Northwestern defense helps team remain unbeaten

ORANGE CITY, IA (NORTHWESTERN) – Northwestern held off an upset bid from a Midland team that has had ranked opponents on the ropes in recent weeks, defending home turf with a 17-7 win.

"I'm proud of our guys for finding a way to win," commented head coach Matt McCarty . "You're going to have games where you don't play your best, but you have to find a way to win those games. Our defense did a really nice job. I thought when we settled in and were locked in on defense, that group was really stout."

It took a few drives for points to get added to the board, but it was Northwestern who struck first, using a 70-yard completion to Tanner Schouten on the first play of the drive to put the Raiders ahead 7-0 with 6:04 left in the first.

The Red Raider lead ballooned to two scores early in the second as they got the ball in plus territory. Konner McQuillan ran the ball four times in the five-play drive to punch it in for six.

In the ensuing Midland drive, the Warriors took the ball up to the Northwestern 30, but the Raider defense held firm to get the turnover on downs.

Midland cut its deficit in half near the midway point of the third as their new quarterback threw the ball into double coverage on the sideline and a circus catch resulted in the visitors' first points of the day.

Northwestern then answered with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter as Eli Stader made it a two-score game with a 32-yard field goal to put it at 17-7.

The next drive involved trickery as a wide receiver pass set up the Warriors at the Northwestern 37-yard line. Despite getting the ball inside the 10, the Red Raider defense answered the call again, getting a tackle for loss, a sack, and forcing multiple penalties to put the game on ice.

GAME NOTES

Up Next: The Raiders travel to Crete, Nebraska to meet the Doane Tigers on Saturday, September 28.