Mustangs stampede past Jamestown, set up top spot GPAC clash

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Morningside University scored on eight of its first nine offensive possessions and didn't look back Saturday, Oct. 30.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' No. 3-ranked team led 35-0 early in the second frame and went on to a 70-7 Great Plains Athletic Conference victory in front of a Senior Day 2021 crowd inside Elwood Olsen Stadium. While head coach Steve Ryan's offense posted more than 700 yards of total offense, the defensive unit led by co-coordinators Casey Jacobsen and Nathan Turner had the visiting University of Jamestown Jimmies locked down for most of the afternoon.

Jamestown managed only 278 yards over 60 minutes. Mside dropped the visitors four times for losses, earned a takeaway on a fumble recovery by sophomore linebacker Isaac Pingel (Spencer, Iowa), and broke up six UJ passing attempts against an aerial attack that had been among the nation's top 20 coming in. Senior linebacker Tyler Wingert (Holstein, Iowa) topped the tackle charts for the third time in the last four games (six). In contrast, Pingel and freshman linebacker Brody Nelson (Beatrice, Neb.) each registered five, and Pingel added his fumble recovery and a tackle for loss to his chart.

Meanwhile, the balanced passing and rushing attack of the Morningside offense was on full display. Senior quarterback Joe Dolincheck (Bellevue, Neb.) went over 300 yards and fired three touchdown strikes; senior running back Anthony Sims (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), junior running back Michael Minor (Omaha, Neb.), and freshman running back Ryan Cole (St. Ansgar, Iowa) proved a fierce three-headed backfield monster combining for five touchdowns. The underclassman trio of freshman Josh Simmons (Council Bluffs, Iowa) and sophomores Michael Payne (Omaha, Neb.) and Zach Norton (Sioux Falls, S.D.) tallied 13 receptions and two touchdowns between them. 

Morningside (8-0 overall, 8-0 GPAC) travels to Northwestern College to renew their league and Siouxland rivalry Saturday, Nov. 6. Kickoff between the No. 2-ranked Red Raiders and No. 3-ranked Mustangs, with the outright conference league lead on the line, is 1 p.m. at De Valois Field in Orange City.