GPAC

[Football] Football Blanks Broncos in 120th Meeting

Doane Football returned home to take on Hastings College in the longest rivalry in the state of Nebraska. The two teams met for the 120th time on Saturday and for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings it was the Tigers coming out on top, taking today's meeting, 44-0. The shutout of Hastings was the first for the Tigers since 1986.The ground attack came to life for the Tigers on Saturday as they rushed for 375 yards, marking the most yards rushing since 2016 when the Tigers had back-to-back games with 380+ yards on the ground. Since the 2016 season, Doane has posted 300 yards or more on the ground four times and three of them have come against the Broncos.Frazzie Wynn (JR/Lincoln, Neb.) had a breakout game as he posted a career-high 225 yards rushing with four touchdowns. He is the first Tiger to run for over 200 yards and score four touchdowns on the ground since Nate Meier pulled the feat in 2016 against Dordt.Wynn started the scoring for Doane as the Tigers took their opening drive 93 yards on 14 plays to the end zone. Wynn had 40 yards on the drive, scoring from three-yards out for the only score of the opening quarter.Doane scored twice in the final six minutes of the second quarter to take a 21-0 lead into the break. Zach Witters (SR/Lenexa, Kan.) scored both times for the Tigers, posting a 4-yard and a 5-yard touchdown. On the first score, Witters replaced Vaughn Martinez (FR/San Antonio, Texas), who was injured on the drive. The two quarterbacks orchestrated the second 90-plus yard drive of the game as the Tigers covered 92 yards on 13 plays. A key play to the drive was a third down conversion by Witters as he ran for 19 yards on a 3rd-and-9.An interception by Cedric Gooch Jr. (SR/Wylie, Texas) set up the second Witters touchdown as the Tigers took over in Bronco territory. The Tigers used nine plays to cover 40 yards for the score while taking the clock down to seven seconds in the half.The first points of the 3rd quarter came off the foot of Jeremy Henning (SR/Highlands Ranch, Colo.) as he knocked through a 29-yard field goal for a 24-0 lead. The next scoring drive for the Tigers was set-up by a pass breakup by Damond Brown (SR/Phoenix, Ariz.) that deflected into the hands of teammate Mason Krause (SR/Lyndon, Kan.) for an interception. Wynn did the rest as he posted runs of 41, 2, and 2-yards to cover the 45 yards for a touchdown.On the first play of the next Bronco drive, Donte Wiggins (JR/Colorago Springs, Colo.) intercepted an underthrown pass for the team's third of the game. The interception was the 13th of the season for the Tigers, tied for the NAIA lead.Doane led 31-0 entering the final quarter and didn't wait long to add to their lead. On the first play of the quarter, Wynn broke loose through a big hole created by the offensive line for a 64-yard touchdown run. After a defensive stop, the offense took over once again and marched down the field. They covered 64 yards on nine plays as Wynn capped the final scoring drive with a 26-yard touchdown run to move for 200 yards for the game.Behind Wynn, Witters added 64 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Lj Butler (FR/San Antonio, Texas) finished with 57 yards on the ground. The Tiger passing game combined for 99 yards as Martinez threw for 51, Witters added 37, and Michael Pulliam (JR/Wilber, Neb.) finished with 11 passing yards. Izaiah Celestine (SR/Stockton, Calif.) led the receivers with seven receptions for 33 yards.Defensively, the Tigers held Hastings to 116 yards of total offense. Ty Barbazon (JR/Ocala, Fla.) led the team with six tackles and 1.5 sacks. Riley Heithoff (SR/Raymond, Neb.) added five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Doane finished the game with six tackles for loss, including three sacks. In addition to his interception, Gooch had two pass breakups as well as the team had five.The Tigers will go from their longest running rival to a first-ever meeting next Saturday as they play host to Mount Marty. The Lancers are in their first season of football, having moved the conference to 11 football programs and filling out the 10-game season slate.