RIPON, Wis. -- The Ripon College football program suffered an opening day defeat this Saturday, Sept 6, to the visiting North Park Vikings (1-0, 0-0 CCIW). Quarterback Jack Berens (Wausau, Wis., Wausau West HS) would go 20-37 for 263 yards for the Red Hawks, while receiver Ryan Clayborn (Evans, Ga., Greenbrier HS) would snag three touchdowns on six catches to lead Ripon's offense in the category. 

The game would start promising for the Red Hawks. Despite a four and out opening drive from the home team, the Red Hawks defense would intercept the first North Park pass of the game, with defensive back Salim Sesma (Coolidge, Ariz., Coolidge HS) grabbing the attempt to give Ripon some early game momentum. However, Ripon would again find themselves stifled, punting it away on 4th and 5 after a pair of short rushes and an incomplete pass. 

Ripon's struggles would begin here, with a North Park receiver shedding tackles en route to a 43 yard touchdown on the second play of the Viking's drive. Things would continue to go against the Red Hawks, with Berens finding his 2nd and 7 pass on the next drive picked off by the Vikings. While the Red Hawks would hold North Park to one touchdown in the first quarter, the second would start in rough fashion, with North Park again finding space after a catch, opening up down the field for a 98-yard touchdown. 

The teams would trade punts on the next possessions, until North Park would again find a receiver in the middle, with the Viking taking the 37 yard reception into the end zone. Ripon would take the 21-0 deficit into halftime, but come out to another setback, with North Park returning the opening kickoff of the third quarter 95 yards for a touchdown. As Ripon looked for their first touchdown of the game, the Vikings would nearly score again on a fumble pick up taken back into the end zone, but have the resulting touchdown called back due to unsportsmanlike conduct. Ripon would find their feet late in the third, putting in their first touchdown on a 35 yard connection from Berens to Clayborn. 

The fourth quarter would start similar to the previous one, with the Vikings scoring early on a 56 yard pass play. Now down 7-35, Ripon responded on the next drive, with another Berens to Clayborn pass giving the Red Hawks a 20 yard touchdown. After a missed extra point attempt, Ripon would stymie the Vikings after a long drive, forcing the turnover on downs at the Red Hawks' 34 yard line. Berens and Clayborn would complete the hat trick, with a 16 yard touchdown pass coming with just over three minutes left to play in the game. After an onside kick called back for illegal numbering, time would run out for the Red Hawks, with Ripon moving to 0-1 this season by a score of 35-19.

Red Hawks football hits the road next weekend, taking on Knox College on Sept 13 in their Midwest Conference opener. The Prarie Fire enter the game 0-1 after dropping a close season opener to Eureka College, 14-13. The Red Hawks beat Knox last season 24-17, holding a 47-6 head to head advantage over the opponent since 1920.