MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University football team came into a matchup against No. 3 Morningside College with a chance to make some noise in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
After Morningside shot out to a quick 12-0 lead in the first quarter, the No. 17 Tigers responded, but the Mustangs proved too much for DWU on Saturday at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D. The Mustangs ran away from the Tigers in the second quarter and cruised to a 76-20 win over DWU. The second straight loss drops the Tigers to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the GPAC.
The Mustangs scored twice in the first four minutes of the game and were helped out on their second drive by a four-yard punt from inside its own 10-yard line by DWU. Morningside broke the ice with a 30-yard touchdown run from Tyler Kavan, who added another running score from two yards out after the botched Tiger punt. The Mustangs led 12-0 as both extra points were missed.
DWU answered with a 10-play, 82-yard drive capped off by a touchdown pass from sophomore Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.) to sophomore receiver Hayden Adams (Villa Park, Ill.) from 12 yards out. The score was the seventh of the season for Adams.
After a third touchdown run from Kavan to increase the Morningside lead to 19-7, DWU answered with another long drive. After a 78-yard reception from Turner to junior receiver Dustin Livingston (Irene, S.D.), senior Trevor Schroeder (Canistota, S.D.) caught a 3-yard touchdown pass to bring DWU to within five points late in the first quarter.
The second quarter was almost all Morningside, with the Mustangs outscoring the Tigers 29-6 in the frame. Morningside quarterback Ryan Kasdorf threw four touchdown passes in the second, including a pair to Connor Niles. DWU running back John Fabrizius (Casper, Wyo.) ran one in from three-yards out late in the first half and the Tigers trailed 48-20 at the break.
Morningside scored all of the second-half points including three more touchdown passes for Kasdorf. Morningside outgained DWU 764 to 388 in the game.
Turner finished 13-of-22 for 166 yards and two touchdowns passing, while carrying the ball 24 times for 134 yards. The game was the fourth this season in which Turner rushed for more than 100 yards. The rest of the DWU running game was bottled up, with converted wide receiver Arthur Brown finishing with five carries for 39 yards to lead the DWU running backs. Livingston finished with three catches for 75 yards, while Adams had six catches for 74 yards and a score.
Kasdorf was 20-of-30 for 365 yards and seven touchdowns through the air, while Niles hauled in eight passes for 211 yards and two scores. Kavan carried the ball 15 times for 152 yards and three scores, while Weslee Dvorak added 11 carries for 112 yards.
The Tigers have another tough test next week with against No. 20 Northwestern College at 1 p.m. Saturday in Orange City, Iowa.
