Photo by Dan L. Vander Beek Photograhpy

It’s a round two rematch two years in the making.  Today, the 8th-ranked Central College football team hosts #6 Wheaton in the second round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium in Pella.

The American Rivers Conference champion Dutch are 11-0, while the Thunder are 10-1 and finished runner-up in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin to defending national champion and number one ranked North Central.  The two teams met in the same round in 2019, at Wheaton, where the Thunder bolted out to a 35-0 first quarter lead and routed the Dutch 49-13.

Central Coach Jeff McMartin says that it’s going to be a big challenge.

“We have to kind of remind ourselves that it was two years ago.  On the other hand, it’s not like they graduated everybody in 2019 and have a bunch of freshman playing this year – they’re all back, so in that sense we know what we’re coming into.  But I believe in this team, I believe that we’ve improved and I believe that we’re going to show up today and do our job and compete.”

Kickoff is scheduled for noon today at The Schip, with Trevor Castle and George Wares calling the action on 92.1 KRLS.  Pregame hits the air at 11:00.  Audio commentary will also be available with video at www.CentralDutchNetwork.com.