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HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Nike
football-sxu-recap-inside-2023
17
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU 8-4
34
Winner Northwestern NWC 13-0
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU
8-4
17
Final
34
Northwestern NWC
13-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SXU Saint Xavier (IL) 3 7 7 0 17
NWC Northwestern 3 7 10 14 34

Game Recap: Football | | NWC Athletic Communications

Second Half Push Sends Northwestern to Fourth-Straight NAIA Semifinals

Cody Moser ties single-season program record with 10th interception

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – A 24-point second half was enough to lift the top-ranked Northwestern College football team (13-0, 10-0 GPAC) to their fourth-straight National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Semifinal appearance after a 34-17 victory over the Saint Xavier (Ill.) Cougars (8-4, 5-0 MSFA) Saturday afternoon at De Valois Stadium. With his 10th interception of the season, Cody Moser tied the single-season program record for most interceptions in a season.  
Northwestern got on the board first this afternoon with a 30-yard field goal from Eli Stader (Jr., Cedar Grove, Wis.), capping off a 64-yard drive. Saint Xavier would pull even near the end of the first quarter with a 37-yard field goal of their own, as the game would be knotted up after the first 15 minutes of play.
 
Into the second quarter, Konner McQuillan (Sr., Leavenworth, Kan.) would break off a 47-yard touchdown run down the far sideline for the game's first touchdown on the first play from scrimmage in the quarter. The lead would hold for nearly seven minutes, until the Cougars would once again draw even with a six-yard touchdown pass from Stuart Ross to Justin Pringle to knot the game up at 10-10 with under eight to play in the half. Neither team would be able to put another score on the board in the first half, heading to the locker room with the 10-10 tie.
 
The second half saw an explosion of points with the two teams combining for 31 points. The Red Raiders put up 24 of those points to pull away from the Cougars.
 
Much like the opening of the contest, the first score of the second half came from the leg of Stader. He connected on his second field goal of the afternoon, converting on a 40-yard attempt to give the Red Raiders the 13-10 lead with under eight minutes left in the third quarter.
 
The following possession, Saint Xavier would come to an abrupt end when Stuart Ross' pass was picked off by Moser (Jr., Rock Valley, Iowa) and would ultimately lead to a Red Raider score, changing the tone of the entire contest.  
With under a minute left in the third, the offense erupted for a score when Jalyn Gramstad (Jr., Lester, Iowa) found Austyn Gerard (Fr., Gilbert, Ariz.) for a 34-yard passing score, giving Northwestern their first two possession lead of the game at 20-10.
 
The lone SXU score of the second half would come following the first Red Raider score of the half, and it wouldn't take long. On the ensuing kickoff, Saint Xavier's Justin Pringle would take the kick 70 yards to the house, once again making it a field goal game at 20-17.
 
Northwestern would take complete control the rest of the way. Four minutes into the final frame, Gramstad would find Gerard for the second time in the half. The 29-yard strike would prove to be the breathing room the Red Raiders would need to pull away and secure the win. With six minutes left, Gramstad would scamper for a 12-yard score with his eighth rushing score of the season, giving Northwestern the 34-17 lead.
 
The Red Raider defense stepped up, yet again, in the fourth quarter. All three Saint Xavier possessions of the final quarter would end on turnovers on downs. The Northwestern defense would hold the Cougars to just 48 yards in the final quarter and holding them to no points.
 
GAME NOTES:
  • The win streak is up to 26-straight games and marks the fourth-straight NAIA Semifinals appearance.
  • Cody Moser ties the single-season program record with his 10th interception of the season.
  • Austyn Gerard set a new career-high with his two receiving touchdowns in the second half.
  • He now five receiving touchdowns on the season.
  • Konner McQuillan picked up his GPAC-leading 18th touchdown of the season, rushing for a game-high 99 yards on 21 carries.
  • Jalyn Gramstad was efficient, going 14-for-18 for 217 yards and a pair of TD passes.
  • Michael Storey led the team with his 72 receiving yards on six catches.
  • The Red Raiders held SXU to 98 rushing yards, holding the seventh opponent to under 100 rushing yards this season.
  • NWC did not allow any points and just 48 yards to the Cougars in the fourth quarter.
  • Jacob Dragstra recorded two of the team's three sacks this afternoon; while also forcing a fumble.
  • It also marks a career-high in sacks for the sophomore.
  • CB Kole Telford led the team with his nine tackles, while Clayton Bosma added eight in the win.
  • Northwestern is the lone undefeated team in the NAIA now, following Grand View's loss today.
  • Northwestern evened the all-time series against Saint Xavier with the win today (1-1).
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jalyn Gramstad 
Up Next: The Red Raiders will play one final game at Korver Field at De Valois Stadium next weekend when they play host to Georgetown (Ky.) College on Saturday, December 9 with kickoff slated for noon (12:00 p.m.).

Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
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