Dordt races past Mount Marty

SIOUX CENTER, IA (Dakota News Now) - The Dordt Defenders scored 42 unanswered points on the way to a 49-20 win over the Mount Marty Lancers on Saturday afternoon in Sioux Center. The Defenders moved to 2-0 in the GPAC with the win while Mount Marty suffered its first loss of the season in three starts.

The Lancers struck first with a touchdown on their first possession after Dordt was forced to punt in the first quarter. The Lancers went 13 plays and 76 yards to take a 7-0 lead after the point after.  Preston McCoy helped neutralize the momentum with a 59 yard return, setting up a 35 yard drive that ended with a Kolson Kruse to Cade Rohwer screen pass for a nine-yard score.

Dordt’s defense forced a punt on the next drive and Dordt went 64 yards on four plays with the big play being a 47 yard Kolson Kruse to Kaden Harken pass to set up Dordt in the Mount Marty red zone and Nick Wellen completed a third and seven option pass to Konner Knauf for a 14 yard score and a 14-7 lead.

Another punt by the Lancers gave Dordt the ball at the 13 yard line and Kolson Kruse punched it in from three yards out to finish the 12 play, 87 yard drive. The surge continued with a 54 yard drive on Dordt’s next possessions, punctuated by a Brendan Pieper one yard touchdown run for a 28-7 lead.

Mount Marty threatened on its next drive to end the half but the half ended on an incomplete pass on third and goal at the Defender eight yard line.

The Kruse to Harken connection came through later in the third when Harken reeled in a 32 yard pass for a score to lead 42-7.

Mount Marty did answer with two scoring plays but the Defenders put the game out of reach Kruse to Rohwer 32 yard pass with 4:40 left in the game to make the final 49-20.

THE NUMBERS

• Dordt had a 429-323 yards gained edge and held the Lancers to 47 yards rushing.
• The Defenders converted 7-11 third down conversions and ran for 212 yards.
• Brendan Pieper ran for 84 yards on 15 carries and Kolson Kruse was 14-20 passing for 223 yards and three touchdowns.  Kruse also had 11 rushes for 41 yards.
• Preston McCoy had nine carries for 39 yards.
• Kaden Harken caught three passes for 90 yards and Cade Rohwer caught two passes for 41 yards and both catches were touchdowns.
• Konner Knauf caught five passes for 29 yards and Isaac Looker and Eli Boldan both caught two passes.
• Dordt’s defense had two interceptions with Eric Gustafson and Tyler Wieringa each picking off a pass.
• Ian MacDonald, Jessup Leakey and Cooper Hidalgo all had one sack and Wieringa and MacDonald had a team high nine tackles each.
• MacDonald and Drew Daum both had three tackles for loss.
• Dordt is 2-0 overall and in the league and will host Concordia on Saturday, September 16.  Mount Marty is 2-1 and 1-1.

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