No. 3 Mustangs Pull Away from Warriors with Defensive Scores

Sioux City, Iowa- No. 3-ranked Morningside University scored on defense three times as it defeated Midland University, 48-17, on Saturday night at Elwood Olson Stadium.

In a Great Plains Athletics Conference (GPAC) football matchup that was pushed back to a 6:30 p.m. start due to anticipated weather earlier in the day, it was the Midland Warriors that got on the board first. After winning the coin toss and receiving the opening kickoff, Midland put together a 12-play drive that stalled. However, Jared Quinonez booted in a 41-yard field goal to put the Warriors ahead, 3-0, with 10:18 to play in the opening quarter.

The Midland defense held Morningside to what looked to be a three-and-out on the next possession. However, a roughing of the punter penalty extended the Mustangs' drive and they were able to capitalize. Quarterback Lennx Brown hit Joshua Simmons for a 29-yard touchdown pass and Bryson Wilke's extra point put Morningside up 7-3 with 6:19 to play in the first quarter.

On the next drive, Morningside's defense forced the Warriors to turn the ball over on downs. On a fourth-and-one from the Midland 32-yard line, Tyson Denkert was stopped on a carry by Brady Schlager and Gabe Mehrens, giving the Mustangs the ball on the Warriors' third of the field. Four plays later, Morningside extended the lead when Brown found Zach Norton on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 3:06 left in the first quarter. Wilke's point after putting Morningside up, 14-3, which would be the score at the quarter break.

The Mustangs stopped Midland on another fourth down when Garrison Beach was tackled by Jamal Jones and Isaac Pingel. Morningside got the ball back on downs for the Warriors' second straight possession. However, the Warriors' defense forced a punt and a bad snap resulted in a Morningside eight-yard loss, giving Midland the ball at the Mustang 28-yard line. Three plays later, Midland found the endzone for the first time on the night. Beach completed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Tariq Brown and following Quinonez's extra point, Morningside's lead was cut to 14-10 with 12:34 to play in the first half.

Morningside answered the score by putting together a 9-play 61-yard scoring drive. Brown carried the ball in from three yards out, to extend the lead. On the point-after attempt a bad snap forced a Brown rushing attempt that came up short of the goal line, and Morningside's lead stood at 20-10 with 9:14 left in the first half.

On the ensuing kickoff, disaster struck for the Warriors. Preston Williams returned the kick 12 yards, however, the ball popped loose and into the hands of Morningside's Blake Brown, who returned it 16 yards for a touchdown. Wilke's PAT put Morningside up 27-10 with 9:01 left in the second quarter.

After a Midland three-and-out, Morningside ran a nine-play drive but turned the ball over when quarterback Cash Parker was stopped on a fourth-and-11 by Midland's Burton Brandt. The Warriors tried to capitalize, but on the fourth play of the drive, a double pass by Desmond Prusia was intercepted by Malik Hampton at the Mustangs' five-yard line. Morningside looked like they would go for the knock-out blow right before halftime, but its eight-play drive ended when Brown's pass was intercepted by Tray Kingsland at the Warriors' 18-yard line. Midland would complete a pass to Maximus Wold, but the first half would run out with Morningside leading 27-10.

The second half kickoff was taken by the Mustangs' K.J. Williams who returned it 52 yards to the Midland 46-yard line. The Warriors' defense stepped up and forced an incomplete pass on a fourth down to regain possession at the Midland 36-yard line.

After both teams exchanged punts on their next possessions, the Warriors' second possession of the half, Morningside's defense scored for the second time on the night. A Beach pass was intercepted by the Mustangs' Lonell Boyd Jr. He returned it 59 yards for a touchdown and Wilke's PAT made the score, 34-10 with 6:19 left in the third quarter.

Trailing by 24 points, Midland went for it on fourth-and-1 at their own 30. They would complete a pass to Wold but ended up short of the line to gain, giving the ball back to Morningside on downs. The Warriors' defense stepped up and forced the Mustangs to turn the ball back over on downs, as well, after a Brown pass to Norton was incomplete on a fourth-and-14 from the Midland 34-yard line.

