Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Iowa Wesleyan football stifled in final home game
Waldorf scores first 35 to blow past Tigers in North Star action
BURLINGTON — It was a bitter end to the Iowa Wesleyan football team’s home schedule on Saturday. The Tigers welcomed Waldorf University for a North Star Athletic Association showdown, and it was all Warriors as Waldorf won 42-12.
“They're probably one of the most physical teams we've seen this year,” said Iowa Wesleyan head coach MD Daniels. “We weren't ready for their physicality, and that showed today.”
Waldorf was all over Iowa Wesleyan over the first three quarters. The Warriors scored thrice in the first half to take a 21-0 lead into the break and added two more scores in the third period.
Waldorf quarterback Jordan Cooper accounted for three of those, passing for one and running for two.
The Tigers were able to battle back in the fourth quarter, however. Iowa Wesleyan finished the game on a scored twice in the final period, as Gavin Esquivel hit Kelan Dove for a pair of touchdown passes, one from 9-yards out, and one from 10-yards away.
“The biggest thing I was proud of, is we didn't stop fighting,” Daniels said. “No matter what the odds were, we kept fighting. When you have a team that doesn't stop fighting, you have something there.”
Waldorf scored once more before the game was over.
Esquivel finished the day 16-for-34 for 207 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Jaden Harris was his top target, catching four balls for 68 yards.
Dove finished the game with four catches for 39 yards and two scores. Dimitri Rodriguez caught two balls for 24 yards.
Kam Cole led the Iowa Wesleyan rushing attack with 78 yards on the ground. Hezekiah Hunter ran for 32.
The Iowa Wesleyan defense was paced by Jaheem Hampton’s seven tackles. Grequenceo Coger, Joseph Pace and Chance Colby all had six.
Former Winfield-Mount Union prep Christian Gerot seemingly found the end zone a couple times for Waldorf, but the touchdown runs were taken way by offensive penalties. He finished the game with 10 yards rushing.
Iowa Wesleyan is now 2-8 overall and 1-4 in the North Star. They will play at Mayville State (1-9, 1-6) next Saturday.
Iowa Wesleyan’s Chris Hawthorne clings onto the leg of a Waldorf University ball carrier on Saturday at Bracewell Stadium in Burlington. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Iowa Wesleyan’s Kam Cole drags a Waldorf defender during the Tigers’ conference loss against Waldorf University on Saturday. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Iowa Wesleyan’s Hezekiah Hunter tries to get around a Waldorf tackler on Saturday. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Iowa Wesleyan’s David Timmons attempts to haul in a catch on Saturday during the Tigers’ final home game of the season. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
