IW cruises to first win

Crown College came into Mapleleaf Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon looking for their first win, but Iowa Wesleyan made the Storm's offense look like more of a light drizzle. Instead it was IW who got into the winner's circle for the first time, taking the game 44-7.

The Tigers mixed a dominant defensive outing with a handful of big plays from the offense. After going into the second quarter knotted up at 0-0, the Tiger offense threw their first haymaker of the day when quarterback DeMarcus Collins scrambled 50-yards for the first score of the game.

It was one of three total touchdowns for Collins in the second quarter. Later on, Collins ran into the end zone on an 11-yard scramble, and then with just 2:27 left in the period, he found Tanner Holder on a jump ball in the end zone for the lone passing touchdown of the day.

Despite getting nothing going offensively, Crown was able to score once in the first half. The Tigers were driving in the final minute when Collins' pass went high off a receivers finger tips and in to the hands of Crown's Jason Sroufe. Sroufe took it 45-yards to the opposite end zone and the IW lead was down to 21-7 at the half.

IW added 10 points in the third quarter. Jeremy Scholbrock hit a 33-yard field goal and Collins had a five-yard rushing touchdown. The score after three was 31-7.

IW continued to pour it on in the fourth quarter. The defense knocked out Crown quarterback Jared Gilmore after picking him off four times, and then feasted on backup Devin Westbrook to the tune of two more interceptions.

Meanwhile, the offense was able to score twice more. Stafford Lewis broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run with 13:08 remaining and Jacquez Hall added a two-yard TD run with 9:32 showing on the clock.

Not only did IW pick off six passes, but the Tigers had six different players with interceptions. Noah Ross, Jeremia Silone, Jarius Evans, Da'Va Stafford, Jaiya Garcia and Craig Wrenn all had one pick.

Marco Ventura led the team with 13 tackles. Austin Ferguson had 11 tackles. Chase Tennant finished with seven.

After the game, head coach Michael Richtman said he was proud of the game plan by defensive coordinator Joe Stubbs and credited the entire defense for wreaking havoc on Crown.

'I think it comes down to a lot of different things,” Richtman said. 'We got some good pressure in there, which forced their quarterback to do some things he didn't want to do (and) when they had the opportunities, they made the picks.”

Collins was 9-20 through the air for 104 yards and a touchdown and finished the game with 120 yards and three scores on the ground. S. Lewis went over 100-yards as well, picking up 103 yards and a touchdown. Akenyon Bagley had 34 rushing yards.

Holder finished the game with four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown to lead the receivers. Charles Robinson had 47 yards for second-most on the team.

IW is now 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference. The Tigers will host Martin Luther College in their homecoming game next Saturday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m.