Zweifel, Dubuque top Storm, 36-33

INDIANOLA, Iowa – The offenses took center stage as Dubuque and Simpson combined for 977 yards of total offense Saturday evening. But led by a record setting performance by wide receiver Michael Zweifel, Dubuque came out of the shootout on top with a 36-33 win at Buxton Stadium.

Zweifel set Iowa Conference records in receptions (20) receptions and receiving yards (330) for the Spartans (3-4, 2-3 IIAC), who racked up 510 yards in the win.

The old record for receiving yards stood for more than 41 years, as Simpson's Jim Henderson originally set the mark with 276 yards against Wartburg in 1967. Dubuque's Matt Plummer held the old record for receptions in a game – 18 against Buena Vista in 1996.

The Storm (2-5, 1-4 IIAC) compiled 467 yards in the loss. Junior running back Matt Claassen led the Simpson rushing attack with 124 yards. In his first career start, sophomore quarterback Chris Garza accounted for 336 total yards by going 19-of-38 for 254 yards through the air rushing for 82.

Trailing 16-13 after a 46-yard touchdown pass from Colton Hansen to Zweifel closed out the first half, Simpson took a 20-16 lead when Garza found the end zone on a bootleg keeper from three-yards at the 12:39 mark in the third.

The Spartans – who trailed 10-0 at one point – answered with a 7-play, 79-yard drive capped off by another Hansen-to-Zweifel connection with 8:49 remaining in the third. Another long drive ended with a Hansen touchdown pass to Miles Hookstead with 12 seconds to go in the third, as Dubuque took a 29-20 lead.

Hansen hooked up with Zweifel for the third time mid-way through the third, opening a 36-20 Spartan advantage.

A pair of late touchdowns brought Simpson within three. Senior running back Renauld Shelton plunged in from 3-yards out and freshman Taylor Rogers caught a touchdown pass in his sixth-straight game with 1-second left.

Hansen ended the day going 31-of-45 for 429 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Justin Spaulding added 70 yards rushing on 22 carries. Justin Simmien paced the Dubuque defense with 10 tackles, while Karl Grant picked up a Simpson fumble which the Spartan offense turned into seven points. Placekicker Matt Fehr made good on his only field goal attempt, a 22-yarder in the second quarter.

Rogers made five catches for 108 yards for Simpson, leading the Simpson receiving corps. Tight end Alex McCarty hauled in six passes for 75 yards. Defensively, senior linebacker Cody Jensen made 12 tackles and made a spectacular one-handed interception in the fourth quarter. Senior corner Wardell Watkins also added a pick, and senior defensive end Ben Reutzel had a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss. Senior Martin Rounds broke up two passes.

On special teams, freshman placekicker Kevin Morgan went 2-for-3 on field goal attempts, knocking in a career-long 41-yarder in the second quarter. He also made good on a 22-yard attempt, but was wide-left on a 44-yard try when the Storm trailed 22-20 in the third. Senior safety John Wolfe had a solid day returning kickoffs, returning five kicks for 118 yards, with a long of 35.

Simpson will look to break its three-game losing streak on the road next week when it travels to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to face Coe (5-1, 3-1 IIAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Fans can catch all of the action on the radio and online by tuning into Iowa's True Oldies Station, 105.3 KEDB FM and www.kedb.fm.