USAFOOTBALL.COM Game Report

Referee's mistakes cost Simpson

by Matt Turk, Sports Information Director, Simpson

Two key decisions by referee Dwight Wilden helped determine Coe's 26-21 victory over Simpson Saturday in Cedar Rapids. With 6:25 remaining in the game, the Storm went on a 17 play 79 yard drive that started at their own six yard line. On first and goal from the Coe one-yard line, Ryan Doehrmann appeared to have gotten in the endzone for the gamewinning touchdown, but Wilden's crew ruled Doehrmann down at the one yard line, when the Storm attempted to plead their case, a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called. Apparently on the penalty, Wilden's crew ruled that it should be second and goal from the 15 when it should have been first and goal. On "third down" a halfback option play from Collin Freeburg did not go anywhere. On "fourth down", Brad Zelenovich's pass into the endzone was knocked down by the Kohawks. Coe took over possession and won the game. Simpson led 21-12 at halftime, but on the first series of the second half, Zelenovich had a pass intercepted by Kohawk linebacker Brent Dill who returned it 62 yards and cut the Storm lead to 21-19. Coe scored the gamewinning touchdown with 4:22 to go in the third quarter on a one yard Fred Jackson touchdown run. Tim Vinyard, the Iowa Conference's leading passer was held below his average and charted 217 yards in the game. Jackson rushed for 119 yards on 21 carries. The leading kickoff returner in Division III, Jackson did record a kickoff return, but returned one kick for 28 yards. Lost in the effort was Troy Clemen's 239 yard rushing performance. Clemen ran 35 times and scored two of the three Simpson touchdowns. It was the most rushing yards in a game by a Storm player since Guy Leman posted 361 yards against Luther in the final game of the 1998 season. The Storm fall to 3-2 (3-2, IIAC) and travel to #6 Central next Saturday. Coe improves to 5-0 (5-0 in the IIAC) and is on the road against Luther.

Where are the D-III 20th Century All Stars? Where is the NCAA Division III 20th Century All American Team? As usual, the student/athletes who have played the game for fun have been ignored by everyone who has selected Teams of the Century - but that will be corrected by usafootball.com. See story.....

Take a sports trip around the world