The Minnewaska Area Lakers threw three interceptions that were returned for touchdowns during a 43-0 Homecoming loss to Rockford, Friday night at home.

The Lakers were in the game for most of the first half, but an interception returned for a touchdown just before halftime put the Rockets up 29-0 and Rockford would go on to score the only two touchdowns of the second half.

Minnewaska, which had 113 yards passing, has now given up 215 points in five games, or an average of 43 points per game.

The Lakers will go after win No. 1 this Friday at 7 p.m. at Big Cat Stadium in Morris.  The Morris Area-CA Tigers upset Pierz this past week, 26-24, to improve to 3-2 overall.

Rockford 43, Minnewaska 0

The Rockets returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the first half and another in the second on the way to the shutout win over the Lakers, Friday night.

Alex Altmann scored on a 23-yard pass from Timothy Houghton in the first quarter and then he returned an interception for 61 yards early in the second quarter to put Rockford up 15-0.

The Lakers had several good drives in the first half, but couldn’t capitalize once inside Rockford territory.

The Rockets added a one-yard touchdown run by Patrick Andry late in the first half and then, as the Lakers looked like they might drive for a touchdown of their own, Logan Stedman picked a pass off and returned it 59 yards for the Rockets’ fourth touchdown.

In the second half, Andry scored from 57 yards out and Harrison Brun added a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The Rockets outgained the Lakers 285-199 in total yards and 11-9 in first downs.  Minnewaska did net 113 yards passing as PJ Johnson was 9-of-24 for 105 yards with four interceptions and Austin Ballhagen was 1-of-1 for eight yards to Johnson.

Ballhagen also had four catches for 75 yards, Austin Weber had four for nine yards, Jack Majerus had three for 14 and Blake Andreas had one for seven yards.

Majerus also rushed 21 times for 65 yards as the Lakers piled up 86 net yards on 34 rushing attempts, while Ethan Barron had 23 yards on three totes.

No defensive stats were available, but Chase Boelke did have a fumble recovery for the Lakers.

Rockford 43, at Minnewaska Area 0

Rockford (3-2) 7 22 14 0 — 43

Minnewaska (0-5) 0 0 0 0 — 0

Team stats Min ROCK

First downs 9 11

Rushes-net yards 34-86 33-220

Pass-cp-int-yds 25-10-4-113 8-3-0-65

Total yards 199 285

Punts-average 5-32.6 UA

Fumbles-lost *-0 *-1

Penalties-yards 1-5 2-10

Minnewaska statistics

Rushing — MIN-Jack Majerus 21-65, Ethan Barron 3-23, Carter Meyer 4-1, PJ Johnson 1-0, Cole Baker 1-0, Chase Boelke 4-(-3) . . . ROCK-Patrick Andry 7-92, Logan Stedman 9-44

Passing (attempts-comp-intercept-yrds) — MIN-PJ Johnson 24-9-4-105, Austin Ballhagen 1-1-0-8 . . . ROCK-Houghton 5-3-0-65

Receiving (catches-yards) — MIN-Ballhagen 4-75, Austin Weber 4-9, Majrerus 3-14, Blake Andreas 1-7, Johnson 1-8 

Punts-average — MIN-Hunter Kloos 5-32.6

Kick returns — A. Weber 3-33, Blake Andreas 2-38, Majerus 2-34

Defense — Tackles-Unavailable . . . Sacks-UA . . . Interceptions-None . . . Fumble recoveries-Chase Boelke 1