WAVERLY, Iowa-- The Wartburg football team (2-1 overall) opens the Iowa Conference portion of its schedule Saturday when it travels to face Simpson College (2-1) at 1 p.m.
The two teams will also participate in the Coach to Cure MD effort as part of a nationwide program to support Coach to Cure MD. The rapidly growing annual effort has raised more than a million dollars to battle Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
On Sept. 29th, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) members will wear a Coach To Cure MD logo patch on the sidelines and college football fans will be asked to donate to research projects supported by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. focused entirely on Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Football fans can donate to Duchenne muscular dystrophy research by either going online to www.CoachtoCureMD.org or by texting the word CURE to 90999 (a $5 donation will automatically be added to your next phone bill).
Last year, more than 10,000 college coaches at 505 different institutions participated in Coach To Cure MD events. Both those figures are higher than in any of the program's first three years (2008-10). The four-year fundraising total is just over $1 million.
Follow the Knights:
Click here to watch the live stats.
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Click here to listen to the game live. Local listeners in Waverly can tune into 89.9 FM as Mark Simpson, Terry Goetzinger and Matt Ray call all of the action.
A Look at the Teams:
Simpson:
The Storm had their bye week on Sept. 15 and traveled to Eureka, Ill. last week and defeated Eureka College 54-0.
Taylor Nelson is the team's top signal caller as he is 61-103 with two interceptions for 1,024 total yards.
Michael Chia is the squad's leading rusher as he has 86 yards on 25 carries and Brad Vogel is the leading receiver with 322 yards on 16 catches.
Simpson's offense has been mainly through the air as it is averaging 344 passing yards/game compared to 85.7 yards/game on the ground.
Wartburg:
The Knights had their bye week last weekend and look to stay undefeated on the road as they won their first road game of the season, 27-3 against Carthage College on Sept. 15.
Freshman Logan Schrader (Kildeer, Ill.) enters Saturday's game 47-75 with two interceptions for 492 yards and three touchdowns.
Seniors Reese Thompson (Van Horne) and Connor Dahlstrom (Eldridge) have 164 and 146 total rushing yards, respectively. Thompson also has three touchdowns on the year.
Sophomore Donald Miller (Maywood, Ill.) and senior Curt Hruska (New Hampton) are the squad's leading receivers with 160 and 125 receiving yards, respectively.
Freshman Frank Loconti (Lombard, Ill.) has made three field goals and is a perfect 13-13 in PATs.
National Stat Rankings:
Wartburg ranks in the Top 100 of 13 NCAA National Statistical Categories in Division III through games played Sept. 23.
The Knights lead the nation in tackles for loss (12.0).
The Orange and Black are also second in rushing defense (22.67 yards/game), third in total defense (159.00), ninth in scoring defense (8.00 points/game), 15th in pass efficiency defense (82.56), 19th in net punting (36.67), 32nd in pass defense (136.33), 33rd in rushing offense (227.00 yards/game) and sacks (3.00), 53rd in scoring offense (33.33 points/game), 68th in turnover margin (.67), 72nd in total offense (391.00 yards/game) and 83rd in punt returns (9.14).
Individually, four players rank in four categories.
Freshman Grant Zimmerman (Mendota, Ill.) in 26th in punting (40.45 yards/kick) and sophomore Spencer Capitani (Northwood) is tied for 92nd in punt returns (6.00).
Loconti is 20th in field goals (1.00/game) and junior Ryan Billings (Sterling, Ill.) is tied for 71st in tackles for loss (1.67/game).
