Covenant News - NPU Vikings Quarterback Sets Passing Record

Covenant News

NPU Vikings Quarterback Sets Passing Record

CHICAGO (November 12, 2000) - Dana Anderson passed Gary Duesenberg on the all-time career passing yardage list and Darnell Rios broke the season rushing mark as North Park University (NPU) lost a 56-52 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football game to visiting Carthage College November 11.

Anderson, who is from Bethel Mission Covenant Church in Wallace, Michigan, was 16 for 27 for 213 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings finished the season 3-7, 1-6 in the CCIW. He had scoring passes of 20 and 63 yards to Michael Fields and his 44-yard touchdown pass to Steve Eifred narrowed the Carthage lead to 35-24 at halftime.

Overall, Anderson finished 5,169 passing yards in his four-year career at NPU, edging Duesenberg (5,160) on the all-time passing list. He started at quarterback all four years he played at the school.

Rios finished his NPU career with a bang, gaining 322 yards on 30 carries to set a school record for rushing yards in a game for the second consecutive week. In fact, his output against Carthage is second all-time in the CCIW, behind a 382-yard rushing performance by Carthage running back Pete Baranek against North Central College in 1985.

For the season, Rios totaled 15 touchdowns, 92 points, 1,223 rushing yards and 7.0 yards per carry, all school records. The senior running back from Zion, Illinois had 2,103 yards rushing in his career as a Viking, second on the all-time NPU list.

NPU trailed throughout as Carthage quarterback Pat Brown opened the scoring with a 38-yard run and then added six touchdown passes, four to Rob Garnes, who had 15 catches for 243 yards. Rios ran for touchdowns of 47, 33, and 31 yards, the final scamper putting the Vikings up 46-42 early in the fourth period.

But after Tim Daggy's 45-yard interception return gave NPU a 52-42 edge, the Redmen scored the final two touchdowns, the last to Scott Steger, with about two minutes to play. Brown finished with 311 yards on 19 of 29 passing.

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