Mustang
FOOTBALL SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 A new chapter of Great Plains Athletic Conference football begins for Morningside University this afternoon. Mount Marty University, in its first season, visits Elwood Olsen Stadium. Head coach Steve Ryan’s Mustangs, sporting a 2-0 record, have gotten out of the gate fast, winning 63-7 over Concordia and 5614 over Doane. The Lancers, coached by John Michaletti, sit 0-2, dropping contests against Dakota Wesleyan 20-3 and the University of Jamestown 35-6 to start the program’s gridiron journey.
THE MATCH-UP Mside’s offense already has taken residence in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ high-rent district. The offense is among the national top 10 in 13 different categories, including total points (119 – No. 3) and scoring per contest (59.5 – No. 1); yards per outing (615 – No. 1); passing yardage per appearance (465.5 – No. 1) and passing yards per attempt (14.1 – No. 1); and passing scores (10 – No. 2). The Morningside defense also headlines the national numbers by way of 12 sacks which lead the way. They’ve allowed just 10.5 points per game. Individual leaders for Ryan’s crew include senior quarterback Joe Dolincheck (659 yards passing/eight touchdowns/81.6 percent completion percentage); the upperclassman/freshman combo of senior Anthony Sims and freshman Ryan Cole in the backfield (Sims – 128 yds./three touchdowns; Cole – four touchdowns); a juggernaut senior wide receiver combination of Austin Johnson and Reid Jurgensmeier who have combined for 26 catches, over 500 yards and five touchdowns; and junior defensive back Lonell Boyd, Jr., and senior linebacker Tyler Wingert who each have 16 tackles to their credit and have combined for four of the unit’s 12 sacks among others. The arms of sophomore Kaden Ladwig and Dolincheck provided more than enough cushion for the team’s road opener on Sept. 11. Ladwig, in his first collegiate start, and Dolincheck lit up the skies around Doane University’s Al Papik Field to the tune of 416 yards and four touchdowns. Ladwig proved poised in his inaugural starting opportunity, going nine-of-13 for 218 yards and a score. Dolincheck’s reliability was once on display, as he hit on three paydirt strikes and 198 yards during an 11-of-14 effort. Johnson was one of six beneficiaries of the Mustangs passing attack. He gathered in eight catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns, as his yardage total ranked ninth on the highest single-game efforts in program history. Jurgensmeier wasn’t too far off triple digits, either, catching five balls for 91 yards. A solid defensive effort went along with the Mustangs’ passing headlines. Two standouts, Boyd, Jr. and Wingert, helped
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