Turnovers doom football in loss to Elmhurst

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Josh Williams ran for 122 yards, Elmhurst took advantage of three Simpson turnovers and the Storm football team lost 31-12 on Saturday.

Drew Domino threw for 184 yards and Williams scored two TDs for the Bluejays (3-0), who scored 17 points off Simpson turnovers in the second ever meeting between the two teams.

Sean Wetherell returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown and Elmhurst took advantage of short fields on a pair of Simpson fubmles. A botched snap on a quick-punt attempt led to a 31-yard Brett Bayer field goal in the second quarter and a fourth-quarter fumble by Caleb Frye set up a two-yard score by Williams.

"We have a football team that has a small margin for error," head coach Jim Glogowski said. "We can't beat ourselves." 

Frye finished with 126 yards passing, throwing TDs to Devin Norman and Jackson Redmond for the Storm (1-2). Davey Jergens ran for 67 yards on 15 carries.

Simpson took the opening drive 68 yards in nine plays, culminating with Frye hitting Norman on a 12-yard fade for an early lead. Drew Jensen missed the extra point - the first PAT miss of his career - for a 6-0 lead. 

Simpson got the ball back after a defensive stop, but Wetherell jumped Frye's first-down pass to change the momentum of the game. Elmhurst led 10-6 at halftime and took the opening drive of the second half 71 yards on 11 plays, getting an eight-yard TD run by Williams. 

Frye answered with a 30-yard scoring toss to Redmond, pulling Simpson within 17-12 after a failed 2-point conversion. But Garrett Claxon gave Simpson's comeback hopes a blow when he ran for a 31-yard TD with 11:25 to play in the game.

"Give Elmhurst credit. They made plays when they had to and turned us away on defense a few times," Glogowski said. 

Simpson's final turnover effectively ended it when Jimmy Abbott stripped Frye with 5:53 left.

Simpson finished 5 of 11 on third down and failed to convert on five fourth-down tries. Elmhurst was 10-for-17 and 2-for-3, respectively.

Clay Finley and Justin Shepherd made seven tackles apiece and Michael Pavon made an acrobatic interception to close the first half.

Simpson hosts Buena Vista in the Iowa Conference opener next week. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in the second of three-straight home games for the Storm.

"We have some things to build on," Glogowski said. "The non-conference schedule comes in to play, but how we play in the conference is what really matters."