Box Score
DECORAH, Iowa— The Wartburg football team (8-2 overall, 6-2 IIAC) concluded the regular-season with a 24-21 win over Iowa Conference opponent, Luther (3-7, 3-5) Saturday. The Orange and Black have now won the last six against the Norse.
Luther evened the score at 21 all with 3:35 remaining, but the Knights answered with a game-winning eight-play, 59 yard drive as senior Marcus Williams (Council Bluffs) made a 20-yard field goal with 57 seconds left in the game.
The Norse took the early 7-0 lead as they scored on their first possession. Wartburg matched their score on their ensuing drive as senior Dan Stiefel (Sterling Heights, Mich.) completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to classmate Levi Helbling (Malvern) to knot the score at seven all.
Luther went three and out in its next drive and the Orange and Black doubled their score as Steifel connected with Helbling again, this one good for a 15-yard touchdown pass.
The Knights would score once more in the first quarter on their next possession to take the 21-7 lead as junior Brandon Sims (South Holland, Ill.) punched one in from one-yard out.
Neither team scored in the second quarter and the Norse brought the margin to one touchdown in the third as Alex Hain ran one in from two-yards out to make the score 21-14 with 3:10 remaining in the stanza.
Luther tied the game at 21 all with 3:25 to play as Chris Reynolds threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Steven Thompson.
Wartburg then got the ball back on its own 38-yard line. Junior DJ Looft (Armstrong) caught a 41-yard which brought the ball to Luther’s 21-yard line. A two-yard rush by sophomore Reese Thompson (Van Horne) and an 11-yard rush by Stiefel brought the ball to the eight-yard line. After a one-yard pass to Thompson, Williams came in to attempt a 20-yard field goal, which was successful.
The Norse got the ball back with 51 seconds remaining, but threw four incomplete passes. Wartburg took a knee on its first play to seal the win.
Junior Curt Hruska (New Hampton) had a career-high 131 yards receiving as he recorded his second career 100+ yard game. He led the receivers with nine receptions.
Sophomore Donald Miller (Maywood, Ill.) had six receptions for 43 yards and Helbling had four catches for 58 yards with two touchdowns.
Stiefel tied his career-high with three touchdown passes as he finished 27-49 with two interceptions for 304 yards.
Thompson led the Knights on the ground as he had 17 carries for 81 yards.
Junior Mark Lueschow (Cresco) led the defense with his 14 tackles (four solo and ten assist) and classmate Jason Shupp (Cedar Rapids) was close behind with his 13 (five solo, eight assist).
Senior David Brooks (Bettendorf) and junior Garrett McGrane (Fairbank) rounded out the defenders in double digits with 12 and 10, total tackles, respectively.
