DUBUQUE — Another massive second half by the Central College football team's offense led to a 45-27 win over Loras College Saturday.
Central (5-0, 3-0 American Rivers Conference) had 13 rushing attempts for 102 yards in the first half and 96 of those yards came on 63 and 33-yard runs from running back Jase Grunder (junior, Tampico, Ill., Prophetstown HS).
In the second half, 33 of Central's 36 offensive plays were on the ground for 242 yards. Grunder finished the day with 241 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns. As a team Central had 46 rushes for 344 yards and five scores. Grunder's rushing total was the sixth most by an individual in program history.
"Jase did an amazing job," coach Jeff McMcartin said. "He did some things that good backs do. He got bottled up a few times but still was able to spring loose. He was really patient and did a good job breaking tackles.
"Our offensive line did a great job and I'm proud of how hard they worked. Loras makes it hard to run the football and throw a lot at you. Our staff spend a good chunk of the summer evaluating how to run the ball against Loras because we knew it would be important."
Trailing Loras (0-4, 0-2 conference) 20-14 at halftime, the Duhawk kickoff went just 22 yards and allowed Central to go 57 yards in six plays and take the lead on a nine-yard Grunder rushing score.
On the next possession for Loras, linebacker Brody Morrison (junior, Earlham) made a diving interception of a tipped pass on the Loras 30-yard line. Freshman quarterback Colin Kerndt (Pella) kept the ball on an option play for a three-yard rushing score five plays later for a 28-20 lead for Central.
"You almost couldn't draw it up any better," McMartin said. "We knew we were getting the ball at halftime and needed to score and get back to level ground. Brody's interception was huge for us."
Central committed four turnovers of its own in the first half.
"We were fortunate it wasn't a bigger lead for Loras," McMartin said. "I'm proud of our mental toughness and mindset to overcome a deficit for the second week in a row when we weren't playing our best."
Defensively, Central yielded 20 points in the first half but twice limited the Duhawks to field goals after turnovers gave them starting field position inside the red zone. Central had three total interceptions as cornerback Gavin Smith (senior, Audubon) got his third and safety Ty Joss (sophomore, Iowa City, Regina Catholic HS) got his first of the season.
Central had a season-high six sacks, including a pair of third-down sacks that led to punts in the third quarter. Sebastian Duarte (senior, The Woodlands, Texas) was credited with a pair of solo sacks. Linebacker Cole Clark (fifth year, Lisbon) led the team with 11 tackles and pair of tackles for loss.
"If you look at the body of work, the defense played well," McMartin said. "We would have liked to control things a little better and get some more stops in the first half. We need some good second half adjustments. Our players also just played better in the second half. Fewer missed tackles and getting off blocks better."
Central's passing attack had just 113 yards after completing nine passes on 18 attempts with two interceptions. Senior Hunter Hoffman (Pecatonica, Ill.) was injured late in the first half and the freshman Kerndt was pressed into duty.
Hoffman had Central's only passing touchdown of the game, finding running back Cody Klein (junior, Newton) on an eight-yard swing pass early in the second quarter. Klein added a 20-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Central has a bye week before hosting Nebraska Wesleyan University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 18.
"We haven't always been so fortunate to have a bye week right in the middle of our season. It gives us time to evaluate the first half of our season to see what we can better at it. It's going to be a great challenge for the last five games of our season."