CUNE football’s defense shines in win over Jamestown
Photo description: (from left) Austin Jablonski, D.J. McGarvie, Michael Grindy and Kyle Sterup take the field
Photo credit: CUNE Photo Gallery (Photo from previous game)
Jonas Sommerville
Sower Staff
The Concordia football team traveled to Jamestown, North Dakota Saturday afternoon. They pulled out a tight one, winning 27-23.
Jamestown was the first to strike in the first quarter, scoring at the 7:55 mark. However, the Bulldogs bounced back and senior Devin Zeigler ran it in from the one on the following drive. The next drive by Jamestown was a methodical drive of 12 plays for 65 yards and ended with another touchdown. Concordia could not get the offense started in the second quarter as Jamestown kicked another field goal to go up 17-7 at the half.
The Bulldogs came out of the locker room and went 58 yards in nine plays to get within one score of Jamestown, making the score 13-17 as freshman kicker Peyton Atwood missed the point after. Zeigler again found the end zone with a five-yard run. Concordia’s defense again limited Jamestown to a field goal on the next drive, so the Bulldogs were only down 20-13. Concordia again found the endzone as junior D.J. McGarvie ran it in from the one to complete a five-play 64-yard drive. The Bulldog defense stopped Jamestown one more time towards the end of the third quarter. The score was all tied up at 20 going into the fourth quarter.
The offense began driving yet again going into the fourth, but Atwood missed a field goal from the 35. The defense forced a stop, but an unfortunate error on special teams gave Jamestown the ball on the Concordia 15. Fortunately, the Bulldogs held them to just a field goal, putting Jamestown ahead 23-20.
As the game wound down, Concordia found the endzone with 1:41 left on the clock. Zeigler ran it in yet again, this time a longer run of 21 yards. The point after put the Bulldogs ahead 27-23 with very little time left. Jamestown fought hard and got all the way to the Concordia 18 before a crucial sack from junior Kyle Sterup.
McGarvie led the team in passing, with 185 yards and no touchdowns. Zeigler had a fantastic game on the ground, rushing for 124 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Austin Jablonski led the team in receiving, with five receptions for 85 yards. Sterup had six tackles and two sacks, including the game-clinching sack, leading the defense to an impressive seven-sack performance. The defense only allowed 374 offensive yards as well.
Concordia is now 1-1 overall and 1-1 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. They travel to Iowa to play Dordt University on Sept. 16 at 1 p.m.
