Central versus Simpson.  For fans of the Dutch and the Storm, that might be all you need to hear.  Put first place in the American Rivers Conference on the line and you’ve really got something.

 

That’s what was at stake when the two teams met on October 13th at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium in Pella.

 

It was a sluggish first half that saw the two teams head to the locker room tied at three.  Simpson finally found the endzone on a Tanner Krueger toss to Sam Bartlett in the middle of the third quarter, with Pat Gray plunging in from one yard out early in the fourth to tie it for Central.

Krueger’s seven-yard run gave Simpson a 16-10 lead, but the Storm missed the extra point.  Central then picked up a critical fourth down conversion to keep their final drive alive before lining up on third down at the Simpson 16.  Trevor Castle and George Wares called the action on 92.1 KRLS.

Jon Alberts made the extra point to give the Dutch a 17-16 lead.  Central then had to survive a last gasp from Simpson, knocking down a hail mary in front of the end zone.

Central finished 2018 at 8-2, while Simpson was 7-3.  The rivals both went 6-2 in league play, part of a three-way tie for second with Dubuque behind conference champion Wartburg.