Dordt will travel to Midland on Saturday, September 12 with kickoff at 1:00.
Midland was 7-4 last season and 6-3 in the GPAC. The Warriors were 1-4 after their first four games but recovered to win six games in a row including a 31-28 win over Dordt on November 16 last season to end the year.
Most of Midland’s returners are on defense after allowing 23 points per game last season.
Trevor Havlicec led the team with 98 tackles last season and had nine quarterback sacks last season with 18 tackles for loss. Zach Acamo had 70 tackles and two interceptions at linebacker and Theo Blum had 57 tackles with two interceptions. Christian Harmon returns after intercepting eight passes for a team that had 23 total interceptions.
Maximus Wold is the leading returning ground gainer after picking up 596 yards on 126 carries last season with seven touchdowns.
This is the season opener for the Defenders after posting their second consecutive seven-win season with a 7-4 mark in 2019. Dordt started the year with a 3-3 mark with all three losses coming to teams in the top-10 of the NAIA. Dordt put together a four game winning streak to get to 7-3 by outscoring teams 206-35 in that four game span. Midland then nipped Dordt 31-28 to finish the year.
The Defenders gained 326 yards per game on the ground while holding teams to 181 yards rushing. The Defenders passed for 139 yards and allowed 158 yards and outscored teams 36-22.
The Defenders will replace Levi Schoonhoven who graduated after rushing 1,029 yards and ten touchdowns. Dordt does have a potent rushing attack back with the next five leading rushers returning led by quarterback Noah Clayberg. Clayberg ran for 6.2 yards per carry and had 896 yards in eight games with 11 touchdowns. Carter Schiebout rushed for 535 yards in his freshman campaign with five touchdowns. Tyler Reynolds, the back up quarterback ran for 283 yards and six touchdowns and Michael Sondermann rushed for 275 yards late in the season after missing the first half of the year with an injury.
Clayberg completed 63-136 passes for 1,071 yards and seven touchdowns with 38 of those passes going to Levi Jungling for 658 yards and five touchdowns in eight games. Ben Heuvelhorst is back after making 11 catches for a 21.7 yards per catch average.
Dordt’s defense forced 16 interceptions and 18 fumbles. David Kacmarynski had two interceptions with 19 tackles for loss and seven quarterback sacks and he recovered four fumbles. Jalen Placide took away four interceptions and had 50 tackles. Josh Mrazek was the leading tackler with 83 total and he was in 13 tackles for loss with an interception. Quinton Murphy had three fumble recoveries and Nathan Kabongo recorded two interceptions.
Brett Zachman was 9-13 on field goals with a long of 44 and he converted 45-52 point after tries. Noah Clayberg had a 40.9 yards per punt average.
Dordt was scheduled to host Jamestown on Saturday, September 19 but that game has been moved to October 10.
Midland will host Morningside on Saturday, September 19.
