Storm feature balanced attack in win over Loras
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Tyler Kenny broke the century mark on the ground, Taylor Rogers caught record-setting touchdown pass and the Simpson football team used a balanced attack to beat Loras 28-7 on Saturday afternoon.
With starter Michael Chia out of the game due to injury, Kenny and Ethan Calvert combined for 172 yards on the ground as Simpson ran for 193 as a team. Kenny finished with 132 yards on 18 carries and Calvert added 40 and a touchdown.
"The running game allows us to change the tempo," head coach Jim Glogowski said. "We ran the ball well, especially with Chia being out. The other guys really stepped up."
Kenny's 132 yards on the ground is the most by a Simpson player since Renauld Shelton ran for 179 against Buena Vista on Sept. 26, 2009.
"We needed to get the running game back because the first few weeks were really down," Kenny said. "Now that we have that back, we can utilize run and pass. It's coming together nicely."
Taylor Nelson threw for 193 yards on 21 of 32 passing with three touchdowns for the Storm (5-1, 3-0 Iowa Conference), extending his streak to 14 straight games with a touchdown pass.
Taylor Rogers was on the receiving end of Nelson's first two scoring heaves, the first of which made him Simpson's career touchdown reception leader. The senior hauled in an 18-yarder in the first quarter, the 28th touchdown grab of his career. He passed the mark of 27 set by Dusty Kain from 2002-2005.
"It's an honor to get that record," Rogers said. "I've had some great quarterbacks so it makes it that much easier for me."
Defensively, Simpson bottled up the Iowa Conference's leading rusher and harassed quarterback Dylan Jones.
Simpson held Nate Carrier – who came into the game averaging 132.6 yards per game – to only 69 yards, ending his streak of consecutive 100-yard games at four. The defense sacked Jones six times, all by defensive linemen.
"Play fast and hard, get sacks, have fun with it," senior defensive lineman Aaron Gaynor said of the mentality of the front four.
Gaynor, Mike Munson, Taylor Stockdale and Johnnie Sims all had a sack. David Adams led the team with two.
"We have some athletic guys up front," Glogowski said. "We're as athletic as we've ever been up there."
Nate Even had a big day receiving for the Duhawks (2-4, 1-2), making eight catches for 155 yards. Jones finished 14-for-37 for 238 yards and a touchdown.
After a scoreless first quarter, Nelson threw a pair of touchdown passes to Rogers in the second that gave Simpson a 14-0 halftime lead. Calvert added a six-yard scoring run with 10:39 left in the third for a 21-0 advantage.
Loras got on the board late in the third when Kyle Killian caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Jones, but Simpson put the game out of reach when Nelson found tight end Alex McCarty on a throwback from eight yards out with 9:16 left in the fourth.
The win sets up a big meeting next Saturday when Coe visits Buxton Stadium on homecoming. The Kohawks (6-0, 3-0) beat defending Iowa Conference champion Dubuque 41-38 in overtime on Saturday.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
