Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
INDIANOLA, Iowa – Cole Staska's 96-yard touchdown gave Simpson an early spark, and a relentless Storm defense kept No. 10/11 Wartburg in check for much of the afternoon, but the nationally ranked Knights made key plays late to escape Buxton Stadium with a 27-13 win in Saturday's American Rivers Conference opener.
Anchored by freshmen linebackers Noah Noland and JJ Martin-England, the Storm defense forced five punts in the first half and allowed just one offensive touchdown through three quarters. Connor Stephens' fourth-quarter interception gave Simpson (1-2, 0-1 A-R-C) a late opportunity, but Wartburg (3-0, 1-0 A-R-C) used a strong rushing attack to run out the clock and put the game out of reach.
Offensively, Jayden Thoreson threw for 318 yards and hit Staska with the second-longest pass in program history to put Simpson ahead in the second quarter. Aiden Lanier added field goals of 19 and 32 yards, keeping the Storm within striking distance throughout the second half.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both defenses set the tone in the first quarter, trading stops and punts as the game remained scoreless through 15 minutes.
- Early in the second, Simpson flipped the momentum when Jayden Thoreson found Cole Staska for a 96-yard touchdown strike, giving the Storm a 7-0 lead.
- Wartburg tied the game late in the half after recovering a muffed punt and capitalizing with a short rushing score. The teams went to the break knotted at 7-7.
- The Knights took their first lead in the third quarter when a tipped pass landed in Wartburg's hands and was returned 38 yards for a defensive touchdown.
- Simpson answered with a 17-play, 81-yard drive capped by a 19-yard field goal from Aiden Lanier to cut it to 14-10.
- Wartburg extended its lead early in the fourth on a one-yard touchdown run, though Adyn Wyckoff's blocked PAT kept it a 10-point game.
- A Connor Stephens interception set up another Lanier field goal, this time from 32 yards, pulling Simpson within 20-13 with just over seven minutes left.
- The Storm defense forced another punt, but the offense couldn't capitalize. Wartburg iced the game with a 23-yard touchdown run in the final minutes.
STORM LEADERS
- Jayden Thoreson: 35-48, 318 yards, 1 TD
- Cole Staska: 10 rec, 153 yards, 1 TD
- Carson Penyich: 3 rec, 63 yards
- Noah Noland: 10 tackles
- Connor Stephens: 9 tackles, 1 INT
- JJ Martin-England: 9 tackles
- Aiden Lanier: 2/2 FG
- Tanner Philpott: 6 punts, 266 yards, 3 IN20
NOTES
- Jayden Thoreson's 96-yard touchdown connection to Cole Staska is the second-longest pass completion in program history.
- Staska (153), Carson Penyich (63), Lawson Langford (60), and Lucas Knox (37) all set new career high receiving yards marks as Simpson finished with a 318-84 advantage in total passing yards.
- While the Storm held the advantage through the air, Wartburg outgained the home team 265-6 on the ground.
- Both teams generated 266 yards from six punts, with Philpott placing three inside the 20 for the second time in his career.
- The Knights have won 27 straight A-R-C contests.
UP NEXT
The Storm travel to Storm Lake to take on Buena Vista (1-1, 0-0 A-R-C) next Saturday at 1 p.m.