GALESBURG, Illinois - The Prairie Fire football team defeated Lawrence 56-28 on Saturday afternoon.
Neither team did much of anything with their first possession, but Knox used a pair of 40-yard rushes from Hunter Anderson and Sam Walker to score their first touchdown of the game with 7:28 to play in the first quarter.
The Prairie Fire forced a three-and-out on the next Viking drive and then marched down the field to take a 14-0 lead on a 5-yard rush from Trevor Geggie early in the second quarter.
Lawrence responded with a quick 67-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 14-7 in favor of Knox. The Vikings got a fourth down stop of Knox's next drive and converted another touchdown to tie the game up.
With 43 seconds left in the first half, Kaile Williams hit Geggie for a 17-yard touchdown pass to send the Prairie Fire into halftime with a 21-14 lead.
A series of turnovers to start the second half ended up giving Lawrence the ball on the Prairie Fire 43-yard line and they were able to tie the game at 21-21.
Knox quickly put the game away from there as they scored three touchdowns with no answer from the Vikings. Williams hit Ethan Rolph-Jones for a 44-yard score, Derrick Jackson rushed for a 94-yard touchdown, and Williams took one in himself on a 1-yard rush to put the Prairie Fire up 42-21.
Lawrence managed to make things interesting when they scored with just over two minutes to play, but Knox recovered an onside kick and Geggie ran for a 60-yard touchdown.
Daytin Davis intercepted a last ditch attempt from the Vikings and returned it 40 yards for a defensive touchdown.
Williams finished the day 12-of-17 for 137 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also added 77 yards rushing with a score. Derrick Jackson ran for 111 yards and a touchdown and Hunter Anderson tallied 98 yards rushing and 25 yards receiving. Geggie rushed for 77 yards and two scores and grabbed four receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Isaac Mora led the Prairie Fire defense with seven tackles. Caleb Spinks and Anthony Garcia each picked up a sack and Davis grabbed a pair of interceptions.
"We really turned it on in the second half," said head coach Aaron Willits. "We played well on all sides of the ball today minus a few miscues early in the second half. Overall it is a game we can be proud of and we'll get back to work to prepare for Cornell next week."
Knox returns to action on November 6 as they host Cornell in their final home game of the season.