After falling behind 10-0 to rival Simpson, the Central College football team scored the last 35 points and defeated the Storm 35-10 in a game heard live on both 92.1 KRLS and 94.3 KNIA.

The Storm took advantage of a dropped punt snap and an interception to take the early lead on a DeMarico Young 21-yard touchdown dash and a 23-yard Aiden Lanier field goal. Then the wheels fell off in a wild second quarter.

Trent Cakerice recovered a Simpson fumble on the next Storm drive, and one play later Hunter Hoffman launched a 47-yard touchdown to Nolan Meyer. Then Tate Mayberry blocked a Simpson punt which was recovered by Ben DeMeulenaere in the end zone for a touchdown. A muffed fair catch recovered by Central’s Gavin Smith led to a 14-yard touchdown run by Cody Klein, then the Dutch blocked another punt, this time by DeMeulenaere, and it was recovered by Kyle Norton for a score.

“Two punt blocks in a game – if you get one in a game you feel pretty happy about it”, said Central coach Jeff McMartin. “To get two and then score off both of those, those are huge things and a big momentum switcher.”

The only points in the second half came after another Dutch takeaway, Smith’s fourth interception of the season, leading to a Colin Kerndt 14-yard scoring strike to Klein.

Simpson head coach Reed Hoskins said after the game it was disappointing in the way they lost with way too many turnovers to give to a team as talented as Central, but he was happy with how the team played hard to the final whistle and they will move on to try and secure a winning season next week.

The loss ends Simpson’s three game winning streak and the Storm fall to 5-4 on the year and 4-3 in the American Rivers Conference. They’ll wrap up the 2025 campaign next weekend at Nebraska Wesleyan.

Central is now 8-1 and 6-1 in league play, tied for second with Coe. The Dutch and Kohawks will square off in the regular season final on Saturday at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium in Pella, with a playoff berth on the line for Central with a victory.