Box Score (PDF)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Dordt used a dominant middle stretch, strong special teams play, and three rushing touchdowns from quarterback Kolson Kruse to defeat Mount Marty 33–13 on Saturday afternoon at Open Space Park. The Defenders scored 33 unanswered points after an early deficit, fueled by short fields created by Keenan Valverde's explosive kick returns and a swarming defensive effort.

Mount Marty struck first, finishing a 15-play, 75-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rugby Ryken to Kyle Hirsch late in the opening quarter. Dordt's Coleson Quiring blocked the extra point, keeping the deficit at 6–0.

Dordt's offense found its rhythm in the second quarter, and special teams helped set the tone. Keenan Valverde returned a kickoff 43 yards into Mount Marty territory, igniting a 67-yard scoring drive capped by Kruse's 3-yard keeper to give Dordt a 7–6 lead after Stephen Leinen's PAT.

Moments later, Valverde added a 37-yard punt return to again flip field position, and Dordt's defense capitalized when Nathan Feldmann intercepted a pass near midfield. Dordt wasted no time with Kruse capping a short drive with a 9-yard touchdown run for a 13–6 advantage. Dordt then marched 58 yards on its next possession and Leinen drilled a 28-yard field goal as time expired in the half to make it 16–6.

The Defenders opened the third quarter just as strong. Thomas Fritz broke through the right side for a 38-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 23–6. Leinen added a 21-yard field goal midway through the quarter, and Kruse later scored his third rushing touchdown of the game—a 21-yard keeper—after Mount Marty had momentarily closed the gap with a 31-yard TD pass from Ryken to Jacksen Wachholtz.

Dordt's defense held firm the rest of the way, forcing three interceptions and allowing only one sustained scoring drive after the first quarter. With the win, Dordt improved to 6–0 overall and 6–0 in the GPAC, maintaining its top spot in the conference standings.
 
THE NUMBERS

• Total Offense: Dordt 357 yds | Mount Marty 252 yds
• Rushing Yards: Dordt 294 | Mount Marty 110
• Passing Yards: Dordt 63 | Mount Marty 142
• First Downs: Dordt 24 | Mount Marty 17
• Turnovers: Dordt 0 | Mount Marty 3 (3 INT)
• Time of Possession: Dordt 33:12 | Mount Marty 26:48

Dordt Leaders
Offense

• QB Kolson Kruse: 12 rushes, 46 yds, 3 TDs; 5-of-15 passing, 63 yds
• RB Thomas Fritz: 9 rushes, 120 yds, 1 TD
• RB Preston McCoy: 14 rushes, 78 yds
• K Stephen Leinen: 2 FG (28, 21 yds), 3 PATs
• RS Keenan Valverde: 2 key returns (43-yd kickoff, 37-yd punt) that set up two scoring drives

Defense

• LB Isaac Kacmarynski: 9 tackles, 1 INT
• DB Nathan Feldmann: 2 INT, 15 return yds
• DB Coleson Quiring: 7 tackles, 1 blocked PAT
• DL Derek Paup & Kaleb Weyenberg: 1 sack each, 2 combined QB hurries

NEXT
Dordt will host Midland on Saturday, October 25.
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