Early lead slips away as Storm fall to No. 19 Central

INDIANOLA, Iowa – A disastrous second quarter unraveled a promising start as the Simpson College football team fell 35-10 to No. 19 Central on a cold, wet Senior Day at Buxton Stadium.

Simpson (5-4, 4-3 A-R-C) jumped to a 10-0 advantage thanks to a strong defensive start, but a flurry of second quarter miscues quickly turned the game. A fumble, a muffed punt, and two blocked punts returned for touchdowns allowed Central (8-1, 6-1 A-R-C) to seize control. After halftime, the Dutch added one more score, and the remainder of the game became a defensive battle in the snow.

KEY MOMENTS

• Simpson gets on the board first: After both teams traded punts to open the game, the worsening rain led to the first major break of the afternoon. A slick snap slipped through the hands of the Central punter, and as he tried to recover and scramble, Mekhi Holmes and Adonis McKenzie brought him down for the turnover on downs. Two plays later, Demarico Young broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run, putting Simpson ahead 7-0 with 6:13 left in the first quarter.
• Burks' interception extends lead: MJ Burks picked off Central's Hunter Hoffman on the next possession, setting up a 23-yard field goal by Aiden Lanier for a 10-0 Simpson advantage.
• Turnovers turn the tide: As rain intensified early in the second quarter, Simpson lost control of the ball. A fumble gave Central possession, and one play later, Hoffman hit Nolan Meyer for a 47-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 10-7.
• Blocked punt swings momentum: Simpson's next drive stalled, and Central's Tate Mayberry blocked the ensuing punt. Ben DeMeulenaere recovered it in the end zone to put the Dutch in front 14-10.
• Mistakes pile up: After a muffed punt recovery gave Central a short field, Cody Klein scored on a 14-yard rush to make it 21-10. Another blocked punt, this time by DeMeulenaere and recovered by Kyle Norton, extended the margin to 28-10 before halftime.
• Dutch add insurance: Central capitalized on an interception to start the second half, with backup quarterback Colin Kerndt connecting with Klein for a 14-yard touchdown and a 35-10 lead.
• Storm defense holds late: Burks forced a fumble recovered by Noah Noland in the fourth quarter, but the Storm couldn't convert as both teams traded punts down the stretch.

STORM LEADERS

• Demarico Young: 29 att, 166 yards, 1 TD
• Noah Cracraft: 3 rec, 37 yards
• Aiden Lanier: 23-yard FBG, 1/1 PAT
• Noah Noland: 18 tackles (2.5 TFL), 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery
• Mekhi Holmes: 6 tackles (0.5 TFL)
• Adyn Wyckoff: 6 tackles (1 TFL)
• MJ Burks: 4 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception

UP NEXT
Simpson faces Nebraska Wesleyan next Saturday for its 2025 season finale. With a win, the Storm would notch their first winning season since 2018 and first undefeated road record since 1997 (regular season only).