Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Nike
fb-recap-261017
17
Doane (NE) DOANE 2-5 , 1-5
45
Winner Northwestern NWC 6-2 , 6-1
Doane (NE) DOANE
2-5 , 1-5
17
Final
45
Northwestern NWC
6-2 , 6-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
DOANE Doane (NE) 0 7 7 3 17
NWC Northwestern 17 14 7 7 45

Game Recap: Football | | NWC Athletic Communications

Bennett Reaches Historic Mark in Win Over Doane

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Gianna Bennett became college football's all-time female leading scorer with a 34-yard field goal late in the first quarter as Northwestern defeated Doane 45-17 at home.

"I'm so happy for her and proud of her to be able to get the record, get it early on, get it on a field goal," head coach Matt McCarty said. "She does a really good job and she's worked really hard. To be the best to ever do something is pretty special. She makes us better and it's been fun to see that for her."

The Red Raiders controlled the first quarter with three scoring possessions and three defensive stops, building a 17-0 lead by the final seconds. After Kylar Fritz dropped Kannen Willis for a three-yard loss on third down to help force the Tigers' opening punt, the Raiders went 69 yards in nine plays, with Colby Duncan converting on the ground twice before hitting Lane Maassen for a 24-yard touchdown at 7:38. The defense forced another three-and-out, and Northwestern followed with a quick scoring drive that included Duncan's 12-yard run and Carson Ness' 26-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead. The Raiders added an eight-play, 59-yard drive late in the quarter, getting completions to Caleb Moore, Austyn Gerard and Ness before Gianna Bennett made the record-setting 34-yard field goal with three seconds left to make it 17-0.

"I thought we handled the elements really well," McCarty added. "It was a brutally windy day out there, and it adjusted how we could play the game. I thought our guys got off to a really good start and handled the conditions really well, and that was huge for us to get off to a fast start."

In the second quarter, Northwestern answered Doane's scoring drive with a pair of touchdowns, first going 75 yards and finishing at 4:20 on Colby Duncan's 42-yard touchdown run and Gianna Bennett's kick for a 24-7 score. Earlier, the defense held inside its own 25 when Brodie Van Regenmorter made a tackle for loss, Hayden Groos broke up a third-down pass and Lane Kenny recovered a fourth-down fumble at the home 32, though the ensuing possession ended with a tip-drill interception. The Tigers used the short field to score on Cannon Crowder's 22-yard run and Brody Carroll's kick at 6:25. The Red Raiders responded with Josiah Heinz's 22-yard run and Duncan's scoring run, then forced a punt after Sam Klaassen's tackle for loss helped create third-and-long. Duncan led another quick drive from the Northwestern's own 20, running for gains of 25 and eight yards, finding Carson Ness for 23 and hitting Moore for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 1:25 left to make the halftime score 31-7.

The second half began with a 75-yard, nine-play Red Raiders touchdown drive, with Duncan completing passes to Maassen and Solomon Tea before finishing it with a 15-yard scoring run at 9:47. The Tigers answered with a 74-yard drive, aided after Braylen Crawford's third-down tackle for loss was followed by a Red Raider penalty, and later scored on a 33-yard quarterback scramble. After the Raiders went three-and-out on their next series, the defense gave the offense another chance when Crawford forced a Crowder fumble and Isaac Wenthe recovered near midfield with 1:22 left. Duncan hit Ness for 12 yards on the ensuing possession, allowing the Raiders to carry a 38-14 lead into the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth, Red Raiders turned the ball over on downs at the Tigers 41 after three straight incompletions, giving Doane a chance to put together a scoring threat. The defense limited that threat to a 29-yard field goal, with Jaxson Hildebrand forcing a fumble near the goal line that the Tigers recovered back at the 12 before settling for the kick. The Raiders then controlled the final meaningful possession behind runs from Tea, Josiah Heinz and Duncan, including two short-yardage conversions by Duncan before a final 30-yard touchdown pass to Gerard to secure a 45-17 win.

Game Notes:
  • Gianna Bennett went 6-for-6 on PATs and made a 34-yard field goal to move to 106 career points.
  • Colby Duncan threw for 218 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 144 yards and two scores.
  • Caleb Moore had four receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown.
  • Josiah Heinz carried the ball 13 times for 83 yards.
  • Brodie Van Regenmorter led the Raiders with seven tackles and a TFL.
  • Kylar Fritz had two tackles for loss.
  • Owen Lalumendre made five stops and had one sack.
  • Braylen Crawford and Jaxson Hildebrand both forced fumbles.
  • The Raiders outgained Doane 502-238.
Up Next: Northwestern is on the road next weekend, facing Waldorf for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
Print Friendly Version