Tigers return home for GPAC matchup with Briar Cliff

MITCHELL, S.D. – For the first time since homecoming weekend, the Dakota Wesleyan University football team returns to Joe Quintal Field for a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup against Briar Cliff University at 1 p.m. tomorrow.

 Last week, the Tigers traveled to Orange City, Iowa to take on No. 17 Northwestern College, but they came up short as they fell, 29-10.

 Freshman kicker Seth Paulson (Mitchell, S.D.) put DWU on the scoreboard first with a 21-yard field goal. However, the Red Raiders answered back with a two-yard touchdown run.

 Four minutes later, Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.) found the endzone on a 29-yard touchdown run to give the Tigers a 10-7 lead heading into halftime.

 That would be the last lead that DWU held during the game as Northwestern took a 13-10 lead near the end of the third quarter and never looked back. The Red Raiders held DWU to its lowest total points scored in a game this season with just 10 points.

 Turner finished 20-of-41 with 160 passing yards and 152 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Luke Loudenburg (Canova, S.D.) added 68 rushing yards on 16 carries, while Lewis Hofer (Onida, S.D.) tallied 41 receiving yards on four catches.

 Defensively, Emmanuel Christopher (Sioux Falls, S.D.) finished with four total tackles, a sack, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Bailey Shriever (Harrisburg, S.D.) recorded 10 tackles, a forced fumble and two pass breakups, while Tyler Wagner (Webster, S.D.) added seven tackles and a fumble recovery. 

 About the Series 

 The Tigers are 10-4 against Briar Cliff in the all-time football series played. Last season DWU defeated Briar Cliff, 54-24 in Vermillion, S.D. The last time the Tigers lost to Briar Cliff was in 2009 after a 33-7 defeat. 

 About the Coaches 

 Ross Cimpl is currently in his sixth season as the head coach of the football program and hold a 42-20 overall record. He has coached 69 All-GPAC players in his six seasons at DWU.

 The Chargers are led by Dennis Wagner in his first season as the head coach. Wagner previously coached at Liberty University as an associate head coach. 

 About the Briar Cliff Chargers 

 Briar Cliff enters this week's matchup with an overall record of 0-8. The Chargers are led on the ground by Noah Ylagan, who has 758 rushing yards and five total touchdowns on the season. He is averaging 105 rushing yards per game and ranks 12^th in the NAIA in total rushing with 758 rushing yards. Chance Barlow leads the team at quarterback. He averages 61.7 passing yards and 21.6 rushing yards per game with seven total touchdowns on the season.