Storm can't hold off Dubuque in homecoming loss

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Jordan Beem surpassed 100 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns for the second week in a row, but a five-yard touchdown run by Maurece Herrion with 44 seconds left in the game lifted Dubuque to a 31-24, comeback win over the Simpson football team Saturday.

Herrion ran for 86 yards and two scores and Rio Johnson threw for 367 yards as the Spartans (3-2, 2-0 Iowa Conference) spoiled Homecoming at Buxton Stadium. Dubuque trailed 14-3 in the third quarter but outscored Simpson 28-7 down the stretch.

Beem ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 77-yard throwback for a touchdown, giving him six over the past two games. Caleb Frye threw for 275 yards for the Storm (2-3, 1-1), who racked up 499 yards of total offense in the loss.

"It was a heck of a game, we just came out a little bit short," head coach Jim Glogowski said.

Simpson trailed 24-21 with under five minutes to play when Drew Jensen hit a game-tying 22-yard field goal. Simpson had 1st-and-goal at the 7 but Dubuque held, forcing the Storm to settle for the tie.

Herrion scored the go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing drive thanks to a pair of big pass plays from Johnson. Trenton Grana-Curry caught 20-yard pass to put Dubuque in Simpson territory and Dylan Schultz made a 22-yard reception to give Dubuque 1st-and-goal.

Simpson drove to the Dubuque 33 on the final drive before Frye was intercepted by Cody Binicewicz on a deep ball over the middle.

"We run the 2-minute drill all of the time. We are comfortable with it, we just came up a little bit short," Glogowski said. "There were many plays that decided this game, not just the last drive."

Simpson committed three turnovers on the day and came up short on 4th-and-goal from the 1 yard line late in the first half, missing an opportunity to build on a 7-0 lead. Instead, Dubuque drove 92 yards and got a 24-yard field goal from Curtis Prull to go into halftime down 7-3.

The 77-yard touchdown reception by Beem came just two plays into the second half. Frye rolled to his right while Beem snuck out of the backfield and found himself wide open on the far sideline. He made the grab and outran the Dubuque secondary to put Simpson up 14-3.

Dubuque scored on its next two drives, getting a 2-yard run by Tarshma Jackson and a 7-yard catch by Schultz for a 17-14 lead.

Simpson responded on the very next possession, getting a 54-yard kickoff return from Davey Jergens. A 19-yard scramble by Frye set up Beem's 13-yard run that gave Simpson a 21-17 lead as the third quarter came to a close.

Johnson went to the air on Dubuque's next possession, completing a 26-yarder to Najee Toomer and a 36-yarder to Chris Bagley. Herrion ran in from 3 yards out to put Dubuque up 24-21.

Dubuque lived on big plays all afternoon. Half of Johnson's 18 completions went for 20 yards or more and four went for 30-plus.

Adrean Johnson led the defense with nine tackles while Abe Wolfe and Jake Stearns had eight each. Stearns and Clay Finley each recorded a sack and Patrick Steffen had a pass breakup.

UP NEXT
Simpson goes on the road for the first time since Sept. 19 when it travels to Coe next Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. The Kohawks (2-3, 1-1) lost to No. 6 Wartburg 31-14 on Saturday.