Staehling ties school record but Green Knights fall to Monmouth

MONMOUTH, Ill. – St. Norbert College senior wide receiver Samuel Staehling tied the school record for career touchdown receptions in a 34-14 loss to Monmouth College in a non-conference game at Zorn Memorial Stadium. Staehling finished the game with seven receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown, a 66-yard score. It was Staehling’s 36th career touchdown reception, tying him with Mike Whitehouse, who set the record from 1986 to 1989. Staehling also has 2,604 career receiving yards, moving him into second place on the career list. Whitehouse has that record with 3,480 yards. Three turnovers in the first quarter helped Monmouth jump out to a 24-0 lead on the backs of 25- and 8-yard touchdown runs by Henderson Francois and a 34-yard run by Devin Lawrence. The Green Knights got to within 24-7 on Staehling’s long touchdown pass from Freddy Poorman, but Monmouth answered on its next play from scrimmage with a 78-yard touchdown from Brennan White to Francois for a 31-7 edge after the first quarter. Neither team would score again until the fourth quarter, when Monmouth added a field goal and St. Norbert scored on 1-yard run by Ben Kohl with 16 seconds remaining. Monmouth outgained St. Norbert 348-337 in total offense. Poorman completed 11 of 20 passes for 144 yards, while Gage McClanahan completed 19 of 29 passes for 187 yards. Matt Galanopoulos caught nine passes for 58 yard in addition to Staehling’s total. Lawrence had 78 yards rushing on 14 carries to lead Monmouth. White completed 11 of 18 passes for 194 yards. Zach Kratky led the St. Norbert defense with 13 tackles, while Maccabee Barrett had eight stops with 2 1/2 tackles-for-loss.