WAVERLY, Iowa-- Wartburg (1-1 overall) hosts Finlandia (0-3) in its home opener today. The Knights are 15-0 in home openers in the Walston-Hoover Stadium era (since 2001).
This marks the inaugural meeting between the two teams. The Lions are in their second year as a program.

Follow the Knights
Click here for the live video and live audio, provided by Knight Vision.
Click here for the live stats.
Click here for the live audio provided by KWAY.

Wartburg
Junior Connor Schrader (Lake Zurich, Ill.) leads the team on the ground with 200 yards and three touchdowns. He had the first 100-yard game of his career as a Knight last Saturday at Nebraska Wesleyan (165).

Sophomore quarterback Matt Sacia (Eldridge) has thrown for 640 yards and five TDs through two games. His top target has been junior Riley Brockway (Postville) with 18 receptions for 267 yards and three scores. Sacia and junior Griffin Brennecke (Marion) set the single-game school record in the game against Monmouth with a 93-yard pass, which broke the old mark of 91 set by Taylor Jacobsmeier and Brandon Steggall at Luther in 2013.

Senior Sawyer Anderson (New Hampton) leads the defense with 19 total tackles including 14 solos. Classmate Dalton Ciavarelli (Clarksville) has a team-best 2.0 tackles for a loss of seven yards.

Finlandia
Cameron Copeland is the team's leading rusher with 135 yards on 47 carries. He has one touchdown.

Eddie Yearby has thrown for 315 yards, and Jacob Roux leads the receivers with 90 yards and eight catches.

Nick Dwyer leads the defense with 26 tackles, and Jaavaid Love has a team-best 4.0 tackles for a loss of 30 yards, which includes 2.0 sacks.

National Stat Rankings
Wartburg ranks in the top 100 of 26 NCAA stat categories. The Knights rank tied for 1^st in blocked punts allowed (0), 2^nd in blocked punts (2), 5^th in net punting (40.90), 9^th in fewest penalties (8), 13^th in blocked kicks (2), 14^th in fewest penalty yards (75), 19^th in fewest penalties per game (4.00), 26^th in passing offense (320), 27^th in fewest penalty yards per game (37.50), 33^rd in fumbles lost (1), 33^rd in first downs defense (35), 34^th in 3^rd down conversion percentage defense (0.276), 34^th in sacks allowed (1.00), 41^st in total offense (472), 47^th in kickoff returns (23.56), 48^th in passes intercepted (4), 55^th in time of possession (32:30), 62^nd in tackles for loss allowed (5.25), 65^th in 3^rd down conversion percentage (0.429), 70^th in passing yards per completion (13.62), 75^th in rushing defense (119), 80^th in turnovers gained (5), 81^st in turnover margin (0.50), 85^th in turnovers lost (4), 91^st in punt return defense (6) and 92^nd in scoring offense (30).

Individually, ten Knights rank in the top 100 of 28 different categories. Junior Riley Brockway (Postville) ranks 1^st in all purpose yards (240), 12^th in receptions per game (9), 12^th in receiving yards per game (133.5), 39^th in receiving TDs (3), 44^th in combined kick returns (202), 49^th in kickoff returns (25.3), 54^th in receiving yards (267), and 79^th in scoring (9).

Junior Griffin Brennecke (Marion) ranks 27^th in yards per reception (24.33), 35^th in receiving yards per game (109.5), and 95^th in receiving TDs (2). Sophomore Matt Sacia (Eldridge) ranks 14^th in total offense (351.5), 18^th in passing yards per game (320), 27^th in completions per game (23.50), 60^th in passing yards per completion (13.62), 68^th in points responsible for per game (15), 69^th in passing TDs (5), 72^nd in passing yards (640), and 93^rd in yards per pass attempt (7.27).

Senior Sawyer Anderson (New Hampton) ranks 32^nd in solo tackles (7), 40^th in forced fumbles (0.50), and 80^th in interceptions per game (0.5). Junior Noah Dahlstrom (Mount Vernon, Iowa) ranks 28^th in fumbles recovered (1). Junior Tony Anstoetter (Farley) ranks 79^th in passes defended (1.5), and 80^th in interceptions per game (0.5).

Junior Jake Pisarik (Mount Vernon) ranks 10^th in punting (43.3). Sophomore Brayton Brandt (Center Point) ranks 73^rd in field goal percentage (0.500), and 97^th in field goals per game (0.50).

Junior Connor Schrader (Lake Zurich, Ill.) ranks 57^th in rushing TDs (3), 70^th in rushing yards per game (100.0), 79^th in scoring (9.0), and 94^th in rush yards per carry (5.26).

Junior Hunter Baldus (Cedar Rapids) ranks 80^th in interceptions per game (0.5).

Waterloo Courier preview