PELLA— Six touchdowns and three turnovers forced in the first half by the Central College football team propelled it to a 59-14 romp over Simpson College Saturday afternoon.
The Dutch (4-1, 2-1 American Rivers Conference) offense rolled up over 500 yards for the second week in a row, including 130 in the first quarter. Quarterback Hunter Hoffman's (junior, Pecatonica, Ill.) 10-yard rush got the scoring started and it kept rolling as the Dutch scored on its first seven possessions against the Storm (2-3, 1-2 conference).
"The things we needed to do, we were able to do," coach Jeff McMartin said. "We won the battle up front and we were effective running the football and staying on the field by getting first downs." "
Jase Grunder (sophomore, running back, Tampico, Ill., Prophetstown HS) had another monster week with 24 carries, 184 yards and three scores. Grunder scored on runs of 36 yards, two yards and 25 yards while averaging 7.7 yards per carry.
"We're trying to be of a power running game," McMartin said. "He runs well between the tackles and does a good job of getting yards after contact. With how we throw the football, if you can have an inside presence running the football that's a good thing."
Even the Dutch defense got on the scoreboard with a 35-yard interception return touchdown by junior corner back Gavin Smith (Audubon) late in the second quarter.
In addition to Smith's interception, the Dutch defense also forced and recovered a pair of fumbles. Linebacker Nick Bandy's (senior, Dubuque, Wahlert Catholic HS) strip sack on Simpson's second drive was recovered by defensive lineman Aidan Nosek (senior, Mount Vernon) at the Simpson 38-yard line. The Dutch offense scored two plays later.
After driving all the to the Central seven-yard line, Simpson running back Demarico Young had the ball knocked by loose by defensive lineman Sebastian Duarte (junior, The Woodlands, Texas) and strong safety Reece Miller (fifth year, Center Point, Center Point-Urbana HS) jumped on it. Central drove the length of the field and Logan Sunvold (fifth year, Monroe, Southeast Polk HS) kicked a 31-yard field goal to send the Dutch to halftime leading 45-0.
"Our defense is executing at a really high level," McMartin said. "When you play with confidence and you play hard, those are really important things, and it rubs off on everybody."
Central's defense totaled five sacks, led by two from Bandy. Defensive linemen Ethan Thomas (junior, Ankeny) and Andrew Bruno-Willis (senior, Adrian, Mo.) each had solo sacks while linebacker Cole Clark (senior, Lisbon) and defensive lineman Tate Hagen (fifth year, Britt, West Hancock HS) shared one. Central finished with nine tackles-for-loss while holding Simpson to 13 yards rushing. Clark and linebacker Cael Fiderlein (senior, West Branch) led the Dutch with seven tackles each.
"We got some pressure, and we got some turnovers," McMartin said. "You're going to win games when you force your opponent to turn it over and you don't turn it over yourself."
Hoffman also tossed a 30-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Cam Schulte (sophomore, Pella) and completed a rare feat of rushing for, passing for and catching a touchdown when he was hit for an eight-yard score by Keegan Glover (junior, Benton, Ill., Benton HS) on the CUI Special reverse pass. Hoffman finished the day with 175 yards in the air, completing 11 of 19 attempts. Wide receiver Ryan Neu (fifth year, West Des Moines, Valley HS) has six catches for 110 yards.
Wide receiver Collin Swantz (senior, Mount Vernon) added a six-yard rushing touchdown on a jet sweep near the end of the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.
The Dutch travel to Cedar Rapids for a contest against unbeaten Coe College (5-0 next Saturday at 1 p.m.
"I don't think we are going to have to do much to get them fired up for the opportunity," McMartin said. "We're going to come out aggressive and we know its going to be a great challenge. We're going to have to play well but we can do so."
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