Sioux Center, Iowa — The Dordt Defender football team was a 63-21 winner over Mount Marty in GPAC play on Saturday afternoon in Sioux Center, Iowa. The Defenders secured the win after a sluggish start that saw them trail 14-7 for nearly a quarter of the game.
The Defenders had little trouble in moving the ball down the field on their first possession with a 75 yard drive to start the game and end the series with a four yard touchdown pass from Kade McDaniel to Levi Jungling for a 7-0 lead. The Lancers struck quickly with a three-play 76 yard drive that was highlighted by a flea-flicker where Davian Guajardo completed a 51 yard pass to Trey Hansen to set up an eventual touchdown with 10:00 left in the first quarter.
Dordt’s next drive ended with a pick-six by Avry Rice returned 35 yard for a score and a 14-7 lead.
For the next 15 minutes of gametime each offense struggled to get going and it was the Dordt defense that showed a spark that got the Defender offense rolling. Abe Stoesz picked off a floating pass at the Dordt 35 and the offense struck five plays later when Anthony Trojahn barreled in from two yards out. It was a Reynolds to Jungling pass for 40 yards that got the 65 yard drive started.
Dordt’s defense forced a punt on the next drive and Reynolds eventually found Jungling for 24 yards and the go ahead score with 4:02 left in the half. The Lancers threatened on their next drive but Dordt forced a turnover with an interception on third and 17 at the Dordt 33 with Zade Niklasen picking off the pass.
With 1:33 left in the half and 84 yards in front of them, the Defenders embarked on an 11 play drive that ended with Jungling catching a three yard pass with two seconds left in the half for the 28-14 lead. Dordt added three touchdowns on the first three possessions of the second half on runs of 36, 32 and seven yards by Tyler Reynolds making the score 49-14. Dordt added a Hayden Large 10 yard reception and a one yard run by Isaac Miller to build the lead to 63-14 before settling for a 63-21 win.
Dordt outgained Mount Marty 618-383 and had 241 yards passing and 377 yards rushing. Mount Marty’s success came in the air with 316 yards passing and 67 rushing.
Tyler Reynolds was 11-16 passing for 166 yards and three touchdowns with 176 yards rushing on 16 carries and three touchdowns on the ground.
Kade McDaniel was 7-12 passing for 68 yards and ran 12 times for 73 yards.
Anthony Trojahn ran nine times for 47 yards.
Levi Jungling caught 11 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Eli Boldan caught three passes for 34 yards and Hayden Large had two catches for 30 yards.
Zade Niklasen and Abe Stoesz each had an interception and Stoesz had four sol and two assisted tackles with a forced fumble.
Tanner Millikan and Brayton Van Kekerix had eight and seven tackles respectively.
Dordt is 4-1 and will host Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday, October 16 in a 1:00 kickoff. Mount Marty is now 0-6.
