Second half shutout highlights road victory

CRETE, NEB. – A bedrock defensive effort from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' top-ranked Morningside College unit proved to be a big key Saturday, Nov. 2.

The Maroon "D" proved difficult for Doane University to manage throughout the afternoon on its Al Papik Field. Coordinator Casey Jacobsen's charges limited the Tigers to minus four yards rushing, seven first downs and 10 points over the 60 minutes. Stars were numerous for the Mustangs, as junior defensive lineman Seth Maitlen (JR/Creston, IA) (Creston, Iowa) bulled through the opposing offensive line for sack and two tackles for losses; senior Alex Paulson (SR/Buffalo Center, IA) (Buffalo Center, Iowa), another defensive line stalwart, registered two sacks among two tackles for losses; and the trio of senior linebacker Joel Katzer (Baldwin City, Kan.), senior defensive back Klayton Nordeen (SR/Alliance, NE) (Alliance, Neb.), and junior defensive lineman Dominick Barrett (JR/Baltimore, MD) (Baltimore, Md.) also found themselves on the tackles for loss list. The overall tackle chart was led by senior linebacker Jacob Katzer (SR/Baldwin City, KS) (Baldwin City, Kan.) who finished with six.

After a slow first half start, head coach Steve Ryan's offense added highlights in the final 30 minutes to the tune of a 28-0 run to ice a 42-10 Great Plains Athletic Conference win. Sophomore quarterback Joe Dolincheck (SO/Bellevue, NE) (Bellevue, Neb.) fired his eighth straight 200-yard-plus total, this one a single-game personal career-best 316 yards which led to three touchdowns; junior running back Arnijae "AP" Ponder (Griffin, Ga.) went over 1000 yards rushing in a season for a second successive year behind a 12^th straight 100-yard outing (33 carries, 132 yards and two touchdowns), and fellow junior backfield mate Anthony Sims (JR/Fort Lauderdale, FL) (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) collected his second 100-yard game of the year carrying the ball 14 times for 100 yards and a touchdown; and junior wide receiver Reid Jurgensmeier (JR/Wahoo, NE) resumed his eye-popping 2019 with four catches for 149 yards and two touchdown catches.

The Mustangs (8-0 overall, 7-0 GPAC) return to Elwood Olsen Stadium for Senior Day 2019 Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff against Concordia University is 1 p.m.

NOTES: Jurgensmeier moved within 81 receiving yards of 1000 for the season … The freshman placekicking duo of Chase Carter (FR/Knoxville, IA) (Knoxville, Iowa) and Parker Hanson (Indianola, Iowa) continued to be solid extra-point wise, going six-for-six with three conversions each … Dolincheck continues to march towards 3000 passing yards this season. He goes into the home regular-season finale with 2,461.