Northwestern defeats Mount Marty in home opener

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (Northwestern) -– The No. 2-ranked Red Raider football team was dominant in front of a sea of red on Saturday, taking down the Mount Marty Lancers 38-3 in GPAC action.

“I thought we played great complementary football today at all three phases,” head coach Matt McCarty said. “We need to make sure we’re playing as one team, and our guys did a good job of that today.”

Mount Marty received to begin the day and after five plays were forced to punt. The Raiders jumped at the opportunity to stay on the visitors’ side of the 50 as Jackson Smythe blocked the punt, setting up his team inside the 10. It did not take Northwestern long to get on the board as Konner McQuillan broke to the outside on the handoff, making the score 7-0.

“Special teams were huge for us today,” noted McCarty. “We made a couple big plays, got a few turnovers, and gave our offense great field position.”

A longer second drive was just as successful for the Raiders, who once again received the ball in scoring territory, opening the drive with a Groos to McQuillan swing pass that resulted in 21 yards to put Northwestern in the red zone. The Raiders then powered it in for six as Hayden Groos received some help from his friends to push him in from the 1-yard line.

Early in the second quarter, Northwestern started a 12-play, 82-yard scoring drive mixing the run and the pass. The drive ended in a dime from Groos to the back corner of the end zone, where Tanner Schouten brought it home, pushing the lead to 21-0.

The second half brought similar success as Cody Moser ended the Lancer opportunity with an interception, taking the ball back to the 19, where Groos connected with Sam Remmerde for Remmerde’s first career touchdown reception.

Northwestern’s final touchdown of the day came halfway through the third when Austyn Gerard ran a perfect stop and go route, capped off by a dart from Groos for six.

GAME NOTES

• Konner McQuillan sparked the offense with 90 rushing yards, 38 receiving yards, and a rushing touchdown.
• Tanner Schouten led the receiving corps with three catches for 57 yards and a score.
• Parker Fryar was the leader defensively, totaling 11 tackles.
• Hayden Groos had three touchdowns to no interceptions, posting the same line in both games this year.
• Sam Remmerde scored the first touchdown of his career.
• Cody Moser and Jase Amelse each picked off a pass.
• It was the first career interception for Amelse.
• Moser is three picks away from joining the top-10 career mark (currently has 13 interceptions).
• Jackson Smythe had a blocked punt.
• Northwestern compiled 298 yards of offense and held the Lancers to 185 yards.
• The Raiders have won 19 straight home games dating back to November 6, 2021.
• Northwestern has won 21 consecutive regular season games dating back to September 10, 2022.

Up Next : Northwestern is back home next Saturday, September 21 for a battle against the Midland Warriors.

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