Perfect regular season, GPAC path completed

MITCHELL, S.D. – Morningside University's 11^th straight Great Plains Athletic Conference championship had a shiny finish added to it Saturday, Nov. 13. 

The Mustangs ranked No. 2 on the latest National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics coaches poll, scored touchdowns on four of their seven first-half possessions. That, coupled with a stingy defense that limited the host Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers to just 55 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes, gave head coach Steve Ryan's squad a 24-0 halftime lead, one which allowed them to not look back towards claiming a 52-7 victory.

Mside's usual cast of offensive headliners stepped to the forefront again in the regular-season finale. Senior quarterback Joe Dolincheck (Bellevue, Neb.) tossed four scoring strikes and 325 yards with senior wide receiver Caleb Schweigart (Omaha, Neb.) and sophomore teammate Zach Norton (Sioux Falls, S.D.) each receiving 100-or-more yards and combining for two touchdowns. The ground game also purred with senior Matt Strecker (Columbus, Neb.) busting a 73-yard scoring scamper and fellow Class of 2022 member Anthony Sims (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) carrying the rock 13 times for 61 yards and finding the end zone once. 

Meanwhile, senior linebacker Tyler Wingert (Holstein, Iowa) and the Mustangs defense gave no quarter to DWU's offense. Wingert registered 17 tackles, with three and a half going towards losses and one being a sack. Defensive lineman Weston Schultz (Mason City, Iowa) and linebacker Jalen Portis (St. Louis, Mo.), also among the heavy senior-laden Mustangs group, added seven tackles apiece, with Schultz corralling the Tigers' quarterback twice.

Morningside (10-0) awaits its first-round NAIA playoff opponent with the selection show announcement Sunday, Nov. 14.