MITCHELL, S.D. – Offensive production wasn't a problem for the No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers. Leading by 25 points heading into halftime, DWU (5-2, 3-1 GPAC) powered over the No. 24 Concordia University Bulldogs 52-30 in a Great Plains Athletic Conference showdown on Saturday at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.
The conference and national player of the week, Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.), orchestrated another powerful attack, helping the Tigers accumulate 537 yards of total offense. The starting quarterback was 23-of-35 with 347 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. On the ground, Turner added 39 yards on nine carries.
DWU was first on the scoreboard after a 10 play, 75-yard drive when Dustin Livingston (Irene, S.D.) found the end zone on a six yard touchdown run. Livingston would go on to have another productive day with six catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns and one carry for eight yards and a score on the ground.
Concordia (4-3, 2-3 GPAC) added their first touchdown of the game with 9:36 left in the first quarter. With a minute left in the first, Turner found Payne Ahrens (Gretna, Neb.) on a six yard touchdown pass. Heading into the second quarter, Turner threw his second touchdown pass of the contest when he found Tyler Fortuna (Gillette, Wyo.) on an eight yard touchdown pass. The Bulldogs soon followed with a 41-yard field goal, cutting the Tiger lead to 11. Two minutes later, Turner found Livingston wide open on a 60-yard touchdown pass, marking Livingston's second touchdown of the afternoon. With less than a minute left in the first half, it was deja vu for the Tigers when Turner found Livingston once more on a 30-yard touchdown pass.
It was all Concordia in the third quarter, when Bryce Collins scored on a six yard touchdown pass from Riley Wiltfong. Collins found the end zone later in the third quarter on a three yard touchdown run. The Tigers scored three times in the fourth quarter, first on a nine yard touchdown pass from Turner to Kodi Larson (Tyndall, S.D.), capping a 11 play 77-yard scoring drive. With 5:27 left in the game, Charlie LaRoche (Lower Brule, S.D.) helped the Tigers on the scoreboard, taking a 60-yard interception to the end zone, his first of the season. The Bulldogs didn't go down without a fight, when Wiltfong connected with Jared Garcia on a 15 yard touchdown pass. DWU went on to seal the victory after an 18-yard field goal by Gus Haskell (Dell Rapids, S.D.)
John Fabrizius (Casper, Wyo.) added 39 yards on the ground on eight carries. Larson finished with 101 yards on four catches and a score.
On the defensive side of the ball, Dillon Rork (Grand Island, Neb.) and Trey DeCroock (Sioux Falls, S.D.) tallied six total tackles, while Cody Bonte (Garretson, S.D.) added five tackles, a tackle for loss and two pass break-ups.
The Tigers welcome Northwestern College for a GPAC battle at 1 p.m. Saturday at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.
