Sioux Center, Iowa — The Dordt Defender football team battled back from two 14-point deficits but never led and lost a 31-28 decision to Midland in the final game of the 2019 football season. The Saturday, November 16 game was played in Sioux Center and was the fifth game in a row in the series between the two that was decided by a single score.
Midland scored a pair of first quarter touchdowns win the wind at its back, The first score capped a five play-82 yard drive with Midland’s Noah Oswald finishing Austan Daniels for a 59 yard pass and run and Maximus Wold plunged in from one yard out five minutes later to cap a nine play-53 yard drive for a 14-0 lead with 3:52 left in the first quarter.
Trailing 14-0 the Defenders finally broke through with a 10 play-76 yard drive that was capped by Levi Schoonhoven’s one yard touchdown run. The drive also included a 36 yard completion from Clayberg to Jungling.
Midland responded quickly by moving to the Dordt six but eventually turned the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass on fourth down.
Dordt flipped the field with a 54 yard pass from Clayberg to Schoonhoven on second down and Clayberg completed a 37 yard pass to Jungling to set up a three yard run by Clayberg to tie the game after Brett Zachman’s point after.
The teams went to the halftime tied 14-14 with all four touchdowns with the wind at the back of the offense.
Dordt had the ball to start the second half but an interception on the second play of the half gave Midland the football at the Dordt 11 and two plays later the Warriors finished the short drive with a six yard run.
Midland’s next score was set up by a mishandled punt by the Dordt return team and the Warriors went 49 yards on nine plays for a 28-14 lead.
The Defenders rallied again and put together an 11 play-63 yard drive that Clayberg capped with a 20 yard completion to Jungling with 7:56 left in the game.
This time it was Midland that turned it over with a fumble and Dordt recovered at the Midland 38. Six plays later the Defenders punched it in with a Clayberg six yard run and Zachman’s point after tied it 28-28.
Midland was stopped for a three and out and was forced to punt from its own 35. The punt was downed at the Dordt one yard line with 3:37 left. A rush for no gain and an incomplete pass set up third and ten and Clayberg’s deep ball to Jake Dodge was intercepted at the Dordt 35. Midland converted a third and seven play to the Dordt 14 and the drive eventually stalled out. Camdon Griffiths came on and converted the 24 yard field goal with :40 left for a 31-28 lead.
Dordt’s last gasp ended with an interception near midfield that sealed Dordt’s fate.
