DUBUQUE—Down in the closing moments, again. Outgained, again. But somehow the thrill-a-minute Central College football team came through with yet another comeback victory, this time a 37-37 triple-overtime decision at the University of Dubuque.
           
Trailing 31-24 on their final regulation possession, the Dutch (8-0 overall, 6-0 Iowa Conference) converted on fourth down, then tied the score with 1:00 remaining on a 15-yard Cody Huisman (senior, Mason City) TD pass from quarterback Tim Connell (senior, Eldora, Eldora-New Providence HS).
           
A 30-yard Jake Viggers (freshman, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) field goal in the third overtime finally won it for the Dutch, who came from behind for the fifth time in eight games this season. Central was able to overcome a 363-yard passing performance by Dubuque's Jermar Jackson. The Spartans (5-2 overall, 3-2 conference) were bidding to remain in the league race and racked up 494 yards of offense to Central's 364. It's the 14th straight time the Dutch have won a game in which they were outgained and it was Central's 25th straight regular-season win.
           
"It was a great comeback," coach Jeff McMartin said. "You can probably put this up there with a lot of the great games in Central football history."
           
Despite yielding big yardage totals, the Dutch defense came up big down the stretch.
           
After the teams traded field goals in the first overtime, the Dutch lost a fumble at the goal line, giving Dubuque another chance for the win. The Spartans had first down on the 13-yard line but defensive tackle Nick Mulder (senior, Pella) forced a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Andrew Lehn (senior, Packwood, Pekin HS) at the 10, sending the game to a third overtime.
           
Then the Dutch made back-to-back sacks of Jackson in the third overtime, pushing the Spartans back to the 46 and out of field goal range. Central needed to only get in field goal range on its possession, and quickly did so, with Viggers closing it out.
           
"You have to give credit to our defense," McMartin said. "After the long touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter (a 51-yard Jackson strike with 14:49 left), our defense pretty much didn't give up much.
           
"Our guys were still playing hard at the end of the game. That says a lot about their conditioning."
           
It was enough to overcome a remarkable effort by Jackson. The senior signal-caller completed 23 of 39 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 86 yards and a score on 18 carries. Only the two sacks kept him under the 100-yard rushing mark.
           
"We knew that Dubuque had great athletes," McMartin said. "They have a great quarterback who can produce a lot of yards. It was just a matter of us trying to get some turnovers and keep their scoring down. Sometimes we did and sometimes we didn't."
           
Almost overshadowed was another record-setting day by Connell. He completed 22 of 44 passes without an interception, throwing for 277 yards and three touchdowns. He broke the school career completions record of 392 set by Shad Flynn (1990-93) and now has 410. Connell also shattered the school passing yardage mark with 5,008, topping Flynn's mark of 4,984. And he now tops the career total offense charts with 6,076 yards, bettering the mark of 5,858 yards of Mark Kacmarynski (1992-96).
           
"Tim just played great," McMartin said. "He had more incompletions than usual but some of those were drops."
           
Meanwhile the injury-battered Dutch again got key performances from several sources. A 39-yard catch in the second quarter by Cam Waugh (junior, Fort Collins, Colo., Loveland HS) was his first touchdown reception and left McMartin raving.
           
"That was unbelievable," he said. "That was a highlight reel catch."
           
Huisman, still playing at less than 100 percent, had nine receptions for 89 yards and the crucial game-tying score.
           
"With Josh Smith (senior, Pella) injured, we really needed Cody to be a difference maker," McMartin said.
           
Central rushed for 87 yards, including 65 on 25 carries by Vance Schuring (senior, Pella), who has also struggled with injuries. Schuring had six receptions for 68 yards as well.
           
"I felt like we ran the ball as effectively as we did all year," McMartin said. "If we would have had a lead, I think we could have run more in the fourth quarter, but coming from behind, we had to throw the ball."
           
Central plays the regular-season home finale next Saturday against Cornell College in a 1 p.m. contest at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium.