SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – The Dakota Wesleyan University football team came into the final game of the regular season knowing that it would need to win to have a chance at the NAIA Football Championship Series for the first time since 1992.
Despite a scare in the second half, No. 15 DWU pulled away and took care of business against Dordt College to reach nine wins for just the second time in school history (10 in 1992). The Tigers won the game 48-21 and moved to 9-2 overall and 7-2 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. DWU finished the season ranked No. 14 in the NAIA and was left out of the NAIA postseason. The Tigers were the highest ranked team to not make playoffs with several lower ranked conference champions jumping up ans stealing automatic bids.
The Tigers put up 643 yards of the total offense with sophomore quarterback Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.) leading the way, accounting for more than 500 yards combined passing and rushing against the Defenders. The Tigers took a 27-6 lead when Turner hit senior Trevor Schroeder (Canistota, S.D.) early in the third quarter.
DWU looked to be pulling away, but Dordt did not fold. The Defenders scored 14 straight and had DWU fans nervous with the Tigers holding just a six-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, DWU rebounded and rattled off 21 straight to close the game. Dordt has never beaten DWU, with the Tigers holding a 8-0 advantage in the all-time series.
The scoring started with sophomore wide receiver Hayden Adams (Villa Park, Ill.) catching his 13th touchdown of the season on a six-yard pass from Turner. After junior Dustin Livingston (Irene, S.D.) caught his seventh touchdown of the season, Dordt got on the board with a 16-yard run from Reggie Washington, but DWU answered right back with Adams second score of the game.
With the DWU lead dwindled down to just six points in the fourth quarter, Turner again found the end zone with junior Kodi Larson (Tyndall, S.D.) catching a 29-yard touchdown pass.
Senior running back Joey Garba (Palmdale, Calif.) has seen increased playing time with injuries to several DWU rushers. He is taking advantage and scored the second touchdown of his career with a 19-yard run in the fourth quarter to pull DWU ahead by 20. In the final regular season game of his career, senior wide receiver Greyson Wooten (Temple, Texas) caught the first touchdown of his career to cap off the Tiger win.
Turner has put together one of the best seasons in DWU history, and had perhaps his best statistical performance of the season against Dordt. The two-time GPAC Offensive Player-of-the-Week was 26-of-33 passing for 354 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. Turner was equally effective on the ground with 12 carries for 151 yards and long of 66. He now has 2,366 yards passing in 2015, the fourth best total in school history. He also has tossed 29 touchdown passes and has rushed for 889 yards on 162 carries.
Adams is having one of the best receiving seasons in DWU history with 14 touchdown receptions. He has caught 57 passes, the eighth most of any receiver in a season. His 875 yards is tied for fourth best by any Tiger. Adams caught a career-high 10 passes for 123 yards and two scores against Dordt.
The Tiger kicking game has been exceptional n 2015, with senior Daniel Porter (Plattsmouth, Neb.) rebounding with a career year. With six more extra points on Saturday, Porter now holds the school record for makes in a season with 45. He also holds the DWU mark for extra points made in a career with 129 and is tied for most career field goals with 17.
Livingston has also been a strong source of offense for the Tigers in 2015. He caught six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown against Dordt.
The DWU defense faced a strong Dordt rushing attack which ranks at the top of the GPAC this season. The Tigers got 12 tackles, all solo, from junior defensive end Brady Mudder (Garretson, S.D.). The reigning GPAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week added two tackles for loss, while junior linebacker Adam Bormann (Stickney, S.D.) added 10 tackles, all solo.