Photo by Morningside Athletics

Several Tulip City football alumni are being recognized for their success in the NAIA this fall.

Chase Carter, a Knoxville area native and 2019 Pella High graduate, became the fourth kicker in Morningside program history to make 100-or-more extra points by going eight-for-eight Saturday. Carter was on the 2019 championship team and is the starting kicker for the 2nd consecutive season on a Mustangs team that hasn’t lost a football game since December 2nd, 2017, in the NAIA National Semifinals.

It’s been five years since he dominated the high school football fields for the great Pella football teams of 2013-2015, and now, Dordt University Junior Noah Clayberg is having a breakout season as the Defenders’ quarterback. Clayberg has won Great Plains Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week twice this season. Noah has 1247 passing yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 67% of his passes, and 650 yards rushing and 10 running scores for the Defenders, leading them to a 5-1 record. Clayberg’s 1874 yards ranks 2nd best in the nation, albeit with many teams holding off on competition until the spring.

Teammate Levi Jungling, a Pella Christian graduate and Iowa High School football’s receiving yard record holder, is 2nd in the nation with 924 all-purpose yards.

Dordt and Morningside will clash for Great Plains Athletic Conference supremacy this Saturday in Sioux Center at 1 p.m.