Photo courtesy of Haley Martin, MLC Athletics MLC’s Joshuah Kren carries the ball down the field in MLC’s Homecoming game against Iowa Wesleyan on Saturday at MLC in New Ulm.

By Jim Bastian

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — Martin Luther College totaled 493 yards offensively and held Iowa Wesleyan to just 93 yards as the Knights rolled by the Tigers 51-6 Saturday in an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference game.

It was also homecoming for the Knights.

Elliot Butler and Joshuah Kren each scored twice for the Knights (4-1). Butler scored on runs of 5 and 45 yards, with Kren scoring on passes of 74 and 34 yards from quarterback Ethan Aguilar. Aguilar added a 67-yard touchdown run, with Nate Stein scoring on a 2-yard run. Noah Nordlie and Elijah Henning also added touchdowns, with Nordlie’s coming off a 28-yard interception return. Henning capped off the Knights’ onslaught with a 2-yard run.

For the Knights and head coach Mark Stein, it was a game that saw MLC play most of its roster.

“We had a kids who were dinged up, so we played a lot of players, especially on offense,” coach Stein said. “The freshmen who got to play today really did well.”

As did the rest of the team.

Nate Stein opened up the scoring when he scored on a 2-yard run at the 7:34 mark of the first quarter before Aguilar turned a quarterback keeper into a 67-yard touchdown run less than two minutes later.

Wesleyan got its only touchdown of the game on a 34-yard TD pass from Leo Alvarez to Matt McNaul.

Other than that, it was all Knights.

“They have a really young team and they are starting from nowhere.” coach Stein said. “He has good athletes, they just need experience.”

Two Butler touchdowns in the second quarter upped the Knights’ lead to 25-6 at halftime.

Butler’s two touchdown receptions from Aguilar (5 for 11, 207 yards and two touchdowns) boosted the Knights’ lead to 38-6 after three quarters and saw the Martin Luther reserves play a late in the third quarter and all of the final quarter.

“Elliot is a great running back and he works hard in the offseason.” coach Stein said.“When we do get dinged up we have players who are ready to go. Our seniors and juniors work hard to be here and when the freshmen and sophomores are called upon — like they were today — did a great job.”

Coach Stein said that Aguilar, a sophomore, is a California kid.

“He does not like this weather, but he did a great job today. He has a good arm and is a smart kid.”

Nordlie’s pick six made it 45-6, before Henning completed the route on a 2-yard TD run.

“We have to keep going.” coach Stein said. “Next week is another one (when the Knights travel to Westminster at noon). On the road down there will not be an easy game.”