Game Time...No.14 Northwestern College hosts Dordt for Senior Day this weekend in the final home game of the 2017 regular season. Kickoff on Korver Field at DeValois Stadium is scheduled for 1pm. Northwestern has won three straight and is in second place in the GPAC with a 5-1 record, 7-1 overall. The Defenders are in a four-way tie for fifth place in the GPAC with a 2-3 record, 4-3 overall. 

This marks the final home game for the 16 senior involved with the Red Raider football program: Jerod Hansen, J.C. Koerselman, Levi TeBrink, Joey Novotny, Brandon Black, Blake Eichmann, Jordan Axelson, Rafael Sanchez-Perry, Josh Hornstra, Jacob Jenness, Taylor Kooi, Tyler Alger, Cody Bauman, Stephan Sanford, Grant Thayer and Alex Stidmon.

Follow the game live via the NWC webcast at the followling link: Watch Now!

All-Time...Northwestern is 9-0 all-time against the Defenders in a rivalry that began in 2008. 

Last Time vs the Defenders...Northwestern outscored the Defenders 50-8 in the second half in its 64-16 win in a match-up played last year in Sioux Center. Leading by just six (14-8) at the half, Northwestern put the game away with a 28-point third quarter and scoring 50 unanswered points over the final 30 minutes. 

The Red Raiders set a school record with 676 yards of total offense, including 518 yards through the air. Jonathan Kodama competed 24/31 passes for three touchdowns while both Jacob Kalogonis (16/69-2TD) and Josh Wilson (4/51-2 TD) scored two rushing touchdowns. Three Northwestern receivers totaled over 100 yards, led by Levi Ettleman with five catches for 135 yards and two scores. Levi TeBrink (5/118) and T.J. Spykstra (5/102) also went over 100 yards receiving. Tanner Machacek led the defense with eight tackles and both Jerod Hansen and Kyle Van Ginkel accounted for 5.5 stops. 

Dordt totaled 450 yards on offense, led by Bryce Lidtka with 21 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. Brock Lamle rushed 12 times for 74 yards while also completing 7-of-20 passes for 125 yards.

Scouting Reports...

    Dordt College Defenders: 2-3 (GPAC), 4-3 overall     Head Coach: Joel Penner (2nd year)

    2017 Results:
        def. Bethel (Kan.) 44-10
        def. Waldorf  59-14
        lost to #4 Morningside 62-23*
        lost to (RV) Midland 33-28*
        def. #12 Doane 21-16*
        def. #19 Hastings 30-23 (OT)*
        lost to Concordia 24-17*
    Last Year's Record: 2-6 (7th), 5-6 overall; 
    Returning Starters: 16 total (7 offense, 7 defense, 2 special teams)
    
    By the Numbers (2017) GPAC/NAIA rank (bold-NAIA if top 10)

    Scoring Offense: 31.7 ppg (6th)     Scoring Defense: 26 ppg (5th)
    Total Offense: 460 ypg (4th)            Total Defense: 409 ypg (6th)
    Rush Offense: 277 ypg (1st/4th)           Rush Defense: 201 ypg (7th)
    Pass Offense: 183 ypg (5th)            Pass Defense: 208 ypg (3rd)
    Sacks Given Up: 6 (2nd)                  Sacks by: 7 (T8th)
    Turnover Margin: +4 (12 forced, 8 given up)

    2017 Stats Leaders/GPAC rank: (* denotes returning starter)
    Rushing:  *Keithen Drury-137/871yds (5th/10th), 6.4yds/att., 8 TD
                      Levi Schoonhoven-84/446yds, 3 TD
     Passing: *Brock Lamle-71/147 for 1,223yds, 12 TD, 3 INT; 174yds/game (4th)
     Receiving: Levi Jungling-39 catches (4th), 764yds (3rd/8th), 7 TD, 109.1yds/game (2nd/6th)
                       Ben Heuvelhorst-13/177, 2 TD
                       *Jake Dodge-11/166, 2 TD
    O-Line: 4 starters return, all earned all-conference; Devin Eekhoff, Griffin Pelot, Jacob Cook, Rickey Nelson
    Tackles: *Arie Hoekstra-55 tackles (4th)
                   *Josiah Kotte (All-Conference)-53 tackles (5th)
                   *Casey Byker-48 tackles (9th)
                   *Joey Lovetere (All-Conference) 46 tackles
    Interceptions: 5 players w/ 1; Joey Lovetere, Ryan Cisneros, Jordan Weiland, Connor Bosma and Nick Naranjo
    Sacks: *Tyson Dalghrin-4 (3rd)

