Mitchell, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan football drops home season opener to Dordt University in a GPAC conference matchup. The loss drops the Tigers to 0-4 on the season (0-3 in the GPAC) while the Defenders improve to 2-1 (2-1 in GPAC).
Quick Stats:
Offense –
- Jamin Arend – 18 ATT 95 YDS 5.3 AVG
- Connor Drake – 10-17 C-A 98 YDS 1 TD
- Kiel Nelson – 5 REC 52 YDS 10.4 AVG
Defense –
- Grayson Hanson – 11 Total Tackles 2 TFL- 9 YDS
- Layton Eide – 11 Total Tackles
- Trey Bohlmann – 2 Total Tackles 2 TFL- 5 YDS 1 Sack
Recap:
The scoreboard would show a very one-sided game, but anyone who attended the game at Joe Quintal Field would know that was not the case. The Tigers made a couple costly mistakes that resulted in points or great field position for the Defenders. DWU would end up with 230 yards of total offense compared to the Defenders 336 (95 coming on their last drive). The Tigers would edge the Defenders in first downs 19-18 and had a better third down percentage converting 7-14 (50%) compared to Dordt University going 3-9 (33%). Tiger defense held strong at multiple times throughout the game being put in bad spots and coming up with stops or forcing a field goal.
DWU defense would get the energy going early at Joe Quintal Field forcing a turnover on downs on a fourth and one at the Dordt 47. Ethan McCune would come up with the big tackle to set the tone early for the Tigers. Austin Lee and company would move the ball down the field and find their way to the red zone but stall out with a fourth and 12 at the Dordt 14. Jaxon Patrick would attempt a 31-yard field goal but just miss wide right keeping the score scoreless with 7:51 left in the quarter.
DU would start to get their offense going with consecutive plays of six, seven, nine and 11 yards. DWU defense would once again put their foot down and force the Defenders to punt with 4:19 left in the first. Highlighted plays from the Defenders second drive was a four-yard tackle for a loss on second and 10 by Grayson Hanson followed by a sack from Trey Bohlmann.
On the ensuing drive for the Tigers Lee would drop back to pass and look for open receiver Nelson in the flat but Lee would lose the grip on the ball resulting in a fumble at the DWU 20 and the ball would get kicked all the way back to the endzone and recovered by the Defenders giving them the 7-0 lead with 3:23 left in the quarter.
Dordt would add another score early in the second quarter making it a 14-0 ball game. On the ensuing kickoff Nelson would fumble the return and the ball would sit on the ground by the Dakota Wesleyan sideline for what seemed like forever and would eventually be recovered by the Defenders giving them the ball right back and good field position at the DWU19.
Tigers defense being put in a bad spot would hold strong and force yet another turnover on downs to keep the score 14-0 with 11:58 left to play in the half. Bohlmann would come up with a tackle for a loss on the drive.
On the following drive Lee would roll out to his right looking in the flats for a receiver but would be intercepted by Abraham Stoesz giving the Defenders the ball right back on the Tigers side of the field. Being put in a tough spot again the defense would answer the call stalling the Defenders out and forcing them to attempt a 39-yard field goal. DU would convert the field goal bringing the score to 17-0 with 9:44 left in the half. Both teams would go three and out on their next drives keeping it 17-0 with 6:33 left in the half.
Tigers head coach Ross Cimpl would make the switch at quarterback sending out Freshman Connor Drake to take over command of the Tigers offense. On his second drive he would lead the Tigers all the way down the field and get them on the board with a strike to another freshman in Cole Holden from four yards out closing the gap to 17-7 at half. Both were first scores for Drake and Holden.
Dakota Wesleyan would struggle to move the ball in their first two drives in the second half resulting in punts. Dordt University would add two scores resulting in increasing their lead to 31-7 with 4:58 left in the third quarter. Dordt would face fourth and five at the beginning of the fourth quarter and Layton Eide would come up with the tackle stopping the Defenders short of the stick resulting in the third turnover on downs for the Tigers defense.
DWU would put together a big drive getting all the way down to the Dordt 10 yard-line. Jamin Arend would be the feature in the drive with carries of 15 and 10 yards. Tigers would face fourth and 10 when Drake would complete a pass to Nelson but ultimately come up short of the endzone resulting in a turnover on downs. Dordt would add one more score for a 38-7 final.
Head-to-Head (Northwestern College)
- DWU is 5-5 in the last 10 matchups against DU
- The Tigers are being outscored by the Defenders 361-294 during that span
Up Next
- Dakota Wesleyan football goes back on the road for a matchup against Hastings College Saturday, September 24 at 1:00 p.m.
