No. 22 DWU Football Rallies, Tops Hastings 34-31

HASTINGS, Neb. – The Dakota Wesleyan University football team tried several times to pull away from Hastings College in a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup Saturday in Hastings, Neb., but the Broncos kept fighting back and eventually took a late lead in the fourth quarter.

The No. 22 Tigers rallied, and with the team's first passing touchdown of the season regained a three-point lead with under two minutes to play in the team's first road contest of the 2014 season. On the ensuing Hastings drive, senior linebacker Anthony Cervantes (Burbank, Calif.) picked off a pass from Bronco quarterback Matt Overmiller and the Tigers lined up in victory formation for the third time this season.

DWU is now 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the GPAC heading into a night game at home against in-state rival Dakota State University for a nonconference matchup Saturday, Oct. 4 in Mitchell, S.D.

The Tigers got off to a fast start against the Broncos, scoring the first 14 points of the contest. Senior running back Francois Barnaud scored the first of his two touchdowns on a two-yard scamper in the first quarter to break the ice for DWU. True freshman quarterback Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark,) scored on a one-yard run early in the second quarter.

The Tigers had a chance to really break the game open, but a missed field goal and a Barnaud fumble in the red zone cost DWU early scoring chances.

Hastings got on the board with a three-yard touchdown run from Jake Fowler late in the first half to go into the locker room down just one score.

Turner found the end zone again on the ground on their first possession out of the break. He ran in from 10 yards out for his second score, giving the Tigers a 21-7 lead, but Fowler answered with his second score to break the Broncos back to within seven heading into the final quarter.

After a Hastings field goal made the score 21-17, Barnaud powered through several would-be Bronco tacklers for a six-yard score to push the Tiger lead to 11 with 7:49 left in the game.

Hastings answered 12 seconds later with an 88-yard touchdown pass from Overmiller to Noah Housh and after Turner fumbled for DWU, Fowler would score his third rushing score of the game from 21 yards out to give Hastings its first lead, 31-28 with 4:25 remaining.

DWU took over on its own 34-yard line needing a score to avoid the upset. On the ninth play of the drive, Turner found sophomore wide receiver Dustin Livingston from 21 yards out for the game-winning score with under two minutes left to play.

Cervantes interception secured the win for DWU, which outgained Hastings 462 to 368 in total offense. Barnaud finished with 27 carries for 110 yards and two scores, while Turner added 254 yards on 19-of-36 passing and three total scores in the win.

Senior linebacker Jeff Maassen (Brandon, S.D.) led the Tiger defense with 10 tackles, while junior linebacker Brady Bonte (Garretson, S.D.) added nine, including 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Brady Mudder finished with six tackles and two sacks.

Overmiller completed 23-of-36 passes for 260 yards and one score for Hastings, while Housh hauled in five passes for 132 yards.

The Tigers return to Mitchell for the first of two straight at home, starting with Dakota State at 6 p.m. on Oct. 4 at Joe Quintal Field.