Fourth quarter comeback falls short in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. – A fourth quarter comeback came up short for the Simpson College football team in its American Rivers Conference opener against Nebraska Wesleyan as the Storm fell 21-13 at Abel Stadium.

Nebraska Wesleyan (3-0) scored a touchdown in each of the first three quarters to build a 21-0 lead going into the final 15 minutes, but Simpson (1-2) didn't go away easily and pulled within one score with a couple of receiving touchdowns by Reed Worth and Desmond Alexander on back-to-back possessions.

The Storm defense forced the Prairie Wolves to punt three minutes later, giving the visitors the ball back at their own 19-yard line with 5:28 remaining. Simpson drove all the way down to the home 24-yard line with the help of long receptions by Cole Staska, Worth and Kevon Bickham, but Nebraska Wesleyan put an end to the potential game-tying drive with an interception just outside the endzone.

BREAKING DOWN THE GAME

• The Prairie Wolves put the first six points on the board late in the first quarter when Carter Terry connected with Cole Siems from 16 yards out.
• Siems later found Jaheim Felder in stride for a 52-yard touchdown that doubled the home team's lead with 5:07 left in the first half.
• A fumble by the Storm gave Nebraska Wesleyan the ball back just a few minutes later, but the home team did not add to their lead before the break as CJ Hangartner blocked a 24-yard field goal attempt.
• In the first five minutes of the third, the Prairie Wolves capitalized on a big rushing touchdown from Nathan Athouris to make the score 21-0.
• Briley Hayes set Simpson up with a 1st and goal opportunity after recovering a fumble forced by Rohn Francis on a punt return, but the Storm could not take advantage as the score remained 21-0.
• Simpson finally dented the scoreboard with an 8-play, 81-yard drive capped off by a 31-yard touchdown reception by Reed Worth. Kevon Bickham hauled in three catches for 30 yards to fuel the scoring drive.
• Less than a minute later, Zach Truitt recorded his first interception of the year with the help of a quarterback hurry by Mason Little to put Simpson in scoring position.
• The Storm closed the gap to 21-13 seven plays later as Desmond Alexander hauled in J Jensen III's pass from nine yards out.
• Nebraska Wesleyan punted the ball away with just under five and a half minutes to play, giving Simpson plenty of time to tie the game.
• Cole Staska caught a couple of long passes on third down and Jensen threw three straight completions to Worth and Bickham to set up 1st and 10 from the Nebraska Wesleyan 39 yard line. After a deep pass to Hunter Dahlgren fell incomplete, Jensen fired another pass down the field that was intercepted by Eli Mackowski.The Prairie Wolves managed to run out the clock from there. 

STORM LEADERS

• Wyatt Schaben - 13 tackles
• Zach Truitt - 6 tackles, 1 INT
• Mason Little - 6 tackles, 4 QBH
• Payton Betts - 9 tackles. 1 PBU
• CJ Hangartner - 7 tackles, 1 blocked FG, 1 QBH
• J Jensen III - 288 pass yards, 2 TDs
• Reed Worth - 78 rec yards, 1 TD
• Kevon Bickham - 82 rec yards

NOTES

• Nebraska Wesleyan improves to 11-7-2 in the all-time series.
• Through three games, J Jensen III has already surpassed 1,000 passing yards. He now has 4,140 passing yards in his career, ranking sixth all-time.
• With his 13 tackles, Wyatt Schaben cracked the program's top 10 leaderboard. He is currently tied for ninth with Ryan Lehr who tallied 234 stops between 2016-18.

UP NEXT
Simpson returns home to take on No. 3 Wartburg at 1 p.m. on Sept. 23.