Madison, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan football opened their 2022 season with a road loss to the Dakota State University Trojan's by a score of 29-19. Kiel Nelson was the bright spot for the Tigers with 12 catches for 121 yards in his debut at receiver while also adding a rushing touchdown.
Offensive Leaders:
- Austin Lee – 24-35 for 278 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
- Jamin Arend – 24 rushes for 105 yards and one touchdown while also adding four catches for 53 yards.
- Kiel Nelson – 12 catches for 121 yards and one touchdown while adding a rushing touchdown.
Defensive Leaders:
- Max Schoenfelder – seven total tackles.
- Ethan Engen – six total tackles and 0.5 sack and TFL for one yard.
- Hunter Cordell – one tackle to go with the lone tiger interception.
Recap:
Dakota State received the ball to start the game and after some first play jitters for the Trojans getting a false start penalty, the Trojans got on the board on the first actual play from scrimmage connecting on a pass on the right hash on a slo-go route getting in behind the Tigers defense. The Trojans took an early 7-0 lead.
The Tigers didn't take long to get the ball in the hands of transitioned receiver Kiel Nelson on a 13-yard connection from Austin Lee. Lee would connect with Nelson again in the flat to convert another first down. Arend would get three straight touches resulting in seven yards but the Tigers would have to punt in their first drive. Nelson, who was also selected for the punter job, would pin the Trojans inside the 20 with 10:07 left and a score of 7-0 Trojans.
Trojans would pick up two first downs before the Tigers defense held strong and forced an incompletion on third and five with Jaiden Walton applying the coverage on the DSU receiver. In the ensuing drive for DWU Lee would once again find his new favorite target Nelson for a first down. Dakota State would hold the Tigers there and force another punt with 4:33 left and the score sitting at 7-0.
The first quarter would come to an end during the Trojans drive with the score sitting at 7-0. DSU offense would get their success on quick first read completions against the Tiger defense in the first quarter. DWU would have success moving the ball in the quarter but just not able to convert on third downs.
Trojans would open the quarter the same way they opened the game connecting on another score through the air making it a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Tigers would look to answer by driving the ball down the field leaning on Arend in the drive and would have first and goal at the six-yard line. Dakota Wesleyan would go to Arend twice getting them down to the one-yard line. They would end up stalling out at the one-yard line with an incomplete pass to Nelson and a stuffed run from Arend by the Trojans defense. Score would sit at 14-0.
DSU would try and put the game out of reach by converting first down after first down on their next drive after forcing a turnover on downs taking over at their own one-yard line. The drive would come to a screeching halt when DWU defensive back, Hunter Cordell, would come up with a clutch interception in the red zone getting tied up with a DSU receiver and winning the fight for the ball and coming away with the turnover with seconds left in the first half. The tigers would have nothing doing in their drive with only :15 seconds left in the half and head to the locker room down 14-0, but with the momentum switched on the Cordell interception.
The momentum from the first half would carry over to the second half with Nelson receiving the kickoff and returning it up the left sideline for 45 yards giving the Tigers great field position at the DWU 45. Lee would connect on four passes during the Tigers drive moving the ball down the field on the Trojans. The Tigers would finally get on the board for their first score of the 2022 season with a Arend rushing touchdown on third and two from ten yards out. After a missed extra point, the Tigers would trail 14-6.
The Tigers would force three straight three and outs on defense to keep the score where it is but fail to take advantage of the stops and get anything going on the offensive side of the ball in the two drives following the score. DWU would get back on the scoreboard with an eight play, four minute, 58 yard drive that was capped on a perfectly placed over the shoulder pass by Lee to Nelson at the back pylon to make it 14-12 DSU after a failed 2-point conversion after the score with 12:25 left in the game.
The Trojans special teams would return the following kick 93 yards for a touchdown making it a 20-12 advantage after a key blocked kick by Trey Bohlman. Tigers on the ensuing drive would go three and out but give the Trojans the ball at the DWU one-yard line from a high snap on the punt that went over Nelson's head. The Trojans would punch in the one-yard rush resulting in a 27-12 score.
Dakota Wesleyan would be faced with a fourth and five on their next drive. Lee would connect with Arend in the flat for 25 yards and converting the fourth down. The Trojans would get a personal foul 15-yard penalty after the play putting the Tigers with first down at the DSU 15. Nelson would take the first and goal snap and punch it in from four yards out getting assistance from the offensive line pushing the pile making it 27-19 with 6:33 left in the game.
Tigers defense would force a three and out resulting in a Trojan punt. DWU started their drive at their own 14 with 4:44 left in the fourth quarter. The first play would see the snap going over the head of Lee and rolling all the way to the endzone with Lee jumping on it but resulting in a safety to put the score at 29-19 with 4:40 left.
Tigers would force a punt but turn the ball over on their following drive with an interception for a final of 29-19.
Head-to-Head (Dakota State University)
- Tigers are now 39-36-1 all-time against the Trojans
- Dakota Wesleyan is now 4-6 in the last 10 matchups against Dakota State
- DWU has outscored DSU 266-262 during that 10-game stretch
Up Next
- Dakota Wesleyan football heads to Jamestown, N.D. on Saturday, September 3 at 1:00 p.m. for their next matchup.
