Conference Clincher – Mustangs GPAC streak continues in high-flying offensive affair

ORANGE CITY, IOWA – Fans of big plays and touchdowns got their money's worth and more Saturday, Nov. 6.

A long-awaited tussle between National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' No. 2-ranked Northwestern College and No. 3-ranked Morningside University lived up to pre-game billing going down the final minute inside a packed De Valois Stadium on NWC's campus. While the better than 1,000 yards of gains and 104 combined points that the two Great Plains Athletic Conference powerhouses assaulted the scoreboard with were sparkling, there were, tucked inside those digits, big defensive and special teams efforts on a sun-splashed early November afternoon.

Junior placekicker Chase Carter (Knoxville, Iowa) increased his streak of made extra points to 32 and also made good on field-goal attempts of 44 and 40 yards, proving his back-to-back league Special Teams Player of the Week awards. His 13 points of contributions proved vital to head coach Steve Ryan's team turning aside the rival Red Raiders 55-49 to the joy of a big Mustangs contingent gathered on the stadium's east side and locking up Mside's 11^th straight conference championship. Co-defensive coordinators Casey Jacobsen and Nathan Turner received big plays from several sources, too. Senior linebacker Tyler Wingert (Holstein, Iowa) picked off a tipped ball late in the fourth quarter to end a Northwestern march as part of an eight-tackle and three tackles for loss day; senior defensive end Weston Schultz (Mason City, Iowa) wrangled down elusive home signal-caller Tyson Kooima for a sack; and senior defensive lineman Zack Keller (Wilber, Neb.) worked his way through the Red Raider offensive line for two tackles for losses out of three total to headline the unit's accolades.

Meanwhile, the offensive agency of Dolincheck, Sims, and Jurgensmeier was in its usual form on the other side of the ball. Senior quarterback Joe Dolincheck (Bellevue, Neb.) threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns, with senior wide receiver Reid Jurgensmeier (Wahoo, Neb.) and his big frame being the target at several key moments that led him to 10 receptions for 188 yards and three scores. Senior running back Anthony Sims (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) proved a battering ram to the home team defense, pounding away with 31 carries for 173 yards and four touchdowns. His final two scores, one a breakaway 46-yard bolt to paydirt and the other a dash around end for three yards and a score, kept Northwestern at arm's length down the stretch.

Mside, improving to 9-0 overall and in the conference, wraps up its regular season Saturday, Nov. 13, with a visit to Mitchell, S.D., and a loop battle against Dakota Wesleyan University.

NOTES: Sims' acumen for rushing touchdowns continued to raise his all-time charts status. He moved into fourth on the single-season all-time list (25) and tied former backfield standout Tyler Kavan for second on the career list (58) … Carter's 44-yard field goal that closed out the first half scoring tied him for the seventh-longest made kick in program history.