Dodge City football hit the road for the first time this season traveling to Council Bluffs, Iowa to face off with the back-to-back defending NJCAA National Champions, Iowa Western. 

The Conquistadors would give the #2 ranked Reivers a run for their money early, but the second half would be controlled by Iowa Western leading to the Conqs falling 44-16 on the road. The loss moves the Conqs to 1-2 on the season. 

Iowa Western opened the game on offense and mounted a 10-play drive covering 75 yards that resulted in an early touchdown. The Conqs however would block by the extra point as Sam Brooks broke through to swat away the attempt and Amarian Louis scooped it up to return it 97-yards for two points to make it 6-2 Iowa Western. After a pair of drives that were just a few plays and punts by both teams, the Conqs had the ball for the second time and would grab the lead. Faced with a fourth down and two the Conqs lined up to punt but quickly shifted into a run and Loden West ran for the first down. The next play Kerya Powell busted a 68-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep and with the extra point, the Conqs led 9-6 with just three minutes to go in the first quarter. 

The lead would remain with the Conqs for most of the second quarter as Iowa Western missed a 44-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter but then the Reivers would tie the game at 9-9 behind a 33-yard field goal just before halftime. The third quarter was controlled by Iowa Western as they recorded three touchdowns for 21 points and led 30-9 after three quarters. On a drive that started late in the third and into the start of the fourth quarter, the Conqs went 10 plays covering 75 yards to score on a 25-yard pass from Ryan Scott to Antonio Jamison for a touchdown to make it 30-16. Iowa Western countered with two more visits to the endzone leading to a 44-16 final. 

In the loss, the Conqs were outgained 468 to 206 total yards in the contest as the Conqs offense was mainly on the ground with 157 of the yards coming via the rushing attack for the Conqs. Powell led the Conqs offense with eight carries for 83 yards and a touchdown and one catch for three yards, while Jamison caught a touchdown and was active in the kick return game. 

Defensively, Sam Brooks was a monster recording 14 tackles and blocking the extra point attempt that led to Louis returning it for two points early in the game. 

The Conqs are back on the road for the next contest as they return to KJCCC play. They will take on #11 Highland at 1:00 pm on Saturday, September 21st.