Storm score 27 unanswered points in comeback win over Crown

SAINT BONIFACIUS, Minn. – The Simpson College football team scored 27 unanswered points in the second half en route to a 48-46 road win over Crown, Reed Hoskins' first win as head coach.

Trailing 40-21 with 13:07 left in the third quarter, Simpson (1-1) flipped the script and rattled off three straight touchdowns to take its first lead at 41-40 with 12:05 remaining in the game. The Storm's comeback was aided by interceptions by Eldred Boria and Payton Betts as well as a couple of huge receptions by Reed Worth on fourth down.

Simpson added a fourth unanswered touchdown to stretch the advantage to 48-40, but the game wasn't over yet. With just over a minute left, the Storm were forced to punt and Diego Narezo completed a 66-yard touchdown pass on the next play to bring Crown (0-2) within two points of tying the game. Simpson managed to hang on for the win when a false start penalty pushed the Polars back five yards on the two-point attempt and another penalty negated what would have been a successful onside kick recovery by the home team.

FULL SCORING SUMMARY

• Simpson received the opening kick and drove into the redzone, but the Polars collected the first turnover of the game via an interception and scored one play later on an 80-yard pass from Narezo to Terry Warner.
• The rough start continued for the Storm as Crown forced a 3 and out and went ahead 13-0 following an 88-yard punt return by Rudy Criner.
• The Storm got their first points of the day on a 59-yard touchdown reception by Worth, his second touchdown grab of the drive after the first was called back due to an illegal block.
• Crown answered right back with a rushing score by Jonathan Wamsley and carried a 20-7 lead into the second quarter.
• Each team scored two touchdowns in the second frame. J Jensen completed a 29-yard pass to Tristan Bushey for the Storm's first score and found Cole Staska open from 10 yards out for the second.
• Just under two minutes into the second half, Crown stretched its lead to 40-21 as Narezo scampered into the endzone untouched.
• Simpson's comeback started from there, with Jensen finding Desmond Alexander out of the backfield for six points.
• The Storm's next two scores were set up by two interceptions by Boria and Betts. Danny Rankins Jr. ran in a touchdown following Boria's pick and Worth found paydirt after Bett's interception and his own 30-yard reception on 4th and 3.
• Simpson had another crucial fourth down conversion on the following drive as Jensen connected with Worth for 12 yards to set up 1st and goal. Jerad Fischer punched it in from one yard out, and the Storm led 48-40 with 4:41 remaining.
• Crown scored one last time on a 66-yard touchdown from Narezo to Wamsley with 55 ticks left on the clock. The Polars were unable to convert the game-tying 2-point conversion.

STARS OF THE GAME

• J Jensen III - 388 pass yards, 5 TDs
• Danny Rankins Jr. - 105 rush yards, 1 TD, 100 return yards
• Reed Worth - 137 rec yards, 2 TDs
• Cole Staska - 105 rec yards, 1 TD
• Desmond Alexander - 100 rush yards
• Eldred Boria - 11 tackles, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups
• Payton Betts - 5 tackles, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups
• CJ Hangartner - 6 tackles

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Simpson amassed 607 yards of total offense, while Crown recorded 524. The visitors also held a 32-20 advantage in first downs and possessed the ball for over two thirds of the game (41:22).
• The Storm rushed for a season-high 219 yards and threw for 388 more.
• Simpson was 10-for-19 on third down and 3-for-5 on fourth down. The Storm defense held the Polars to a 33% efficiency for both.

NOTES

• The win was the first under new head coach Reed Hoskins.
• With his 388 passing yards, Jensen jumped two more spots on the all-time career passing yards leaderboard to sixth. He passed Scott McCarty (3,515) and Brad Zelenovich (2,786).
• Reed Worth now ranks fourth all-time with 2,356 receiving yards, passing Jesse Von Behren who tallied 2,138 from 1999-02.
• This was Simpson's first win on the road since defeating Nebraska Wesleyan 29-21 in Lincoln on Oct. 5, 2019.
• Simpson now owns a 1-0 advantage in the head-to-head series with Crown.

UP NEXT
Simpson begins American Rivers Conference play against Nebraska Wesleyan on Sept. 16.