MOUNT PLEASANT – Grand View University gained 582 yards of offense and Iowa Wesleyan College fell hard in a 73-6 loss Saturday on the road in Mid-States Football Association Midwest League play.
The Tigers struggled from the very start, turning the ball over five times on offense and never forcing a punt on defense in dropping to 3-7 overall, 3-3 in league play. Grand View improved to 5-3 overall, 3-2 in the MSFA Midwest.
IWC turned the ball over on the first offensive play of the game and things never got better as the Vikings scored touchdowns on all six of their first half possessions for a 42-0 halftime lead. Grand View continued to pound away in the second half, gaining 348 yards rushing in the game and holding the ball for 36:37 in time of possession.
Offensively the Tigers moved the ball well in spurts but too often shot themselves in the foot with turnovers, making for a long day for the defense and short fields for the Viking offense. Wesleyan turned it over on two of its first three possessions, both times near midfield, and missed a chance to put points on the board midway through the second quarter when Kevin McConnell (So.-Kansas City, Mo.) threw an interception on first-and-goal from the GVU 6-yard line.
IWC got its lone touchdown in the third quarter, going 83 yards in six plays. McConnell hit Ridge Hobbs (Fr.-New London, Iowa) for 47 yards to start the drive, and later found Leondre Washington (Fr.-St. Louis, Mo.) for a two-yard touchdown pass.
McConnell completed 20 of 34 passes for 207 yards but was intercepted four times and fumbled once. Washington led the receivers with eight receptions for 88 yards, while Lawrence Moore (Sr.-Country Club Hills, Ill.) added seven catches for 51 yards. The Tigers finished with 239 yards of offense and had four possessions end inside the GVU 36-yard line and three more end near midfield.
Chris Owens (Sr.-Greer, S.C.) led the defense with 10 tackles. Mike Tupai (Jr.-San Francisco, Calif.) added nine tackles. Washington also finished the game with a total of 213 all-purpose yards, adding 125 yards in kickoff returns.
The Tigers will be idle next weekend and will finish their season Nov. 13 against St. Ambrose University at 1 p.m. at Mapleleaf Stadium.
