three games Saturday afternoon with a 42-11 victory at Cornell in their 2017 season finale. The Red Hawks never trailed in the game, leading by as many as 39 points in a game that saw them gain 423 yards of total offense, including an uncharacteristic 232 yards through the air. The Red Hawks also possessed the ball for nearly 37 minutes, while scoring touchdowns on all five of their Red Zone opportunities.
After a scoreless first quarter, Ripon (5-5) got the scoring started with 12 minutes remaining in the half on a one-yard run by Brett Garst, which capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive, which ate up eight and a half minutes. After a 39-yard field goal got Cornell (4-6) on the board, Ripon answered with another rushing touchdown, this time a nine-yard scamper by quarterback Julian Patton. Just before halftime, Ripon added a third TD in the quarter on a 13-yard pass from Patton to Cameron Mignone.
Patton threw a second TD pass in the third period, completing it to Sam Shroyer for a 23-yard score, which capped an eight-play, 86-yard drive. In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, Mignone scored his second TD of the game on Patton's third TD pass of the day, which is the most passing touchdowns in a game by a Ripon player since the 2010 season. Griffin McNeal added a three-yard rushing touchdown later in the quarter to give Ripon a 42-3 lead, before Cornell added a touchdown and a safety in the final two and a half minutes.
Patton finished with a team-high 79 yards on 21 carries, while also completing 10-of-15 passes for 201 yards, and producing four total touchdowns. Cody Chase added 25 yards on the ground, while Mignone caught four passes for 63 yards and the two TDs, which marked the most receiving touchdowns in a game by a Ripon player since the 2012 season.
Defensively, Ripon limited Cornell to 155 yards rushing, as the Red Hawks finished the season allowing 104.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks sixth in the 126-year history of the Ripon College football program. The Red Hawks also recorded two sacks via Lane Barnes and Vince Stensrud, and three interceptions, with one apiece by Barnes, Cameron Gruenwald, and Bennett Groves.
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