Scots Put 42 on the Board to Beat Grinnell

Francois, Fetterer Among Those With Career Days

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (09/12/2021) — The Monmouth College football team picked up their first win of the season on Saturday with a convincing 42-7 win over the Grinnell Pioneers. The 1-1 Scots scored two touchdowns in the first quarter of the home opener and never looked back.

For the game Monmouth outgained Grinnell 481-185 including 245-17 on the ground. The Scots defense racked up seven sacks to go with one interception and a safety.

The Scots used the passing game early to take a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Carter Boyer (Carthage, Illinois) found running back Henderson Francois (Naples, Florida) for a 68-yard catch and run touchdown on the Scots first drive.

The next drive covered 71 plays in four yards and this time Boyer threw to senior wide receiver Jake Uryasz (Farmington, Illinois). Uryasz sprinted untouched, 49 yards to the end zone for a 14-0 lead.

Grinnell scored in the second quarter before the offense added one more touchdown before the half. Francois dashed 30 yards to the end zone for his second score of the day. The two-pointer failed and the Scots led 20-7.

On the final drive of the half, Riley Fetterer (Milan, Illinois) took over at quarterback as Boyer appeared to be injured. He picked up 20 yards running and left the game for a play as his helmet came off. Freshman Conor McCormick (Williamsville, Illinois) came in and ran for 18 yards on the first play of his college career. A pass to end zone at the end of the half fell incomplete and the Scots maintained the 13-point lead.

Neither team scored early in the third quarter but the Scots got on the board again as Uryasz went through, around and eventually over Pioneers defenders on his way to the end zone. The 23-yard touchdown accounted for the first passing score of Fetterer's Scots career.

Later in the quarter, Fetterer accounted for another touchdown pass. This time he hit Francois on a screen that went 26 yards to the end zone for a 33-7 Monmouth lead.

The former Rockridge standout grabbed a third score on the day, this time with his legs. With four minutes left, Fetterer went up the middle, untouched 75 yards to the end zone to put Monmouth on top 40-7.The final score of the game was a defensive one for the Scots, a special teams safety. Grinnell snapped the ball over the punter's head and batted the ball through the end zone to put Monmouth on top 42-7 with 57 seconds left.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Francois ran for 113 yards, one more than his previous career high against Knox on 2019The 94 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns are also career highsBoyer finished 7-for-11 for 155 yards while Fetterer was 6-for-8 for 81 yardsBoth threw for two touchdowns while Fetterer had 108 rushing yardsNathan Graham (Monticello, Illinois) had a career-best 53 receiving yards on five receptionsUryasz finished with three catches for 84 yards and a career-high two touchdownsEvan Otto (Canton, Illinois) had a career-high 11 tackles and three sacksThe Scots finished with seven sacks, recorded by seven different playersOtto also forced a fumbleJustin Douglas (Carol City, Florida) had seven tackles for the second straight gameDevin Graham (Monticello, Illinois) had his first career interceptionThe Scots are now 28-0 in regular-season MWC games under coach Chad BraunMonmouth is 24-2 at home under BraunThe Scots are 39-2 when allowing 20 points or less under BraunMonmouth leads the series 47-21-3 against the Pioneers with seven straight winsGrinnell scored a touchdown against the Scots for the first time since 2012Monmouth's next home game is Oct. 9 against ChicagoThey will be at Illinois College next Saturday at 1 p.m.