No. 1 Mustangs run away from No. 16 Tigers

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The top-ranked Morningside College Mustangs racked up 475 yards on the ground in a 50-7 win over No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan University in Great Plains Athletic Conference football action Saturday at Elwood Olsen Stadium in Sioux City, Iowa.

The Tigers held the Mustangs to their lowest point output of the season, but the DWU offense never got going. The loss drops the Tigers to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the GPAC.

Morningside scored the first 14 points of the contest, including a touchdown run by Brandon Wegher from seven yards out late in the first quarter. Wegher finished with 327 yards on 30 carries and four scores. He averaged 10.9 yards per rush.

DWU got on the board in the second quarter with a six-yard touchdown run by senior running back Francois Barnaud (Belle Fourche, S.D.) to cut the Morningside lead to seven points.

Morningside quickly regained control with another touchdown run from Wegher from 31 yards out. The Mustangs scored the final 36 points of the game to improve to 5-0 in the GPAC and 6-0 overall.

Barnaud found some success on the ground with 20 carries for 130 yards and a score as the Tigers finished with 171 yards in the rushing game. True freshman quarterback Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.) never got into a rhythm against a tough Mustang defense. He finished 13-for-32 passing for 117 yards, while throwing one interception and taking five sacks.

Sophomore wide receiver Kodi Larson (Tyndall, S.D.) led the DWU receiving corps with five catches for 59 yards. The DWU defense got a team-high 14 tackles from junior safety Jared Van Winkle (Tyndall, S.D.), while junior linebacker Brady Bonte (Garretson, S.D.) added 10 tackles. Senior linebacker Anthony Cervantes (Burbank, Calif) picked off two passes giving him four interceptions on the season.

Reigning GPAC Offensive Player of the Week Ryan Kasdorf led the Mustang passing attack, completing 16-of-24 passes for 318 yards and two scores. The Tigers did intercept Kasdorf four times. The Mustangs outgained the Tigers on offense 793 to 288.

DWU will look to get back track as the team returns home to face Midland University at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25 at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.