Tigers Open GPAC Play against Chargers

MITCHELL, S.D. – With a thrilling win in the season opener under its belt, the No. 21 Dakota Wesleyan University football team remains at home to open the Great Plains Athletic Conference season against Briar Cliff University at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.

The Tigers look for a good start to the conference season after finishing tied for second place with Northwestern College (Iowa) at 7-2 last season. The Chargers come into the matchup, which is the GPAC opener for both squads, on the heels of a 21-3 loss to No. 11 Benedictine College Aug. 30 at the Dakota Dome in Vermillion, S.D.

DWU came alive on offense in the second half of its 23-19 win over the University of Wisconsin-Stout Sept. 6. Trailing 12-0 at the break, DWU received a lift from senior running back Francois Barnaud, who took the first play from scrimmage after the break 75 yards for a touchdown to get the Tigers on the board.

Trailing 19-7 in the fourth, senior linebacker Jeff Maassen (Brandon, S.D.) recorded a safety to cut the Blue Devil lead to 10. With time ticking down, Barnaud, a native of Belle Fourche, S.D., broke loose again for a 57-yard touchdown run pull the Tigers within three points. Jared Van Winkle picked off a pass to get the ball back for DWU to set up the game-winning score.

Quarterback Dillon Turner entered the game in the second half to replace starter Luke Stephens for the Tigers. Turner found the end zone an 11-yard scramble to give DWU its first lead of the game with 2:18 remain in the fourth quarter. The win was sealed when sophomore defensive back Cody Bonte, of Garretson, S.D., came up with his second interception of the contest.

The Tigers swept the GPAC's Player of the Week awards after the win over Stout. Barnaud finished with 22 carries for 282 yards and two scores. He was named the offensive player of the week in the GPAC. Bonte took the defensive honors after his two interceptions, while junior kicker/punter Daniel Porter picked up the special teams award.

The Tigers will look to carry the momentum of the second half of the opener into its game against the Chargers. In recent seasons, DWU has seen success against BCU, winning the last four contests. DWU is 7-4 all-time in the series, including a 55-16 win over the Chargers in 2013 at the Dakota Dome.

Barnaud, who entered the 2013 season coming of an injury that cost him the 2012 season, helped lead the Tigers to the win over BCU on the road last year. He rushed 26 times for 189 yards, with a long of 63 yards and three scores. DWU also had success through the air, as former quarterback Jon Bane racked up 342 yards passing and three touchdowns.

Heading into the 2014 meeting with BCU, the Tigers will look to sophomore quarterback Stephens (Chico, Calif.) or true freshman Turner (Salem, Ark.) to emerge as the No. 1 signal caller. Stephens entered the season opener atop the DWU quarterback depth chart and remains listed as the starter heading into the this weekend's matchup with BCU.

The Tiger defense came away with several big plays against the Blue Devils, including three interceptions, one forced fumble, two sacks and safety in the win. Junior defensive back Tanner Munk (Dell Rapids, S.D.) led DWU in tackles with 12 tackles, 10 solo and 2.5 for a loss. Junior linebacker Brady Bonte (Garretson, S.D.) added nine tackles, seven solo and two for a loss.

The DWU defense will be charged with stopping the BCU passing attack, which was on full display in the season opener. Junior quarterback Kevin Van Egdom (Liberty, Mo.) put the ball in the air 49 times, completing 24 passes for 236 yards. Van Egdom did not throw a touchdown pass or an interception. Van Egdom spread the ball around finding four different targets at least five times. Junior running back Mitch Heike carried the ball 10 times for 44 yards against Benedictine.

Last season, the DWU defense stifled Van Egdom, who completed 5-of-23 passes for 86 yards and finished with three interceptions.

The Chargers allowed 239 yards on the ground in the season-opening loss to Benedictine, which out gained BCU 406 to 298 overall.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Joe Quintal Field. The game is the first in a doubleheader, with the Mitchell High School football team scheduled to take on Pierre with a scheduled start of 5 p.m.