SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Cade Moser (Sr., Rock Valley, Iowa/Rock Valley Community) set a new single-season school record for receiving touchdowns (19) with two touchdown grabs in the No. 4-ranked Northwestern College football team’s (10-1, 9-1 GPAC) 63-7 sprint past the Briar Cliff Chargers (3-8, 3-7 GPAC).
“I’m proud of how our team took care of business today,” said head coach Matt McCarty. “Our defense really set the tone for the game early and played at a high level throughout the game.”
The offense started out hot, as Tyson Kooima (Sr., Hull, Iowa/Western Christian) led the Raiders on an 8-play, 82-yard drive to take the early 7-0 lead, finding Moser for the first score of the day. The offense would go quiet the next two drives, with drives ending with a punt and a turnover on downs. At the end of the first quarter, Logan Meyer (So., Alvord, Iowa/West Lyon) punched it in from 6 yards out to double the Raider lead to 14-0.
The Raiders would tack on two more touchdowns on the ground in the second quarter to take a 28-0 lead into the locker room. Konner McQuillan (Jr., Leavenworth, Kan./Lansing) broke off an 18-yard run early in the quarter. Midway through the quarter, Garrett Packer (Sr., Zearing, Iowa/Colo-NESCO) scored from 3 yards out to wrap up the second quarter scoring.
The first touchdown of the third quarter would mark the record-breaking grab for Moser, a snag from six yards out from Blake Fryar (Jr., Waukee, Iowa/Van Meter), his nineteenth touchdown of the season. Two minutes later, after a Briar Cliff punt, Meyer capped off a quick two-play, 56-yard drive with a 27-yard run, finding the endzone – his second of the afternoon. The Raiders would end the third quarter with a demanding 49-0 lead.
The Raider defense got back to doing what they’ve done best this season in the second half – picking off passes. Northwestern tallied three interceptions, including two pick-sixes from Lorenzo Jones (R-So., Orlando, Fla./Gannon University) and Jase Amelse (So., Pella, Iowa/Pella Christian). Tanner Oleson (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) picked up the third interception, returning it for 22 yards. The Raiders are tied for second in the nation with 20 interceptions on the season.
Up Next: The Raiders will see who they will play in the First Round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Playoff tomorrow, Sunday, November 14. Tune in at 6:00 p.m. live on the NAIA Facebook page.
