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Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
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7
Dakota Wesleyan (SD) DWU 2-6 , 2-5
34
Winner Northwestern NWC 6-1 , 6-1
Dakota Wesleyan (SD) DWU
2-6 , 2-5
7
Final
34
Northwestern NWC
6-1 , 6-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
DWU Dakota Wesleyan (SD) 7 0 0 0 7
NWC Northwestern 21 7 3 3 34

Game Recap: Football | | NWC Athletic Communications

Northwestern Sprints to Win Over Dakota Wesleyan

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Despite giving up an opening-drive touchdown, the No. 9-ranked Red Raider football team controlled play on Saturday, earning a 34-7 win inside De Valois Stadium.

"I'm pleased with how we responded to some early adversity to take control of the game," said head coach Matt McCarty. "I felt that we were able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Austyn Gerard had an outstanding game to spark the offense, and Jacob Dragstra was a difference-maker on our defense."

The Tigers were first to strike, grabbing a touchdown lead on a seven-play drive over nearly four minutes. Carter Robinson found Mason Barnhard for a 12-yard connection to make the score 7-0.

Northwestern answered accordingly, tying things up on the next drive. The Raiders found themselves stacked up against a 3rd and 11 when Hayden Groos broke free for a 12-yard run to keep the drive going. They next put together consecutive first-down plays before Logan Meyer struck a 19-yard run into the end zone. Groos then found Konner McQuillan for the score, knotting it up at 7-7.

On their second offensive series, Groos threw a dot to a sprinting Austyn Gerard for his first of two scores, putting the Raiders ahead 14-7 late in the first.

In the waning seconds of the first, Groos and Gerard connected again for a 41-yard touchdown.

In the second, with Dakota Wesleyan driving, Kole Telford recovered a fumble at the 12, setting up a long scoring drive for the Raiders. Northwestern capitalized on penalty yards to get out of the shadow of the end zone, while Meyer picked up the final 18 yards of the drive over three plays to make it 28-7.

A pair of Stader field goals in the second half extended the lead and helped push Northwestern to its sixth victory this season.

GAME NOTES
  • Konner McQuillan became the fifth player in program history to rush for over 4,000 career yards.
  • The senior running back picked up 122 rushing yards and a touchdown through the air.
  • Jacob Dragstra totaled nine tackles, sacking the quarterback three times and forcing a fumble.
  • Parker Fryar made nine stops, also forcing a fumble.
  • Logan Meyer contributed 62 yards and a score.
  • Hayden Groos threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
  • Austyn Gerard hauled in seven catches for 155 yards, scoring twice.
  • Eli Stader converted on field goals from 41 and 31 yards, also dropping a punt inside the 20.
Up Next: The Raiders are set for an anticipated top-10 matchup next week, traveling to Sioux City to take on the No. 8 Morningside Mustangs.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
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