MITCHELL, S.D. – In front of more than 3,500 people, the No. 25 Dakota Wesleyan University football team scored early and often as they ran away from the No. 24 Midland University Warriors in a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup, 55-21 on Blue and White Days Saturday at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.
In the Tigers' (4-2, 2-0 GPAC) second drive of the game, senior quarterback Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.) found the endzone on a one-yard touchdown run to put DWU on the scoreboard first. However, on the ensuing kickoff, the Warriors (4-1, 2-1 GPAC) returned the ball for a touchdown to tie the game.
In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Turner found Hayden Adams (Villa Park, Ill.) for a 32-yard touchdown pass that gave DWU a 14-7 lead that they would never give up for the remainder of the game.
With 5:22 left in the half and facing a fourth-and-two, Turner found Tre Hobbs (Detroit, Mich.) who caught the ball and ran it 39 yards for a touchdown. Turner rushed for another touchdown before halftime as DWU took a 35-14 lead heading into intermission.
During their first drive of the second half, Turner connected with freshman Spencer Neugebauer (Mitchell, S.D.) on a 54-yard touchdown pass to put DWU up, 42-21 as they never looked back and went on to win, 55-21.
Turner set a new career-high with 446 passing yards to go along with 16 rushing yards and six total touchdowns. Luke Loudenburg (Canova, S.D.) rushed for 56 yards and Gaige Marshall (North Platte, Neb.) tallied 41 rushing yards and a score. Adams led the Tigers with nine catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns, while Neugebauer added 79 yards on four catches and a score.
Freshman Cameron Sorg (Merritt Island, Fla.) showed a flash of speed as he returned a punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to finish with 102-punt return yards and a touchdown.
Trey DeCrook (Sioux Falls, S.D.) led the defense with 11 tackles, while Dillon Rork (Grand Island, Neb.) added seven tackles, a sack and 2.5 tackles for a loss. Freshman Cody Reichelt (Mitchell, S.D.) started for DWU and finished with seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss and Charlie LaRoche (Lower Brule, S.D.) recorded five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and two pass breakups.
The Tigers hit the road as they take on GPAC foe and No. 4-ranked Morningside College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Sioux City, Iowa.
