Northwestern overwhelms Mount Marty

YANKTON, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The top-ranked Northwestern College football team (4-0, 3-0 GPAC) tied the program’s win streak record of 17-straight games with a 42-0 shutout victory over the Lancers of Mount Marty University (2-3, 1-3 GPAC) as quarterback Jalyn Gramstad throws for a career-high 397 along with four touchdown passes to guide the Raiders.

“Jalyn was outstanding tonight. We relied heavily on his arm and he came through,” noted head coach Matt McCarty. “He made some huge third down throws to keep our offense clicking.”

The Red Raiders would open the game with the ball. Despite pushing into Lancer territory, the drive would stall and a missed field goal would keep the game scoreless. Mount Marty would go three-and-out on their first possession, as Northwestern would take the ball back with eight minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

In the second possession of the day, the passing game was prevalent as Gramstad (Jr., Lester, Iowa) was 4-for-5 for 49 yards as the Red Raiders would punch it in the endzone for the first time on the night to take the 7-0 lead, with Gramstad finding Will Bunn (Fr., Story City, Iowa) for Bunn’s first-career touchdown reception.

The next Red Raider possession would be sparked by a 40-yard reception from Peyton Carroll (So., Brandon, S.D.) that moved the ball to Mount Marty’s 25-yard line, setting the Red Raiders up for a great start to the second quarter. Gramstad would cap off the 76-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run to extend the Red Raider lead to 14-0.

“Our line protected really well tonight,” noted McCarty. “(Peyton) Carroll had a couple big grabs for us tonight and he’s a huge help for our offense.”

The first turnover of the game came on a strip sack from Jessen Reinking (Jr., Kingsley, Iowa) that was recovered by Trystin Voss (So., Rogersville, Mo.) at the Mount Marty 38-yard line, setting up Northwestern with phenomenal field position. Taking advantage of the short field, the Red Raiders would punch the ball in to make it 21-0 late in the second quarter with Konner McQuillan (Sr., Leavenworth, Kan.) picking up his first rushing score of the day.

Following a wild turn of events that started with a Voss sack, that led to a Raider muffed punt recovered by the Lancers. Ken Gay would go for it all on the next snap in Red Raider territory and Cody Moser (Sr., Rock Valley, Iowa) would pick it off in the end zone for his second pick of the season. The drive would stall but a beautiful 44-yard punt from Eli Stader (Sr., Cedar Grove, Wis.) would be downed at the Lancer 4-yard line. The Lancers would be content to just run out the clock, as Northwestern took a 21-0 lead into the locker room.

Northwestern tallied 16 first downs to Mount Marty’s four in the first half, while also dominating in the total yards battle (263-50). Michael Storey (Sr., Spencer, Iowa) and Carroll both brought in 70 or more yards each, with Storey having 76 to Carroll’s 70.

A Kole Telford (Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa) sack off the edge would bring an end to the first drive of the second half. Northwestern would go 6 plays, 72 yards for their fourth score of the night, as Gramstad finds Bunn for the second time in the game for a 64-yard touchdown strike, extending the Red Raider lead to 28-0.

“We’ve got a really good young group of receivers,” said McCarty. “They’ve got some big games ahead of themselves yet!”

Later in the quarter, a 50-yard strike from Gramstad to Storey would set NWC up with a first-and-goal at the Mount Marty nine-yard line. Mount Marty would get the Red Raiders to fourth down from the one-yard line, but Gramstad would toss a jump pass into the end zone for Carroll for his third passing touchdown of the night.

Mount Marty would put together their longest drive of the night at 13 plays, 56 yards, but it would come to an abrupt end in the red zone as Gray’s pass would be picked off by Blake Thompson (Fr., Tea, S.D.) for his first-career interception and would return it 86 yards to the Mount Marty nine-yard line, setting up Gramstad’s fourth passing score of the game to make it 42-0 Northwestern.

GAME NOTES:

• NWC has tied the program record for most wins in a row at 17-straight wins, dating back to 2022.
• NWC had 444 yards of offense, while holding Mount Marty to 202 yards.
• The Raiders throw for a season-high 397 passing yards, having 300+ for the second time this season (311 vs. Doane last week).
• Jalyn Gramstad throws for 300+ yards (397) for the first time in his career; notching a new career-high.
• He tosses his longest pass of the season with a 64-yard TD strike to Bunn, while going 25-for-#34 and four touchdown tosses.
• Three wide outs notch over 100 yards receiving: Michael Storey (133), Will Bunn (111), Peyton Carroll (100).
• It’s the first time at least two WRs have had over 100 yards since the Morningside game in 2021.
• For the third time this season, a Raider wide receiver collects his first-career touchdown reception; this time Bunn collects a 20-yard toss from Gramstad for the first score of the game.
• Bunn sets a new career-high with 11 receiving yards on 5 catches (22.2 yards per catch).
• Carroll also set a new career-high with 100 receiving yards and bringing down his first-career TD catch.
• Tristan Mulder led the defense with his six tackles.
• Blake Thompson recorded his first-career interception; Cody Moser notched his second INT of the season.
• The Red Raiders had six tackles for loss with three being sacks.
• NWC improves to 42-4 when forcing 2+ turnovers (3 tonight) since 2017.
• It’s the first shutout win since the 23-0 win at Dordt last season (Oct. 15, 2022).
• It marks the third-straight win over the Lancers, moving the all-time series to 3-0.

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