Midland used that momentum to score on its next possession. They put together a four-play 66-yard scoring drive, culminated by a 12-yard touchdown pass from Beach to Brown. A Quinonez PAT kick made the score 34-17 in favor of Morningside with 55 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Mustangs took the kickoff and ran two plays for the end of the quarter. Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Lennx Brown ran off right tackle 74 yards for a touchdown to extend the Morningside lead. Wilke's point-after made it 41-17 with 14:48 to play.

On the third play of the ensuing Midland drive, the Mustangs produced a defensive score for the third time on the night. A Beach pass was intercepted by Pingel, who returned it 53 yards for a touchdown. Wilke's point-after made it 48-17, Morningside.

Midland put together a 10-play drive the next time the Warriors touched the ball, but a fourth-and-six pass to Tyson Denkert from Beach fell incomplete. The Mustangs put the game on ice by running a 13-play drive that chewed up 9:20 off the clock. Midland did get the ball back on downs after Easton McCafferty and Rowdy Truksa stopped Bryson Freeburg on a fourth-and-seven at the 21-yard line. The Warriors' offense was able to run four more plays but time ran out and Morningside defeated Midland, 48-17.

With the victory, No. 3 Morningside improved to 4-0 on the season and 3-0 in the GPAC. Midland dropped its second straight game, falling to 3-2 and 2-2 in the league.

Offensively, Morningside ran the ball 48 times for 231 yards. They were 16-of-27 throwing the ball for 172 yards and ran 75 plays for a total of 403 yards of offense. Midland carried the ball 27 times for 143 yards. In the passing game, they were 18-for-40 for 249 yards. The Warriors ran a total of 67 plays for 392 yards of total offense.

Turnovers were a major part of the game. Midland turned the ball over four times, three of which resulted in Mustangs touchdowns on returns. Morningside committed just one turnover.

Individually, Morningside's Lennx Brown was 12-of-20 passing for 129 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Brown was also the team's leading rusher. He carried the ball 16 times for 129 yards and two scores. Drew Sellon was the Morningside top receiver. He caught five passes for 54 yards. Zach Norton caught five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown. Joshua Simmons added two receptions for 30 yards and a score.

For Midland, Garrison Beach was 18-of-39 passing for 249 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Beach was also the Warriors' top rusher on the night. He carried the ball 11 times for 41 yards. Kalynd Coats led the Midland receiving corps. He caught seven passes for 102 yards. Tariq Brown added four receptions for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Morningside was led by Isaac Pingel. He recorded 10 tackles on the night, 7 solo. He also returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown and broke up two pass attempts. Lonell Boyd Jr. had seven defensive stops. He recorded one tackle for a loss and also returned an interception for a touchdown from 59 yards away. Malik Hampton had six tackles for the Mustangs. He added the Mustangs' third interception in the game. Logan Macumber had five tackles and a pass breakup. Jamal Jones added four stops and a pass breakup, as well. Blake Bellamy had two tackles and a forced fumble. Colton Dreith made the most of his opportunities. He recorded two tackles, both of which were for a loss, one of which was a sack. Dreith also added three quarterback hurries in the game. Corbin Meisner also recorded a quarterback hurry for the Mustang defense.

Midland was led on defense by Treden Davis-Reed. He recorded 13 tackles, 9 of which were solo stops. Dane Christensen had six tackles and a quarterback sack. Tray Kingsland had five tackles, plus an interception which was returned 17 yards. Carsen Crouch had five tackles and got credit for half of a tackle for loss. Jay Ballard had five tackles and two stops behind the line of scrimmage. Burton Brandt had four tackles, one for a sack, two for loss, and a forced fumble. Rowdy Truksa had four tackles and recorded half of a tackle for loss. Gabriel VanWinkle had four tackles, recorded half of a sack, and one tackle for loss. Noah Ethan had three tackles and combined on one tackle for loss.  Julian Evans had two tackles, one for a loss. Brady Martin had two stops and a pass breakup, as did Zane Stenger. Remington Gay ended with two tackles and a half of a sack before leaving the game with a foot injury. Jace Mahoney had one tackle and a pass breakup and Robert Vega Jr. recorded a pass breakup.

Morningside returns to action on Saturday, September 30 at Doane with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff in Crete, Nebraska.

Midland will return to Heedum Field to host No. 1-ranked Northwestern College. Kickoff, next Saturday between the Warriors and the defending national champion Red Raiders, will be 1:00 p.m. in Fremont, Neb.