Despite second-half surge, Tigers fall to Concordia

SEWARD, Neb. – Despite a pair of second half touchdown passes, the Dakota Wesleyan University football team was unable to complete the comeback as Concordia University downed DWU, 24-17 in Great Plains Athletic Conference action Saturday in Seward, Neb.

 Concordia took its' opening possession of the game 77 yards for a touchdown to hold an early 7-0 lead. After the Tigers were forced to punt on their opening possession, the defense held Concordia to -9 yards on their ensuing possession to get the ball back.

 The Tigers (1-6, 0-5 GPAC) drove 34 yards to the Concordia 20 yard line. However, they missed a 37-yard field goal attempt to keep the score at 7-0. Both offenses sputtered until the Bulldogs (3-3, 3-2 GPAC) tacked on a 31-yard field goal to extend their lead to 10 points.

 On their final drive of the first half, the Tigers began with opportune field position as they took over at the Concordia 36 yard line. After driving down to the one yard line, DWU kicked a 21-yard field goal to cut the deficit to one score at 10-3 before half.

 On its' second possession of the second half, Concordia extended its' lead with a 15-yard touchdown pass to lead 17-3. However, the Tigers answered with an eight-play, 74-yard drive that was capped off with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Zachary Lester (Fairbanks, Alaska) to Garrett Determan (Watertown, S.D.).

 After the Bulldogs added another touchdown in the early moments of the fourth period, neither team scored for nearly eight minutes. Needing a touchdown to cut into the Concordia lead, Lester connected with Determan for a second time, this time on a 32-yard strike to make it a one possession game.

 The ensuing onside kick off was grabbed by Concordia. The Bulldogs kneeled the ball to close out the game to defeat DWU.

 Lester finished 28-of-49 for 308 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns. Neugebauer led the receivers with nine catches for 119 yards, while Determan snagged two catches for 43 yards and two touchdowns. Gors recorded an interception, two tackles for loss and seven total tackles, while Cody Reichelt (Mitchell, S.D.) led the defense with 10 total tackles.

 The Tigers stay on the road as they take on Midland University in a GPAC matchup at 1 p.m. on Oct. 19 in Fremont, Neb.