The Dodge City football team continues to etch themselves in the top tier of teams in the NJCAA and the latest win only makes more people notice what the Conquistadors are doing this season as the Conqs beat #9 Iowa Central 34-30.
The win is significant in many ways for the Conqs as it moves them to 5-3 on the season marking the most wins in a season since 2016, while also giving the Conqs a winning record this season against the Iowa schools taking two of three which is the first time the Conqs have accomplished that since 2017. Perhaps the biggest significance is a win over a ranked and Top 10 team beating a Top 10 ranked team for the first time since 2015.
The game started with a bang after a 55-yard kickoff return by Bobby Arnold III the Conqs would score the first points of the game on the first offensive play as Treyvon Jefferson connected with Javon Campbell on a 38-yard touchdown and the Conqs led 7-0. After forcing a punt by the Tritons of Iowa Central on their first drive the Conqs would cover 75 yards on just four plays to find the endzone again as Jefferson hit Curtis Rearden III for a 55-yard touchdown. The Conqs would lead 13-0 after a missed extra point.
Iowa Central would start to mount a drive at the end of the first quarter and early into the second find the endzone but they would miss the extra point making it 13-6. It was a quick answer for the Conqs as they got a 51-yard kick return by Edward Wilson to set up a short field and three plays later Jefferson hit Kam'Ryn Thomas for a 32-yard touchdown to make it 20-6 with 11:14 left in the first half. Iowa Central would score on their next two drives forcing a Conqs turnover in between the drives and behind two touchdowns would tie the game up at 20-20 with 4:29 remaining in the first half. With just 27 seconds left in the first half Iowa Central snagged their first lead on a 29-yard field goal giving the Tritons a 23-20 advantage at halftime.
Looking to add to the lead Iowa Central opened the second half with a long drive but the Conqs blocked their field goal attempt as Sonny Semeatu got his hand on the ball, however, the next Tritons drive they would get a touchdown to go up 30-20. Conqs again rallied with their next drive as Jefferson threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day this time connecting with Rearden again with a 13-yard touchdown pass to make it 30-27.
Trailing in the fourth quarter the Conqs were pinned on their three-yard line and would cover 97 yards on six plays to regain the lead as Jefferson hit Rearden for 36 yards on the drive, connected with Kerya Powell for 32 yards, and a Jalen Smith 11-yard run set up a two-yard touchdown run by Smith to make it 34-30.
Offensively the Conqs had their third 400+ yard performance under Head Coach, Terry Karg recording the most total yards in a single game under Coach Karg finishing with 451 yards, while the Conqs also overcame three fumbles in the contest. Jefferson finished 16-25 for 309 yards and four touchdowns, with Rearden leading a strong receiving core with six catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Smith was spectacular in the backfield recording his fourth 100+ yard rushing game of the season rushing for 178 yards on 16 carries with an 11.1 yards per carry average and a touchdown.
Defensively Dwight Nunoo recorded 12 tackles, while Moses Sarweh was stout with 11 tackles. Arnold chipped in six tackles with a sack, while Jaden Kelly and Jakwon McGinney each finished with six tackles. Semeatu added four tackles, with two sacks and a blocked kick.
The Conqs head into their final bye week of the season as they will be off next Saturday before gearing up for a conference clash with Butler in the final home game of the season on Saturday, November 4th, and then will take on Independence on November 11th on the road to wrap up the regular season.
