PELLA, Iowa (Duhawks.com) The Loras College football team fell to 1-5 on the year, and 0-3 in the Iowa Conference after a 41-14 loss Saturday against Central College in Pella, Iowa. A flat first half and three turnovers doomed the Duhawks, resulting in their fifth-consecutive setback.
Central made a statement on their opening drive of the game, taking roughly seven minutes off of the clock, and going out in front 7-0 on the one yard run from Josh Osborn. The touchdown was set up after quarterback Aaron Eiseler found Sam Markham for a 25-yard reception, taking the Dutch down to the one-yard line.
After the Duhawks went three-and-out on their opening possession, Central struck again, as Eiseler found Markham in the endzone to give the Dutch a 14-0 lead with 5:28 left in the opening quarter.Â
Following punts by both teams, the Dutch added to their lead with 9:58 left in the second quarter when Eiseler threw his second touchdown pass of the day, this time to Brendon Boerm from 24 yards out.
The Duhawks best chance to score in the half came midway through the second quarter after a Dutch penalty combined with a 28 yard pitch and catch from freshman
Robert Kelly to senior
Nate Even would set up a Duhawk field goal opportunity. However, the Duhawks would fail to get any points after the
Mason Quigley kick was blocked.
Central added a field goal with 40 seconds left in the half and go into the locker room leading 24-0.
Loras finally caught their break in the third quarter after senior
Dave Pirkle intercepted the Eiseler pass and returned it into Central territory. Just a few plays later the Duhawks would get on the board, as Kelly found sophomore
Danny Willis for the five yard touchdown reception, shrinking the Central lead to 24-7.
Late in the third quarter, Kevin Sheldon sent another kick through the uprights, giving the Dutch a 27-7 lead.
The Duhawks kept themselves in the game thanks to an interception from sophomore
Calvin Harridge. Loras took over at the Central 47-yard line and marched down the field in just five plays before freshman
Nolan Davis marched into the end zone after a three-yard reception from Kelly.
Central added two more touchdowns late in the fourth quarter, as Josh Osborn scored from one and 41 yards out, putting the game out of reach 41-14.
Game ChangerLoras looked to get on the board in the second quarter, but the
Mason Quigley field goal was blocked by the Dutch, keeping the Duhawks scoreless at the half. The Duhawks only managed 134 yards of offense in the first half.
Key StatFor the second week in a row, senior
Mike Canevello led the Duhawks in tackles, totaling 16 on Saturday against Central.
Notables- Sophomore linebacker Calvin Harridge continued to rack up tackles for the Loras defense, totaling 15 against the Dutch. He now has 71 tackles on the year.
- Wide receivers Nate Even and Danny Willis led the Duhawk offense with Even finishing with five receptions for 90 yards and Willis adding three grabs for 46 yards.
- Sophomore punter Jeremy Peters set a new career high with his 53-yard punt in the first half. His previous best was 51 yards, which he had in last week's loss to Buena Vista.
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QuotableLoras Football Head Coach Steve Helminiak
"We constantly have to concentrate and focus in on what's going on in the game. Every down matters, it's those little things that those guys have to clean up. It's an execution and focus problem, and right now we need to continue to get reps."
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Up NextLoras travels to Indianola next Saturday to take on the Storm, who fell to Coe College 35-21 on Saturday. Simpson currently stands at 3-3 overall and is winless in conference play.
