CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - After getting off to a quick start, the Loras College football team gave up 36 unanswered points and fell to the Coe College Kohawks 36-10 at Clark Field in Cedar Rapids. Coe kept the Loras offense off the field throughout the day, as they controlled the time of possession, as well as the field position battle. Despite scoring the first 10 points of the ballgame, the Duhawks struggled to get much going in the final three quarters.
The Duhawks set the tone from the opening kickoff, as they forced a Coe fumble to give them the ball to start off the game. Four plays later, freshman quarterback
Robert Kelly found senior
Nate Even for the Duhawk touchdown, giving Loras 7-0 lead not even two minutes into the game. Coe would move the ball well on their very next possession, but the Duhawk defense came up big, stopping the Kohawks on fourth down.
Loras would march right down the field again, and benefit from a Coe pass interference penalty to set up freshman
Mason Quigley from 20 yards out to extend the Loras lead to 10-0. However, the Loras offense was kept in check the rest of the way and struggled to get much going.
Coe would get on the board with 9:02 in the second quarter when a
Damon Davies sack forced the Kohawks to kick a 34 yard field goal. On the next Loras possession junior
Nate Carrier would fumble the ball away and give the Kohawks the ball in Loras territory. Coe tied the game when Gavin Glenn would find Elijah Phillips from three yards out.
The Duhawks got the ball back before halftime, but quickly turned it back over to Coe via a fumble by freshman Issac Cloward, which gave Coe an opportunity to add to their lead. Coe converted and took the lead when Josh Rekers scored on the quarterback sneak to make the Coe lead 17-10 at the half.
After a slow start to the third quarter, Coe added to their lead with 4:50 left when Gavin Glenn found Kevin Martinez from 24 yards out, capping a 71 yard scoring drive. After both Loras and Coe were forced to punt, Kohawk punter Zach Doermann pinned the Duhawks inside their own five yard line. The very next play resulted in Carrier being tackled in the end zone for the Coe safety, making the score 26-10 going into the final quarter.
The Kohawks added to their lead when running back Sam Lahr scampered into the endzone 23 yards out, making the Coe lead 33-10. A late field goal by Colton Benhart capped the scoring for Coe, making it 36-10.
With the loss, Loras drops to 1-3 on the year and 0-1 in the Iowa Conference.
Game ChangerThe Duhawks led 10-3 midway through the second quarter, but two Loras fumbles before halftime gave Coe two touchdowns and a 17-10 halftime lead. Those were the only two Loras turnovers on the afternoon.
Key StatThe Kohawks nearly had the ball nearly twice as much as the Duhawks, totaling 39:06, while Loras only having the ball for 20:54.
Notables- Robert Kelly made his first start of his career, and finished the day completing 18 of 38 passes for 161 yards and one touchdown.
- Sophomore Calvin Harridge recorded a career high 18 tackles on the afternoon, with eight being solo stops.
Quotables"I felt that we were just flat today, and we have to have more intensity throughout the course of the game. Guys have to have a little more excitement because it's an emotional game. We need to get excited when something good happens, and pick each other up when something bad happens." -Head Coach
Steve HelminiakUp NextThe Duhawks will return home for the first time in over a month, as they take on Buena Vista next weekend for Loras' Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
