APPLETON, Wis. -- The Lawrence University football team used a big second half and a stifling defense Saturday to down Beloit College 43-21 in a MIdwest Conference game at Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.
    The Vikings scored 27 second-half points and rolled up 472 yards of offense while allowing Beloit just 172 yards for the contest, including 43 in the second half.
    Lawrence quarterback D'Andre Weaver completed 28-of-46 passes for a career-high 353 yards, and he matched his career high with four touchdown passes. Weaver also ran 10 times for 17 yards and a touchdown.
    Cameron Wicks led Lawrence's receiving corps with seven catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Tanner Morris grabbed seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown for Lawrence (2-5, 1-5 MWC). Jaidon Bond had five catches for 66 yards and a score for the Vikings, and Logan Olson had five catches for 51 yards.
    Malachi Gatison carried seven times for a bulldozing 44 yards to lead Lawrence's ground game.
    Lawrence linebacker Eder Bellegarde had another outstanding day as he finished with 12 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks. Zachary Adams and Ian Thomas added seven tackles apiece for the Vikings. Thomas had 1.5 TFLs and a sack, and Adams finished with 1.0 TFLs. Lawrence senior safety Terrell Myers picked off his fourth interception of the season and returned it for a touchdown. 
    This was Lawrence's first win in the Blue and White Weekend (aka homecoming) game since the Vikings downed Beloit 21-13 in 2014. Lawrence improved to 41-33 in homecoming games since 1946.
    Lawrence led 16-7 at the half, but a Weaver fumble on the first possession of the third quarter was scooped up Gavin Thorpe and returned 27 yards for a touchdown to trim the lead to 16-14.
    The Vikings answered immediately as Wicks returned the ensuing kickoff to the Beloit 49-yard line. Three plays later, Weaver found Wicks for a 45-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 23-14. 
    Lawrence tacked on another touchdown late in the third quarter after a short punt gave the Vikings the ball at their own 49. Gatison pounded out 25 yards rushing early in the drive, but the march stalled after a sack moved the ball back to the Beloit 39. Facing fourth-and-20 from the Beloit 29, Bond got behind a pair of Beloit defenders, and Weaver found him for a touchdown and a 29-14 lead.
    Lawrence then sealed the victory with a pair of fourth-quarter scores. After an 11-yard punt from Alonso Casillas gave Lawrence the ball at the Beloit 26, the Vikings scored four plays later. Weaver had a key 15-yard run to the Beloit seven, and Weaver ran it on the next play, juking a Beloit defender in the process, for a 36-14 lead with 11:34 left.
    The Bucs (0-7, 0-6) then took advantage of Lawrence fumble and scored on the following play to trim the lead to 36-21, but the Vikings immediately countered.
    Beloit's onsides kick went out of bounds, and Lawrence took over at the Beloit 47. Three plays later, Weaver hit Wicks on a short sideline pass, and Wicks slipped past one defender and raced to the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown and a 43-21 lead with 6:36 left.
    Lawrence dominated the first quarter but needed a defensive touchdown to build a 10-0 lead. The Vikings got a 30-yard field goal from Andre Mazur for a 3-0 lead, but Beloit had a goal-line stand on Lawrence's next possession. Beloit took over at its own one-yard line, and quarterback Jacob Shafer was picked off by Myers three plays later. Myers returned the ball eight yards for his second pick-six of the season and a 10-0 lead.
    Beloit picked off Weaver early in the second quarter to set up its first touchdown. Shafer connected with Jeto-Rivar Sanon on a 31-yard scoring pass to trim the lead to 10-7. The Bucs drove deep into Lawrence territory on their next possession when Shafer hit AJ Fitzpatrick inside the Lawrence five-yard line. Fitzpatrick fumbled and the ball bounded out of the back of the end zone for a touchback and a big stand for the Lawrence defense.
    Lawrence finished the half with a 47-yard scoring drive to extend its lead. Wicks had a 13-yard catch, and Morris had an 11-yard reception to set up a first down at the Beloit 23. Three plays later, Weaver scrambled left and Morris broke toward the end zone where Weaver found him for the touchdown and a 16-7 lead with just 31 seconds left.
    Lawrence hits the road next week when it travels to Knox College.