DCG football, volleyball look to bounce back, golf wraps season

The Mustangs look to get back on track heading into the second week of October. (Events covered: Oct. 1-7)

Football (1-5)

Following a huge shutout win the previous week, the roles reversed this week in Norwalk (3-3) in a 38-0 loss to the Warriors.

Keeping the game tight 0-0 through the first quarter, things broke loose before halftime with four unanswered touchdowns going on the board for the home Warriors. Trying to get back in the game, DCG quarterback Chase Engel was tasked with a comeback bid.

Engel tossed 115 yards on 24 attempts. He was sacked just once and did not throw an interception.

Coming back to Dallas Center on Friday, the Mustangs play host to Glenwood (1-5), looking to avenge the Rams’ two wins over DCG the past two seasons.

So far this year, Glenwood’s only win came in Week 4 in a 35-14 victory against a one-win Denison-Schleswig. That game saw the passing game explode in a nearly perfect game. Elsewhere this season, their quarterback has thrown five touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Volleyball (18-17)

Saturday’s tournament in Urbandale got started on the right foot with a pair of wins over metro opponents Urbandale and Ames, but were followed by four losses to Indianola, North Polk and Johnston (twice).

Two more regular season contests remain on DCG’s card — both at home — with the Mustangs hosting Ames (11-12) on Thursday and then senior night on Monday against Pella Christian (20-8). The latter could hopefully get the team’s mojo back, as the Eagles come in as the ninth-ranked team in Class 2A (as of Oct. 3’s rankings).

Cross Country

Piper Messerly and Maddy Stevens were the headlining act of the Oct. 3 meet at Southeast Polk, taking gold and silver to help DCG place second in the girls division (sandwiched between Johnston and Waukee Northwest). Messerly slid in at 18 minutes 47 seconds while Stevens hit 19:09.

Margins in the boys’ division were razor thin, as the Mustangs placed third. Dowling Catholic ran away with the win thanks to six runners placed in the top-10, but second place Waukee edged out DCG by all of three points. DCG’s effort was led by Sam Mora in fourth place at 16:29 followed by Noah Kerndt’s 17:07 for 12th place for a nearly one-minute lead over the next freshman for the day.

Golf

Taking in some morning action on Monday, the Mustangs’ season as a team came to an end at the district meet in Norwalk. Two strokes behind the cutoff, DCG placed fourth with a combined score of 303. Days prior on the same course, the team hit 291 to win a triangular with Norwalk and Indianola.

A trio of sophomores led the team for the day with Gavin Drake (74), Jackson Zeller (75) and Avery Van Zelderen (76) all looking at promising seasons ahead.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: DCG football, volleyball look to bounce back, golf wraps season