MITCHELL, S.D. – In more than 100 years of Dakota Wesleyan University football no senior class has won as many games as the group that will leave the school after the 2015 season. With a blowout win over Nebraska Wesleyan University Saturday at Joe Quintal Field, the DWU senior class reached 28 wins over the last four years.
The best four-year span ever at DWU coincides with the tenure of head coach Ross Cimpl. Under Cimpl, the Tigers have won 28 games over the last four years, topping the record set by the classes of 2014 and 1994. Cimpl also continues his march up the DWU wins list. He is now fourth, passing Ron Parks (1972-77), with a record of 28-13 in less than four seasons.
The No. 19 Tigers scored early and often on the Prairie Wolves' defense, with sophomore quarterback Dillon Turner tossing four first-half touchdowns. DWU cruised in the second half and won 52-17 to move to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the GPAC.
With two games left to play, DWU is in a good position to make the NAIA postseason for the first time since 1992. The Tigers will need to win their final two games of the regular season, starting with the 2015 home finale against No. 24 Concordia University next Saturday.
DWU did not allow NWU to get comfortable in front of a large crowd, with three scores in the first quarter. On the first drive of the game junior Kodi Larson (Tyndall, S.D.) caught his first touchdown pass of the season on a 22-yard toss from Turner (Salem, Ark.). Larson caught another later in the game and more than doubled his yardage output for the season with six catches for 95 yards in the win.
The DWU backfield has been a revolving door this season due to injuries, but the next man up continues to produce as the Tigers churned out 312 yards on the ground. After busting loose for a 77-yard run, freshman Jonathon Withrow (Kimball, Neb.) scored from five-yards out to put the Tigers up 14-0 eight minutes in.
Next up for DWU was the continuation of a tremendous season by sophomore wide receiver Hayden Adams (Villa Park, Ill.) who caught two touchdowns in seven minutes, the first on a spectacular tipped ball. Adams has 12 touchdowns this season, with five in the last two weeks.
After NWU got on the board to cut the DWU lead to 28-7, the Tigers tacked on a second score each from Withrow and Larson to head into the break with a 35-point lead.
The second half saw a heavy dose of the DWU running game, including several touches from senior Joey Garba (Palmdale, Calif), who finished with a career-high 10 carries for 75 yards and scored his first touchdown as a Tiger after breaking loose from 32-yards out.
Senior kicker Daniel Porter (Plattsmouth, Neb.) also continued his strong season with a career-long 41-yard field goal in the third quarter. After missing all eight of his attempts last year, Porter is now 8-of-10 in 2015 and has moved to fifth on the DWU all-time scoring list with 169 points in his career.
DWU outgained NWU 573 to 341, with 443 yards coming in the first half. Turner finished 22-of-37 for 261 yards and four touchdowns, while carrying the ball five times for 83 yards.
Withrow put up a career-high 157 yards on 19 carries and scored twice, while Adams caught six passes for 63 yards and two scores.
On defense, reigning NAIA Player of the Week Brady Bonte (Garretson, S.D.) posted his second straight double-digit tackle performance with 11, including two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Sophomore Trevin Island (Rialto, Calif.) also had 11 tackles, with five coming on one drive. Island added two pass breakups.
The Prairie Wolves got 24 carries for 126 yards from running back Shaka Taylor, while quarterback Ben Green was 15-of-34 passing for 142 yards and an interception.
The Tigers play a second straight home game for the first time this season against No. 24 Concordia University at 1 p.m. Saturday at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.
