PELLA, Iowa --The No. 20/20 Wartburg football team (6-0 overall, 4-0 A-R-C) defeated No. 24/24 Central (3-2, 1-2) 35-28 Saturday. This was the third-straight time and sixth of the last eight games this matchup was played in Pella.
 
After a Central touchdown to tie it at 28 all with 2:04 left, the Knights answered with an 11 play, 75-yard scoring drive. The Orange and Black faced fourth-and-one from Central's one-yard line, but the Dutch were called for an offsides penalty, which resulted in a first-and-goal situation with 30 seconds left.
 
Hunter Clasen punched it in on the next play and Cael O'Neill's extra point attempt was good to regain the lead at 35-28 with 0:21 remaining.
 

Big win for #20 Wartburg at #24 Central. The Knights lost a 28-14 lead in the final minutes, but Hunter Clasen's TD in the final 30 seconds moves Wartburg to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the American Rivers Conference. @WartburgKnights @hunterclasen1 pic.twitter.com/6VfZqpwgs3

— Mark Woodley (@MarkWoodleyTV) October 8, 2022

The Wartburg Knights go on the road to spoil Central's homecoming... the shutout streak is over for the @WartburgFB defense. But the Knights get a last-second touchdown from Hunter Clasen to seal the win, improving to 6-0 this season. pic.twitter.com/qGBpUdd7tT

— Owen Siebring (@owensiebring) October 9, 2022

 
Top performers

• Nile McLaughlin threw for 331 yards and two TDs
• Clasen rushed for 131 yards and two TDs
• Owen Grover led the defense with 10 total tackles and 2.0 TFLs, one fumble return, and one interception

 
Notes/streaks

• This was the first win in Pella for the Knights since 2017.
• McLaughlin's passing yards marked a new career-high
• This was his second-straight game surpassing 300 passing yards.
• This was Clasen's third 100-plus yard game of the season

 
Next Event
The Knights return home next Saturday when they host Nebraska Wesleyan for Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.