Dezmon Eddie (Jr.-Alexandria, La.) caught four touchdown passes as part of a huge day receiving and Lakeland University erupted offensively for 597 yards in a 61-28 win over Concordia University Chicago Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field on the Muskies' Homecoming.

The Muskies opened their quest for a fifth straight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference title by breaking loose on offense in a big way, with 27 second quarter points as part of a 41-point first half. Lakeland also earned its first win of the season in improving to 1-3 overall.

The Muskies more than doubled their average offensive output in their first three games and were nearly unstoppable, converting 10 of 16 third downs and all three of their fourth down attempts. Lakeland rushed for 341 yards including long runs by Larry Rivers (So.-Dearborn Heights, Mich.) and Michael Moreau (Sr.-Crown Point, Ind.) and also was vastly more efficient throwing and featured two quarterbacks combining to throw six touchdown passes. The result was a performance that left the Cougars (1-3 overall) in the dust despite a huge game by their star running back Lance Moise.

Eddie was a big part of the passing output, setting career highs with 13 catches for 146 yards plus four touchdown catches. Mixing in catches on quick tosses to the sideline and fade routes to the corner, he caught touchdown throws of 29 and seven yards from Logan O'Neill (Jr.-Spokane Valley, Wash.) and then nabbed scoring passes of 21 and nine yards in the second half from Nick Broder (Fr.-Elkhart Lake, Wis.), who came in the second half after O'Neill was injured on the final play of the first half.

Eddie twice helped Lakeland blow the game open, with his consecutive touchdown catches in the second quarter opening up a 34-14 lead. Two more scores in the third quarter helped the Muskies pull back out to a 54-28 lead after Concordia had closed within 13 points less than a minute into the second half.

Lakeland also scored twice on quick strikes, including Rivers running right up the middle for a 78-yard touchdown early in the second quarter that gave the Muskies the lead for good at 20-14. That score came just 17 seconds after Moise had run for his second of four touchdown runs, part of a 206-yard performance by the Cougars running back who came into the game leading NCAA Division III in rushing.

The Muskies also closed out their second quarter outburst with O'Neill finding Mason Prunick along the sideline, and the sophomore receiver from Sheboygan turned on the speed and raced 31 yards for a score and a 41-21 lead. Moreau even got into the act in the fourth quarter, running through a big hole, shaking off defenders late and even getting a block from Eddie on his way to a 73-yard touchdown to close out the scoring, his first collegiate touchdown scored.

On defense, Lakeland received a second straight huge game from Washington Vivanco (Jr.-Houston, Texas) and made plenty of big impact plays with five sacks plus two turnovers forced. That was enough to tame the Cougars, who gained 219 yards on the ground in large part due to Moise's work, but also struggled in the passing game.

Vivanco finished with a team-high 10 tackles (nine solo) and four tackles for loss, a total that included three sacks. He essentially stopped one Concordia drive by himself late in the second quarter, with consecutive sacks after the Cougars had driven to the Lakeland 24-yard line.

Chase Mitchell (Fr.-Minden, La.) also added a sack and even Eddie picked up a sack while playing some snaps as a rush end on defense. The Muskies also received some good pass defense including from Paul Saucedo (Fr.-Georgetown, Texas), who intercepted a pass in the second half and broke up three other passes.

Johnathan Hagerty (So.-Brookville, Ind.) also added eight tackles (six solo), and Albert Journet (Fr.-Brokebridge, La.) added seven tackles plus two passes broken up. The Muskies allowed just 106 yards through the air, with CUC quarterbacks completing 13 of 32 passes.

Rivers finished with 136 yards rushing, his first 100-yard game rushing this season, and Moreau added a career-best 88 yards, all in the fourth quarter. Brice Kensey (So.-New Orleans, La.) also caught eight passes for 43 yards, and freshman Jaylen Rido (Houston, Texas) made his first collegiate catch, a 13-yard touchdown reception over the middle from O'Neill that opened the scoring in the first quarter.

O'Neill completed 18 of 28 passes for 188 yards and a career-best four touchdowns and also ran for another, all in the first half. Broder also got his first action as a collegian and completed 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards plus two touchdowns.

Lakeland won its 10th straight game in NACC play, a streak dating back to 2016. The Muskies also added another win to their sterling record on Homecoming, improving to 58-21-3 all-time on Homecoming.

Lakeland takes to the road next week when it travels to face Concordia University Wisconsin in the annual Cheese Bowl game, with kickoff at 1 p.m. in Mequon.