PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Concordia University Wisconsin built an early 13-point lead but the Lakeland University football team roared back from a bumpy start with a big second quarter and went on to a 49-32 win in the 30th annual game for the Cheese Bowl trophy Saturday night at Taylor Field.

The Muskies received huge games again from their star trio on offense, the defense clamped down to dominate the second half and Lakeland retained the Cheese Bowl for the third straight year. The Muskies also moved ahead of CUW in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings, improving to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference.

Lakeland had some nervous moments early in the rivalry game played under the lights in crisp, cool fall conditions, as the visitors responded to an early Muskies touchdown with 20 unanswered points. Lakeland trailed 20-7 after one quarter and 26-14 midway through the second period but scored 28 points in the second quarter and in particular turned the game with three touchdowns in the final 5 minutes, 48 seconds of the first half, including two touchdowns just before halftime.

Concordia (6-2 overall, 4-2 NACC) led 26-14 and had just answered a Muskies touchdown when James Linn hit Samuel Campbell Jr. for a 25-yard touchdown with 8:14 left in the second quarter. Lakeland drove 65 yards in seven plays, though, and Charl'Tez Nunnery (Sr.-Liberty, Miss.) hit Mason Prunick (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) for a nine-yard touchdown that with a Peyton Domangue (So.-Thibodaux, La.) extra point cut the deficit to 26-21.

The Muskies forced a punt on the Falcons' next possession and took the lead for good in the final minute of the half. Larry Rivers (Sr.-Dearborn Heights, Mich.) scored from two yards out to cap an eight-play, 63-yard drive that included heavy doses of Rivers (39 yards rushing on the drive) and Brice Kensey (Sr.-New Orleans, La.), who caught two passes for 24 yards as part of a massive game receiving.

Lakeland then added a bonus touchdown just before halftime after a gift from Concordia, one perhaps better characterized as a favor returned.

The Muskies had fallen behind 20-7 just before the end of the first quarter after a wild punt snap resulted in a desperation punt attempt fumbled and returned by Nasir Briggs two yards for a touchdown. The same circumstance would happen to the Falcons in the final seconds of the second quarter, though, a snap getting away from the punter and covered up at the CUW 7 with 16 seconds left in the half.

Lakeland would get down to the one-yard line with three seconds left, time for one more play in the half, and the Muskies rolled the dice. It paid off, as Nunnery and Rivers executed a perfect option play with Nunnery pitching to Rivers for an easy score and a 35-26 halftime lead.

Lakeland never trailed in the second half and eventually widened its lead with a pair of touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. The first came immediately after an unsuccessful punt fake by the Falcons in the first minute of the quarter, as on the next play Nunnery hit Rivers for a short swing pass and the running back broke multiple tackles on the way to a 33-yard touchdown reception.

The Muskies defense forced a turnover on downs on CUW's next drive, and Lakeland again struck on its first ensuing offensive play. Nunnery found Prunick up the seam 20 yards down field, and the senior H-back bounced off a pair of tackle attempts, spun and took off, running away for a 59-yard touchdown catch and a 49-26 lead. Concordia would come back with a touchdown on its next drive when Michael Purkey, the Falcons' third quarterback of the game, completed a 17-yard touchdown to Tim Houlihan, but the Falcons would not score again.

Lakeland finished a convincing performance with 518 yards of total offense with Rivers, Nunnery and Kensey in particular in starring roles.

Rivers rushed 32 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns and also added four catches for 55 yards. He topped the 100-yard mark for the seventh straight game, went over 1,000 yards rushing on the season to become the Muskies' first two-time 1,000-yard rusher, and also became the first Lakeland player to rush for over 4,000 yards in a career.

Nunnery completed 29 of 44 passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns in another terrific performance passing and also rushed nine times for 61 yards and another score. Kensey caught 17 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown, and his 17 catches tied Lakeland's single-game receptions record set by Brandon Lawson Oct. 11, 1997 against Concordia Wisconsin.

The Muskies defense also held the Falcons to 271 yards for the game, and after three early touchdown drives CUW gained just 90 yards net over its final ten drives. Otis Watts (Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) again was a force in the opponent's backfield with three sacks and five tackles for loss, and Rayshion Brumfield (Sr.-Ponchatoula, La.) and Ezekiel Combs (Sr.-East Point, Ga.) both intercepted passes.

Lakeland also shut down the Concordia running game, with the Falcons gaining 65 yards on 39 rush attempts. CUW also converted just 4 of 17 third downs.

The Muskies return to the road next week when they travel to face Eureka College at 1 p.m. in Eureka, Ill.