Box Score
DUBUQUE, Iowa-- The 20th-ranked Wartburg football team handed Iowa Conference opponent, Dubuque, its first loss of the season with the 42-39 victory Saturday in a game that featured a combined 1,064 yards of offense.
With the win, the Knights move to 5-1 overall and 3-1 against IIAC opponents. Dubuque also owns the same record. The Orange and Black received the No. 20 ranking in the d3football.com Top 25 Poll for Week Five while Dubuque received votes.
"I told the team earlier in the week that champions die hard," commented head coach Rick Willis. "We’re trying to defend our championship and we’re not going to let anyone take that away without a fight.
"What a tremendous ball game, our guys just kept battling," he furthered. "The thing that I’m most pleased is that the guys just fought ike crazy. If you do that, you’ll have a good chance every week."
Wartburg took the 14-7 lead at halftime, thanks to a 17-yard touchdown reception by junior Curt Hruska (New Hampton) with four seconds left in the second quarter.
The Spartans would tie the game at 14-14 on their first drive of the third quarter before the Knights answered back on their subsequent drive to regain the lead at 21-14 as senior Levi Helbling (Malvern) caught a 23-yard pass.
Dubuque scored on its next drive to knot the score at 21 all as Jason Spaulding punched one in from two yards out.
The Spartans took the lead at 28-21 late in the quarter as Spaulding ran the ball 57 yards for the score.
The Knights evened the game once again early in the fourth quarter as junior Connor Dahlstrom (Eldridge) punched one in from one-yard out.
Wartburg would regain the lead, which it did not relinquish, on its next drive as Brandon Sims ran the ball from two-yards out for the touchdown.
Steve Jones’ 22-yard field goal on Dubuque’s next drive would bring the margin to three but the Orange and Black would score for the final time on their next drive as Dahlstrom had a 68-yard touchdown run.
The Spartans came within three once more last in the fourth quarter as Hanus made his third touchdown pass of the day, this one from one-yard out to Michael Zweifel.
Dubuque attempted on on-side kick with 1:17 left in the game, but Wartburg’s Alce Smith recovered the kick.
After going three and out, the Knights punted the ball to the Spartans with 17 seconds remaining.
Dubuque was unable to get in formation for one final play on its own 38 yard line as time expired to give Wartburg the win.
Dahlstrom had a career day as he finished with 225 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Dan Stiefel (Sterling Heights, Mich.) had 222 yards through the air as he was 15-27.
Stiefel spread the ball between six different targets as Hruska and Helbling finished with over 100 receiving yards with 100 and 101, respectively. Hruska tied his career-high with six receptions and recorded his second 100-yard effort of the season and Helbling had his first 100-yard game of the season.
Senior Robby Salmon (Mason City) had five punts for 219 yards, including three within the 20-yard line.
Junior Jason Shupp (Cedar Rapids) led the defense with his 13 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss of 31 yards. He also led the core with three sacks for 28 yards.
Classmates Garrett McGrane (Fairbank) and Mark Lueschow (Cresco) completed the defensive players with double-digit tackles with 12 and 11, respectively. Each was credited with one tackle for loss.
Wartburg returns to the gridiron next Saturday for its Homecoming game against Simpson at 1:30 p.m.
