Hosting the Wartburg Knights to open up their conference slate, the Simpson Storm football team could not hold a 24-21 halftime lead in a 40-31 loss yesterday.

The game started off quickly with each team scoring a touchdown in the first quarter, then the Storm exploding for 17 in the second to garner the halftime lead. The momentum however, would have a big stop put on by outside forces as a lightning delay extended halftime an extra hour and a half, and Wartburg took over in the third.

The Knights outscored the Storm 19-7 in the second half, but Simpson scored a late touchdown to put themselves within a score with just a couple minutes remaining, and forced a punt to get the ball back on their own one yard line. A holding call in the end zone resulting in a safety however would put the game out of reach. Sam Sasso threw for 362 yards and four touchdowns, while Jackson Redmond had 9 receptions for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Storm fall to 1-2, and 0-1 in conference play, and will have their first road game of the season next Saturday at Coe.