Conqs Fall in Season Opener to #4 Iowa Western
(Audio Courtesy of Sean Boston & Z98)
DCCC vs. Iowa Western (1st Quarter Audio)
DCCC vs. Iowa Western (2nd Quarter Audio)
DCCC vs. Iowa Western (3rd Quarter Audio)
DCCC vs. Iowa Western (4th Quarter Audio)
(Story Courtesy of Dodge City CC Sports Information Department)
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Back on the gridiron just a little over three months from the wrap-up of the spring season the Dodge City Community College football team opened the 2021 season hosting #4 Iowa Western.
The Conquistadors worked to a lead in the first half and trailed only by a field goal headed into halftime but miscues in the second half allowed Iowa Western to capitalize and take the game 38-14, sending the Conqs to an 0-1 start to the season.
It was a stalemate early on until the Reivers of Iowa Western put together a nine-play scoring drive that saw the Conqs hold them to a 22-yard field goal which made it 3-0 with 4:21 left in the first quarter. Conqs answered in a big way on the next drive as Fred Eaford set up the team with great field position after his 58-yard kickoff return. Three plays later the Conqs found the endzone for the first time this season on a Tyler Curtis 31-yard touchdown run and with the PAT the Conqs led 7-3 with just over two and half minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Reivers would put together the next two scoring drives both coming in the second quarter finishing the drives off with a pair of rushing touchdowns the second of which came after the Conqs were unable to convert on a fourth and short and have the Reivers good field position.
Down 17-7, Dodge City cut that deficit to three before halftime putting together an eight-play drive that took just under four minutes and culminated in a two-yard touchdown run by Curtis, his second of the day. The drive also featured a big 43-yard completion from Rashad McKee to Eaford.
The contest remained a three-point affair until Iowa Western returned a punt 60-yards for a touchdown to make it a 24-14 contest with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Conqs would then see a few bad luck situations unfold as they came up short on another fourth down and lost a pair of fumbles on a bad snap for a punt and a punt return; both recovered by Iowa Western. The Reivers would turn the Conq miscues into 14 more points and cap the game at 38-14.
Statistically, it was close to even for both teams as the Conqs amassed 346 yards of total offense including 213 rushing, while Iowa Western totaled 355 yards of total offense. The three Conq turnovers plagued them in the loss as the Reivers went unblemished in the turnover category but both teams were hurt by penalties in the affair also.
Highlighting the action for the Conqs on offense was Curtis who ran for 137 yards on 11 carries scoring both Dodge City touchdowns, while Eaford was the top passing target on the day catching four passes for 60 yards. McKee at quarterback finished 15-28 with 133 yards and an interception. On defense, Tyquan Hayes recorded seven tackles including a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, while Dav’Juan Dezeme also had seven tackles. Nico Perofeta notched the lone sack by the Conqs defense.
Dodge City now turns their attention to Jayhawk Conference action as they travel to Coffeyville next Saturday, September 11th for a 7:00 pm kickoff against a Red Raven team who upset #1 Hutchinson in their season opener 17-10.
