ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The second-ranked Northwestern College football team (9-0, 8-0 GPAC) scored 50+ points for the fifth time this season as they handled the No. 20-ranked Dordt Defenders (5-3, 5-3 GPAC) 63-28, controlling the game from start to finish in a top-20 matchup at De Valois Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Konner McQuillan (Jr., Leavenworth, Kan./Lansing) took the Dordt philosophy to heart this afternoon and used it against the Defenders, rushing for a career-high 130 yards on 21 attempts. He tallied four total touchdowns – two on the ground and two receiving.
In quarterback Tyson Kooima ‘s (Sr., Hull, Iowa/Western Christian) first start of the season, he went a perfect 13-for-13 for 283 yards and a career-high six touchdown passes to down guide the Raiders past the Defenders in dominant fashion. On the day, the Raiders were a perfect 15-for-15 as Blake Fryar (Jr., Waukee, Iowa/Van Meter) completed both his pass attempts, tossing for one score.
The offense put up 528 yards of total offense on the day. Having ten possessions on the afternoon, the Raiders scored touchdowns on nine of them. Only one possession ended in a lost fumble, as the Raiders did not have to punt.
While the offense exploded, the Raider defense made also life miserable for the Defenders all game long, collecting and scoring off four Dordt turnovers. Yet again, it was Parker Fryar (So., Waukee, Iowa/Van Meter) pacing the defense with 12 tackles on the afternoon included 1.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. Liam Stubbe (Jr., Ackley, Iowa/AGWSR) broke up a team-high three Dordt passes on the day and Jaden Snyder (R-Fr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) had two pass break-ups.
Northwestern opened the game up receiving the opening kickoff, marching the ball 75 yards to the endzone. The Raiders gave the Defenders the taste of their own medicine, running the ball 11 of the 12 plays. The first pass of the day Kooima found McQuillan for the 14-yard touchdown strike to put the Raiders up 7-0, capping off a 12-play 6:46 minute drive.
Two plays later, the Raider defense would make it nine straight games with an interception, as Jalyn Gramstad (Fr., Lester, Iowa/West Lyon) would pick off the first Tyler Reynolds pass of the day. The Raider offense would quickly make it 14-0 as Kooima found tight end Blake Anderson (Jr., Oakland, Neb./West Point-Beemer) for a 22-yard score.
Dordt would get on the board for the first time late in the first quarter, cutting the Raider lead in half when Reynolds capped off a 9-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown rush.
The second quarter was highlighted by McQuillan who was involved in both Northwestern touchdowns of the quarter. It began with 8:37 left in the half as the first Raider possession of the quarter was another six-and-a-half-minute drive, capped off by a three-yard McQuillan touchdown run, making it 21-7 Northwestern.
Less than three minutes later, on 3rd & 14, Kooima connects with McQuillan out of the backfield who weaves his way through the defense for the 83-yard touchdown connection and that proved to be the nail in the coffin as the Raiders would never allow the Defenders to feel in the contest. However, Dordt would again score with under a minute remaining in the half. After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the PAT attempt back to the 18-yard line, Dordt couldn’t convert, making it 28-13 Northwestern heading into the break.
The first touchdown of the third quarter would be McQuillan’s fourth, and last, score of the day as he capped off a quick 5-play, 84-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Dordt responded with a 70-yard touchdown drive of their own, making it 35-21 with 4:15 left in the third. A 34-yard touchdown pass from Kooima to Cade Moser (Sr., Rock Valley, Iowa/Rock Valley Community) made it 41-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Defenders struck first in the fourth, but the Raiders would score 21 more points to put the nail in the coffin. Kooima found Michael Storey (Jr., Spencer, Iowa/Spencer) for a 15-yard touchdown connection, expanding the Raider lead to 49-28 after a 2-point conversion by the Raiders.
With 6:50 left in the game, Kooima connected with Logan Meyer (So., Alvord, Iowa/West Lyon) out of the backfield for a 12-yard touchdown. With 2:03 left in the contest, Fryar found Moser for the final touchdown of the day from 24 yards out.
Eli Stader (So., Cedar Grove, Wis./Oostburg) converted on seven-of-eight PATs, while neither team attempted any field goals in the 91 combined points between the two teams.
Up Next: Northwestern will host the No. 3-ranked Morningside Mustangs next Saturday, November 6 in the biggest game of the season in a top-5 matchup from Korver Field at De Valois Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. and tickets are sold at the gate.
