MONTGOMERY, Ill. – Lane Sobieski (Sr.-Berlin, Wis.) tied a Lakeland University single-game record with seven touchdown passes and the Muskies closed their football season in flying fashion, rolling past Rockford University 70-21 Saturday afternoon.

Sobieski had the biggest day of his career on Senior Day and tied the school single-game touchdown pass mark set by Michael Whitley in 2017. The Muskies put behind them a season of injuries and near misses and closed the campaign with a 3-7 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

With snow flurries flying on a cold day at Taylor Field, Sobieski led a large Lakeland cast of players including 11 seniors that had a day to remember. He completed 21 of 38 passes for a career-high 356 yards, and also rushed 15 times for a career-best 75 yards.

Sobieski also completed touchdown passes to six different players, including four players with their first career touchdown catch. The senior even punted twice for an average of 43 yards per kick.

Lakeland recovered from the most decisive defeat in school history a week ago at NACC champion Aurora University, exploding for 42 points in the first half against Rockford (1-9 overall, 0-8 NACC).

The Regents scored first but the Muskies took control first on the ground. Gabriel Maynes (Jr.-El Paso, Texas) rushed for touchdowns of 24 and 22 yards in the first quarter as part of his first career 100-yard rushing game, and the latter score gave Lakeland a 14-7 lead with 46 seconds left in the period.

The Muskies then scored 28 points in the second quarter, all coming through the air. Sobieski hit Chris Crawford (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) for a six-yard score, and just over a minute later Lakeland needed just one play to score again, as Sobieski went deep to Devin Martin (So.-Conyers, Ga.) for a 59-yard touchdown and a 28-7 lead less than two minutes into the second quarter.

Rockford came back to cut the lead to 28-14, but the Muskies scored twice in the final 2:02 of the half. Quinton Wilson (Sr.-Detroit, Mich.) scored his first career touchdown on a shovel from Sobieski, and then with 19 seconds left in the half Corinthians Jones (Fr.-Victorville, Calif.) caught a 20-yard touchdown for his first collegiate score.

Getting into the act in the third quarter was Xaviar Thomas (Jr.-Chicago Heights, Ill.), who caught his first-ever touchdown pass, a 17-yarder from Sobieski on fourth down to push the lead to 49-21 late in the period. Lakeland added three more scores in the fourth quarter, including Crawford catching his second touchdown, a 19-yarder with 13:42 left in the game.

The defense delivered a score just over two minutes later, with a sack and forced fumble by Leondre Townsend (Jr.-Menomonee Falls, Wis.) scooped up by Matt Glogowski (So.-San Diego, Calif.) who took it back for a 51-yard touchdown. The Muskies scored one more time late with freshman Caleb Butler (Chicago, Ill.) making the first two catches of his career on the drive, the latter a 20-yard touchdown pass from Sobieski that tied Whitley's record set Oct. 7, 2017 against Albion (Mich.) College.

Among a number of players having career days was Martin, who caught seven passes for a career-best 131 yards. Crawford also caught five passes for 105 yards, his second 100-yard receiving game of the season. Maynes also carried 16 times for 109 yards, while Wilson added seven carries for 25 yards.

Lakeland finished with 572 yards of offense, including a season-best 356 through the air. The Muskies gained 29 first downs and completed 6 of 7 fourth down attempts. Place kicker Payton LoBianco (Fr.-Berlin, Wis.) also made all 10 of his point-after-touchdown attempts to tie the Lakeland single-game record for most PATs in a game, a mark set by Jim O'Neil in a Muskies' 70-18 victory Nov. 7, 1987 against Principia (Ill.) College.

The defense also slowed down the potent Rockford passing attack, holding the Regents to 228 yards in the air and forcing four turnovers. Jayson Wilder (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) and Hunter Braford (Jr.-Dorr, Mich.) both intercepted passes and Markese Collins (Fr.-Phenix City, Ala.) added a fumble recovery, while Wilder and Andrew Cardiel (Sr.-Needville, Texas) also broke up five passes each.

Justin McMahon (So.-Kyle, Texas) also finished with a career-high 17 tackles, including 15 solo tackles. Townsend, Agustin Diaz (Sr.-Chilton, Wis.) and Charles Kobe (Jr.-Glendale, Wis.) added five tackles each.

The game was the final at home for 11 seniors, including Cardiel, Diaz, Sobieski, Wilder, Wilson, Elmonzeo Evans (Madison, Wis.), Gerardo Ibarra (Zion, Ill.), Karlis Ozols (Fond du Lac, Wis.), Joseph Pegues (Memphis, Tenn.), Charlie Ruege (Random Lake, Wis.) and Gabriel Vela (Waukegan, Ill.).

Muskies by the numbers:
2 - Fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns in his career for Matt Glogowski
4 - Number of different players to rush for 100 yards in a game this season after Gabriel Maynes performed the feat Saturday, joining Robby Michael, Jatron Bevly and Devon Harris
6 - Lakeland touchdown passes this season through nine games before throwing seven Saturday
10 - PAT kicks made by Payton LoBianco in 10 attempts Saturday
14 - Passes broken up this season by both Andrew Cardiel and Jayson Wilder, tops in the NACC
79 - Fourth down attempts by Lakeland this season, most in all of college football
572 - Yards of total offense by Lakeland, second-most this season