Concordia football leans on Van Cleave in a nail-biting victory, 32-29
Junior Carlos Collazo (7) dodges members of the opposing team (photo from previous game).
Photo credit: Nora Betts
By Kai Olbrich
Sports Editor
The Concordia football team had another down-to-the-wire game on Oct. 18 as they defeated the Hastings Broncos 32-29 on a last-minute touchdown pass.
The Bulldogs have been in three close and high-scoring games in a row. There have been 268 combined points in the games against Hastings, Mount Marty, and Midland.
Concordia has been good about going up early in games but has struggled defensively down the stretch. This game was no different as the Bulldogs went up 13-0 thanks to a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Gideon Stark to senior Adam Van Cleave and two field goals from junior Peyton Atwood.
Points from both teams ensued in the second half, and Hastings went up 29-26 after they ran in a blocked punt. Concordia got the ball back and drove 75 yards over 11 plays to put the game to bed with 27 seconds left on the clock. The final play of the drive was a 26-yard touchdown pass from Stark to Van Cleave.
Van Cleave was the go-to receiver as he caught for 145 yards and two touchdowns, but he also got 30 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown at running back as junior Carlos Collazo was out injured.
Stark was 29-55 with 306 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. Atwood was on fire once again with 4-4 field goal attempts and 2-3 extra points, with the missed one being blocked.
The Bulldogs are now 5-1 on the season and will make the trip to Sioux City, Iowa, on Oct. 25 to face off with the highest-ranked Great Plains Athletic Conference team, No. 4 Morningside.
