Mitchell, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan football's comeback falls short as the Tigers are not able to overcome big third quarter from the Bulldogs. Bulldogs scored all 20 points in the third proving to enough for a 20-12 final. Jamin Arend put together another big game on the ground rushing for 125 yards and also joining the 2,000-career rushing yards club at DWU, becoming the 11th running back all-time to do so. The Tigers drop to 0-6 on the year (0-5 in the GPAC) while the Bulldogs get their first win of the season improving their record to 1-3 on the season and in conference play.
Quick Stats:
Offense –
- Jamin Arend – 17 rushes 125 yards 1 TD; three catches five yards
- Kiel Nelson – three catches 84 yards; three kick returns 69 yards
- Connor Drake – 13-20 148 yards one INT
Defense –
- Brendan Kennedy – 14 total tackles 1.0 TFL
- Grayson Hanson – 12 total tackles one pass breakup
- Avery Nordbye – one tackle one interception
Recap:
Both teams defenses would preview the dominance on the defensive side of the ball and what was to come for the first half by holding strong and forcing punts on both teams respective first two drives. DWU would find their groove moving the ball down the field and getting into Bulldog territory. The drive would stall out and the Tigers would call on Jaxon Patrick to attempt a 25-yard field goal. The attempt would clang off the right upright just missing the opportunity to go up 3-0. Score remained 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Bulldogs would start to find their groove in their third drive as well moving the ball down the field with heavy runs. The drive would come to a screeching hault when on fourth and three DWU linebacker, Avery Nordbye would make a great break on the ball and come up with a contested interception. Nordbye would return the interception for 31 yards giving the Tigers the ball at the DWU 46 with 10:43 left in the half.
Both squads would be forced to punt on their ensuing drives. Max Schoenfelder would come up with a couple big tackles during the Bulldogs drive forcing them to punt. Dakota Wesleyan would take over at their own 20 with 3:48 left in the half after the Bulldog punt. Tigers would once again lean on lead back Arend for big chunk yardage runs to get them within striking distance again. DWU would have first and goal at the 10 but be faced with a fourth down from the six yard-line. Head Coach Ross Cimpl would have faith in his kicker Patrick and call on him for the 24-yard field goal. Patrick would convert this time and put the Tigers up 3-0 at the half.
Out of the half Concordia coaching staff had two things in mind, go hurry up offense and attack the Tiger defense through the air. This adjustment proved beneficial with scores in their first, second and third drives. The Bulldogs would look to add the extra point to put them up 21-3 but it would be blocked by Ethan Engen and returned for the two-point conversion by Adam DeJong putting the score at 20-5 with 1:59 left in the third quarter.
DWU ensuing drive would once again have the Tigers on the move with connections with Drake and Nelson as well as hard runs from Arend. Drake would drop back to pass and have Nelson across the middle, but the pass would be intercepted by a Bulldog defensive lineman when the ball deflected off Nelson's helmet when he wasn't even looking. This gave Concordia the ball back with 12:37 left in the game.
DWU defense would hold strong again like they had for the better part of the game and force the Bulldogs to punt with 11:45 left. On the first play of the ensuing drive Drake would connect with his favorite target Nelson on a deep ball down the middle for a gain of 59 yards putting the Tigers in the redzone. This time they would find the endzone when Arend would punch it in from four yards out closing the gap to 20-12 with 10:31 left.
Concordia would move the ball down the field on the Tigers defense and have first and ten at the DWU18. The Tiger defense would bend not break like they have all year and hold strong to force a Bulldog field goal attempt. The attempt would go wide right giving the Tigers the ball back in a one-score game with 6:16 left. Tigers would have a killer holding penalty and Bulldog sack to derail the drive and force a punt with 4:39 left. Bulldogs would run out the clock for a 20-12 final.
Head-to-Head (Concordia University)
- DWU is 4-6 in the last 10 matchups against CUNE
- The Bulldogs are outscoring the Tigers 227-194 during that span
Up Next
- Dakota Wesleyan football goes back on the road for a GPAC matchup against Doane University Saturday, October 8th at 1:00 p.m.
