Simpson falls to defending IIAC champs in league opener

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Connor Feckley threw for four TDs, Maurece Herrion ran in two more and Dubuque beat the Simpson football team 41-20 in the Iowa Conference opener Saturday.

The Spartans (3-0, 1-0) intercepted three passes, with Michael Joseph returning one for 46 yards. Feckley threw for 285 yards and Dylan Schultz had 151 receiving yards on the day, including one TD.

Caleb Frye and Sam Sasso traded out at quarterback for the Storm (1-2, 0-1), combining for 193 passing yards. Frye and Sasso each threw for a touchdown, Sasso connecting with Braden Meints for the first and Frye hitting Jackson Redmond for the second. Meints punched in a three-yard rushing score for his second TD of the day.

Ryan Sarver led the team in tackles with 14, with Cole Cook's 11 right behind him. Isaac Frazier had 2.5 sacks for 21 yards with eight tackles.

Jordan Beem saw his streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games against IIAC opponents come to an end at seven, finishing with 65 on 23 attempts.

The nation's No. 2 passing attack looked the part as Feckley completed 23 of 38 passes, including 10 to Schultz. Four different receivers caught TD passes for the Spartans.

After fumbling on its opening drive, Dubuque scored TDs on three of its next five drives to open up a 20-0 lead. The Simpson offense started slow, managing 56 yards in its first five drives. Three drives ended in punts and two were intercepted. 

Sasso led Simpson on its first scoring drive, completing 5 of 7 passes on an eight-play, 59-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard toss to Meints. 

Frye's 6-yard TD pass to Redmond kept Simpson in the game in the third quarter, pulling the Storm within 27-13 before Dwayne Allen Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff 62 yards. Feckley tossed his fourth TD of the day five plays later to put Dubuque ahead 34-13.

UP NEXT
The Storm travel to Storm Lake, Iowa to take on Buena Vista next Saturday, Sept. 24. The Beavers (0-3) lost to Central 33-0 on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.