Record Road Trip - Jurgensmeier sets single-game standard

FREMONT, NEB. – The numbers continue to amaze.

At every turn, Morningside College senior wide receiver Reid Jurgensmeier (SR/Wahoo, Neb.) (Wahoo, Neb.) is topping the yardage and touchdown charts for the two-time defending national champions. A Saturday, Sept. 19, visit to Midland University's Heedum Field was no different.

Junior quarterback Joe Dolincheck (JR/Bellevue, Neb.) (Bellevue, Neb.) found one of his favorite targets 10 times during a 42-7 victory that sent head coach Steve Ryan's program to 2-0 overall and in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Each of the receptions averaged better than 16 yards towards a total of 167 and five of the catches had Jurgensmeier's feet standing in the end zone.

The high-flying passing combination each crossed career milestones, while the senior receiver set a single-game school record with his five touchdown catches. Dolincheck's 31-of-49, 346-yard, five-touchdown afternoon was part of a day in which he became the seventh signal-caller in program history to go over 5,000 career yards and recorded his sixth straight 300-yard-plus game total. Jurgensmeier hauled in 100-yards-or-more for a fourth straight appearance and moved over 40 career touchdown catches, making him just the third at Morningside to reach the mark.

Morningside's 16^th straight series victory was a tussle early. The Mustangs used a late first-quarter scoring march to break a scoreless tie. However, the second period was a different story, as a three-touchdown barrage made it 28-0, and the nine-time defending league champs were off to the races. While Dolincheck and Jurgensmeier's resumes were highlight-reel worthy, Mside's defense made headlines, too.

The unit picked off two passes, forced and recovered two fumbles, and turned in 10 tackles for losses. The junior duo of linebacker Weston Schultz (JR/Mason City, Iowa) (Mason City, Iowa) and defensive back Drew Bessey (JR/Palmyra, Neb.) (Palmyra, Neb.) each collected 10 tackles, and Bessey joined senior linebacker Tyler Wingert (SR/Holstein, Iowa) (Holstein, Iowa) in the interception section. Freshman linebacker Isaac Pingel (Spencer, Iowa) and senior defensive linemen Seth Maitlen (SR/Creston, Iowa) (Creston, Iowa) tallied a fumble recovery apiece.

The Maroon break from competition next weekend. They return to Elwood Olsen Stadium Saturday, Oct. 3, for a 1 p.m. kickoff against Hastings College.