    Other Notes: 
    Dordt was recognized in the NAIA coaches' poll for the first time in program history (Oct.9aaaaaaaaaaa0

    2 GPAC wins matches record for most conference wins in a seaon (2016)

    No.14 Northwestern College: 5-1 (GPAC), 7-1

    Head Coach: Matt McCarty (2nd year as head coach, 13th year as coach with program)
    
    2017 Results: 
     def. Ottawa 41-16
     def. #15 Dickinson State 37-3
     def. Concordia 35-21
     def. Briar Cliff 63-26
     lost to #4 Morningside 48-20
     def. Midland 24-21
     def. Dakota Wesleyan 29-10
     def. #19 Doane 31-24

    Returning Starters:  12     Starters Lost:  14  (including P, K, PR and KR)

    Letterwinners Returning: 35   Letterwinners Lost: 24   

    By The Numbers: and rank (bold-NAIA if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 35 ppg (4th)                  Scoring Defense: 21 ppg (2nd)
    Total Offense: 476 ypg (3rd)                     Total Defense: 384 ypg  (2nd)
    Rush Offense: 203 ypg (5th)                    Rush Defense: 176 ypg (4th)
    Pass Offense: 273 ypg (3rd)                    Pass Defense: 208 ypg (4th)
    Sacks Given Up: 11 (5th)                         Sacks by: 9 (6th)
    Turnover Margin: +1 (17 forced/16 given up)

    2017 Stats Leaders/GPAC rank: (* denotes returning starter)
    Rushing: *Jacob Kalogonis   166 att./948 yards (4th/9th), 10 TD (118yds/gm-6th)
                     Tyson Kooima   103 att./475 yards, 8 TD
    Passing: Tyson Kooima   154/280/6, 2170 yds, 19 TD, 271 yds/game (3rd)
    Receiving: *Levi TeBrink   38 catches (5th), 699 yds (4th), 4 TD
                       *J.C. Koerselman  38 catches (5th), 477 yards (7th), 3 TD
                        Jared Nelson  29 catches, 402 yds, 7 TD
                       Shane Solberg  21 catches, 323 yards, 4 TD
    Tackles: *Sean Powell  51.5 (5th)
                  Bryce Van Beek 43.5 (9th)
                  *Joey Novotny   43.5 (9th)
                  *Tanner Machacek  41 
                  *Jacob Jenness  33.5
    Interceptions: Bryce Van Beek-5 (3rd/4th)
                             Jerod Hansen-3 (5th)
    Sacks: *Cody Bauman-4 (3rd)

Other Notes: 
    Red Raiders initally moved up to 15th in the Sept. 25 NAIA poll; highest ranking since 2015 (Sept.28); currently 14th

    have scored 20+ points in every game this season (8); matching longest streak since last 5 games in 2012 and first 3 in 2013 (8)
    
    Kalogonis has nine 100+ yard games for his career, six in the 2017 season, including three straight; one 200+ yard game

    Kalogonis ranks 14th all-time in rushing yards/season (948)

    Te Brink has three 100-yard receiving games this season; 5 for his career; Koerselman one 100-yard game this season

    Jared Nelson was the first Red Raider to catch four TD passes in a game (for sure since 1998) vs Dickinson State

   Kooima has thrown for 250+ yards in seven of the eight games played this season; 1 300-yard game; has at least one rushing TD in five of eight games

    Kooima ranks 13th all-time in passing yards/season (2,170); T10th all-time in passing TD's/season (19)

   Northwestern has had the edge in total yards in seven of the eight games played

    Red Raiders have had the advantage in rushing yards in four of eight games; advantage passing in every game