SIOUX CENTER, Iowa — Dakota Wesleyan Football recorded its first loss of the 2025 season after falling to 19th-ranked Dordt in the GPAC opener on the road.
The Tigers hit the road to open the conference slate, taking on the top-25 Defenders in what would be a tough contest for the team. The DWU defense would make a red zone stop on its first drive of the game, forcing a field goal at the DWU nine yard line thanks to a stout tackle from Grayson Hanson. Hanson would lead Dakota Wesleyan in tackles with six, while Mikey Hart, Brodey Ballinger, and Jestin Bayer would chip in with five tackles apiece. Even with the well-rounded defensive effort, the Defenders would quickly find their rhythm on both sides of the ball, scoring 17 total points in the first quarter off the back of big plays.
Offensively, the Tigers would have trouble staying on the field to keep up with the Dordt scoring effort. Jed Jensen would go 14-for-18 through the air for 113 yards and a touchdown, but two interceptions in the second half would stiffle the team’s offensive momentum. Connor Drake would play quarterback for the final stretch of the game, completing two passes for 25 yards.
On the ground, Lane Darrow would lead DWU with 34 yards at almost five yards a carry and would be aided by Koby Kayser, who would see his first snaps of the season after recovering from an offseason injury. The Tigers would continue to battle, but the Defenders would head into the locker room at halftime with a 45-point lead (0-45).
Dordt would be able to take advantage of short Dakota Wesleyan offensive drives in the second half to continue putting together scoring drives. The defense would find big plays from Bayer, who registered a sack and tackle-for-loss, along with a fumble recovery by Gavin Haselhorst, but the Defenders’ pace would be too much for the Tigers to ultimately overcome.
The fourth quarter would see Jensen connect with Sean DeBlieck for his second receiving touchdown of the season to get on the board. Cole Holden would lead DWU in receiving with 47 yards on four receptions, while Chase McGillivary and Maxwell Raab would put up 22 and 21 yards receiving, respectively. 21 more points from the Defenders in the second half would results in a 7-66 loss for Dakota Wesleyan.
DWU Football will be back in action on Saturday, September 13th as they head to Seward, Nebraska to face the Concordia Bulldogs in an evening contest.