The Northwestern College football team defeated Dana College Saturday afternoon by the score of 54-14 in front thousands of fans at Korver Field at DeValois Stadium. The 13th-ranked Red Raiders improve to 3-1 overall while the Vikings fall to 1-3.
The Red Raiders scored 20 first quarter points and put the game away with a 33-0 halftime lead. Northwestern continued to dominate the play in the third quarter with 21 points, leading 54-0 as the teams began the fourth and final period. Dana scored a pair of touchdowns in the final frame to put the final at 54-14.
Northwestern scored on their very first play from scrimmage when Cary Overholt hit a wide open Tyler Meekma down the middle for a 77-yard scoring toss. The Red Raider defense came up with their first big play on Dana's first possession when T.J. Lensch intercepted a Marcus Sladek pass at the Viking 48-yard line. Three plays later, Overholt connected with D.J. Hansen down the right sideline for a 62-yard scoring strike and a 13-0 lead. The NWC defense stopped Dana on a fourth-and-one on the Vikings next possession. The Red Raiders capitalized and scored their third touchdown in the first 10 minutes when Seth Moen caught a 42-yard scoring pass from Overholt.
Northwestern's rushing attack took over in the second quarter as both Kyle Ochsner and Overholt scored on short runs to take a 33-0 halftime lead. The defense was just as impressive, forcing Dana to punt five times in the first half.
The Red Raider defense came up big once again on Dana's first possession of the second half as Nate Jansen intercepted another Sladek pass at the Vikings 43-yard line. Following the interception, Taylor Malm scored on a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line to give NWC a 40-0 lead. A penalty on the ensuing kickoff put Dana back at their own 7-yard line, and, the Raider D took advantage as Cody Van Sloten broke through and sacked Sladek in the end-zone for a safety. After the Dana free kick, Northwestern scored three plays later when Ochsner scampered 32-yards up the middle to give his team a 48-0 lead. Ochsner scored his third and final touchdown on a 35-yard run with just over one minute left to play in the third quarter.
Northwestern totaled 515 yards of offense compared to 234 for Dana. Overholt completed 10-of-18 passes for 246 yards and three scores. He also rushed for another. Meekma, Hansen and Moen all caught three passes and one touchdown. Ochsner led a Red Raider rushing attack that gained 252 total yards with 107 on eight carries and three scores. Malm rushed 12 times for 55 yards and one score. Defensively, T.J. Lensch recorded a team-high 6.5 sacks and one interception. Grant Hegstad and Nate Jansen totaled 5.5 and 5.0 tackles, respectively.
Coach Otten's squad will travel to Seward, Neb. next week to play Concordia at 1:30 pm.
2008 media guide
