Larry Rivers (Jr.-Dearborn Heights, Mich.) became Lakeland University's first 1,000-yard rusher in 24 years and the Muskies withstood some nervous moments early to pull away for a 39-6 win over Wisconsin Lutheran College Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field.

Rivers became the fifth-ever Muskie to rush for 1,000 yards in a season and the first since Kimani Chambers topped the mark in 1995. He finished with 211 yards in the game and has 1,117 yards rushing this season through seven games, the second-most in a season in school history and just 80 yards from Mark Smith's single-season record of 1,197 yards set in 1990.

The rushing game and defense carried the day for Lakeland, which won its third straight and improved to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. The Muskies gained 340 of their 428 yards of offense on the ground, and also limited Wisconsin Lutheran (1-6 overall, 1-3 NACC) to just 119 yards of total offense for the game.

Lakeland slowly pulled away after a tense first half when the Warriors brought an inspired effort early and frustrated the host Muskies into three turnovers, returning one for a touchdown for an early 6-0 lead that lasted into the second quarter. Lakeland didn't take its first lead until 28 seconds were left in the first half when Logan O'Neill (Sr.-Spokane Valley, Wash.), in for a short time for an injured Charl'Tez Nunnery (Jr.-Liberty, Miss.), threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Christian Chatman (So.-Detroit, Mich.).

The Muskies fumbled on two of their first three possesions and three of their first six, punted on two others, but still led 13-6 at halftime. Lakeland turned it over for a fourth time on the first possession of the second half on an interception by O'Neill, and Wisconsin Lutheran then drove down to the Lakeland 24-yard line. On a first down play, though, quarterback Nick Yockey fumbled and Sam Anderson (Sr.-Plainfield, Ill.) recovered to stop what wound up being the Warriors' deepest offensive penetration all day.

The Muskies then went on a nine-play, 72-yard drive that ended with Dezmon Eddie (Sr.-Alexandria, La.) running the final 20 yards around end for a 19-9 lead. Lakeland would score again late in the third on a one-yard keeper by Nunnery, and Eddie would score his second touchdown from a yard out midway through the fourth quarter to make it 32-6.

Lakeland's defense was equally stout against the run and pass, holding the Warriors to 38 yards rushing on 28 carries and just 81 yards passing on 32 pass attempts. The defense capped the game's scoring late in the fourth when Rayshion Brumfield (So.-Ponchatoula, La.) picked off Anthony Munoz and was gone 77 yards for his first career interception return for a touchdown.

Eddie also rushed 13 times for 83 yards and Nunnery returned after briefly missing time in the late second and early third quarters to finish with 17 carries for 69 yards. Nunnery also passed for 42 yards with O'Neill adding 46 yards passing, with Chatman leading the receivers with four catches for 39 yards.

Eddie and Rivers also both continued to move up Lakeland's all-time rushing lists. Eddie overtook Pat Curran (1966-68) for third on the list and is now at 2,516 yards for his career, 217 yards behind the school career record held by Chambers (1995-98). Rivers also moved up to fifth in the school's all-time list and now has 2,498 yards, just four yards behind Curran for fourth all-time.

Lakeland's defense finished with 14 tackles for loss including three sacks, four passes broken up and two fumbles forced. Shazon Crutcher (Jr.-Lansing, Mich.) finished with nine tackles (seven solo) including 2.5 TFLs, Tim Jarrad (So.-Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) posted 2.5 TFL among his five tackles and Sam Bartlett (Sr.-Racine, Wis.) added two tackles for loss including a sack and a forced fumble. Ten different players in all posted at least one tackle for loss.

Yockey completed 9 of 21 passes for 59 yards for Wisconsin Lutheran. Mikael Ignaszak posted a game-high 16 tackles (10 solo, six assisted) with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, while Jade Burge added 15 tackles (11 solo, four assisted) with an interception and a sack.

The Muskies now take to the road for the next two weeks, including first at Eureka College next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Eureka, Ill.

Muskies by the Numbers:
0 - Points allowed by the Lakeland defense, as Wisconsin Lutheran scored its only touchdown returning a mishandled punt snap for a score 
2.0 - Average yards per play in 60 offensive plays for Wisconsin Lutheran
14 - Tackles for loss by the Muskies in WLC's 60 plays
24 - Years since Lakeland had a 1,000-yard rusher before Larry Rivers reached that mark in the second quarter
29 - First downs for the Muskies offense, 18 more than Wisconsin Lutheran
38 - Net rushing yards for Wisconsin Lutheran
211 - Rushing yards for Larry Rivers
340 - Rushing yards for Lakeland
1,117 - Rushing yards this season for Rivers, 80 yards from the school's single-season record