Dordt used a dominant offensive effort and a strong ground game to defeat Concordia (Neb.) 56–20 on Saturday afternoon in Sioux Center. The Defenders piled up 575 yards of offense and scored touchdowns on eight of nine possessions to remain unbeaten at 9–0.
Box Score (PDF)
Dordt's opening drive set the tone — a 10-play, 75-yard march capped by
Kolson Kruse's 5-yard keeper for a 7–0 lead. After an interception, the Defenders needed only four plays to go 19 yards, before
Daniel Dickerson finished it off from five yards out to make it 14–0 late in the first quarter.
Concordia answered early in the second quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Gideon Stark, trimming the margin to 14–7. Dordt responded immediately with another sustained drive — 5 plays, 67 yards, as Dickerson scored again, this time from five yards out, extending the lead to 21–7.
The Bulldogs stayed close with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Stark to Maddox Rickertsen, making it 21–14 midway through the second. Dordt's final first-half possession covered 47 yards in six plays, highlighted by a 22-yard burst from
Keenan Valverde, and ended with
Preston McCoy's 12-yard touchdown run for a 28–14 halftime lead.
The Defenders' defense created instant momentum to start the second half. A Concordia fumble on its opening play gave Dordt the ball at the Bulldog 21-yard line. Three plays later, McCoy punched it in from six yards out, pushing the lead to 35–14.
On the next Dordt drive, Valverde ripped off a 35-yard gain, setting up Dickerson's 9-yard touchdown run that capped a 64-yard, 8-play series for a 42–14 cushion. Dordt added another score late in the third quarter after a defensive stop — a 5-play, 70-yard march finished by McCoy's 11-yard touchdown, his third of the afternoon.
Concordia tallied once more early in the fourth to make it 49–20, but Dordt closed strong with one last scoring drive, moving 74 yards in nine plays and finishing with Dickerson's 14-yard touchdown run, sealing the 56–20 win.
THE NUMBERS
- Total Yards: Dordt 575 | Concordia 282
- Rushing Yards: Dordt 356 | Concordia 67
- Passing Yards: Dordt 219 | Concordia 215
- Time of Possession: Dordt 32:07 | Concordia 27:53
- Dordt scored touchdowns on both drives following turnovers (a fumble and a blocked PAT).
- The Defenders produced seven touchdown drives of 47 yards or more.
- Dordt averaged 8.2 yards per play and converted 8 of 12 third downs.
- Three rushers topped 70 yards, and four players caught multiple passes.
Dordt Leaders
- Passing: Kolson Kruse – 11-18, 195 yards
- Rushing:
- Receiving:
- Defense:
NEXT
Dordt will travel to Sioux City to face Morningside on Saturday, November 15 to finish the regular season. Dordt has earned at least a share of the GPAC Championship and Morningside is 8-1.
