Search
Search
News
Multimedia
Sports
Arts & Entertainment
Opinion
Subscribe
Life & Times
Fine Arts
Features
Send a News Tip
100 Years
Donate
Advertise

Subscribeto The Echo

The Echo

Sunday, April 11, 2021 Print Edition

Donate

  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Life & Times
  • Features
  • Fine Arts
  • Multimedia
  • 100 Years
  • Advertise
  • Send a Tip
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Life & Times
  • Features
  • Fine Arts
  • Multimedia
  • 100 Years
  • Advertise
  • Send a News Tip
Search

Subscribe

Subscribe to The Echo

The Echo aims to represent the views of diverse voices on Taylor University's campus fairly and without bias and to be a vehicle of accurate and pertinent information to the student body. The Echo also aims to be a forum that fosters healthy discussion about relevant issues, acting as a catalyst for change on our campus.

Fill out my online form.

3/19/2021, 4:00pm

Football shuts out Madonna for first win of the season

Team picks up blowout win

By Payne Moses
Football shuts out Madonna for first win of the season

Taylor got on track after two opening losses with a big win last Saturday

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Mail
  • Print

Taylor football earned their first home win and win of the 2020 spring season against Madonna University with a score of 45–0. 

Turner Stadium’s turf was last played on nearly 16 months ago, and the Trojan squad certainly relished the opportunity to play in front of fans in attendance. Improving their record to 1–2, Taylor rebounded from losses to Marian and St. Francis.

While the Trojans did not possess any film on Madonna, a first-year football team, Coach Ron Korfmacher spoke to how they readied themselves.

“A big part of preparation is focusing on yourselves,” Korfmacher said. “Just reaching a standard of practice, a standard of execution, a standard of how you’re going to compete together as a team, regardless of opponent.”

Korfmacher said the initial stages of the game operated as “scout looks,” evaluating Madonna in-game and based on limited high school film.

Balance on offense, Korfmacher said, was one key adjustment his team made, aided by equal balance on the defensive side of the ball. Two takeaways were critical in the win over Madonna, but two other factors influenced the flow of the game.

“We had fewer quarterback runs this week,” Korfmacher said. “That was a plan, not to be as quarterback heavy, and frankly we had a couple snags health-wise. We weren’t certain what roster we were going into the game with, and it cleared up, (so) there was potential roster changes.”

Junior defensive back Major Dailey was a major contributor in the Trojan’s victory, coming down with a pair of interceptions, one being returned for a touchdown. Before this outstanding performance, Dailey recalled only having one previous career interception against Indiana Wesleyan University last season.

“I was just in the right place at the right time really,” Dailey said. “A couple mistakes from the quarterback that went my way. I was very grateful to come away with those two picks.”

Individual accolades aside, Dailey pinpointed how the Trojan defense was able to contain Madonna without him recording a single tackle.

“Our front seven guys did a very good job this week,” Dailey said. “The run was really stopped before it could get back to the secondary. … Jacob Hockett, a couple other guys did a really good job this week.”

Starting quarterback Zac Saltzgaber also posted a solid showing with 159 passing yards and a pair of touchdown throws. In light of the past two away losses and a match-up with 13th-ranked Concordia University coming up, Saltzgaber was very appreciative of this home win.

“Coming back and having such a big win, we needed it big time,” Saltzgaber said. “It’s a big confidence booster into the rest of the season.”

From a quarterback’s standpoint, Saltzgaber acknowledged what improvements he made in the win over Madonna.

“I think decision-making was ultimately one of the better things,” Saltzgaber said. “The first two games I tried to force a lot, especially later in the game when we were kind of feeling pressed to score.”

Relaxing and trusting in his teammates to perform took a lot of pressure off, Saltzgaber said. Wide receiver Evan Guckenberger exemplified this with a leaping touchdown catch late in the second quarter.

Korfmacher stated how his team can respond to this win moving forward in the seven-game season.

“Build on the positives, the best that came out of that game,” Korfmacher said. “The next game is a challenge, a hard-fought battle… yet we’re glad to be home again playing Concordia.”


Share



Related Stories

Taylor's indoor track and field teams competed in the Crossroads League Championships last weekend.

Weekly Taylor Athletics update

By Markus Miller

Erin Teevans scored two goals against MVNU last Saturday

Women's soccer beats MVNU 3-2

By Kyle Hayward

Taylor’s defense forced Siena Heights to turn the ball over once in the their game last Saturday

Siena Heights takes down Taylor on Saturday

By Markus Miller


Most Popular


3/20/2021, 6:50pm

Taylor University announces new president

By Holly Gaskill , Ellie Tiemens and Kyla Russell

Lindsay to enter role


3/25/2021, 7:00am

Human trafficking is today's slavery


3/17/2021, 7:00am

Supporting the best open forum on campus


3/15/2021, 7:00am

Our View: The 1619 Project


The Echo To Homepage
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Covers
  • Awards
  • Get Involved

All Rights Reserved

© Copyright 2021 The Echo

Powered by
Solutions by The State News.

Taylor University