PELLA — For the first time ever, the Central College football team will travel outside of Iowa for an Iowa Conference game.
The Dutch (4-2 overall, 2-2 conference) make their first appearance in Lincoln, Nebraska since 1987, taking on new league member Nebraska Wesleyan Saturday. It's Central's fifth road game in the season's first seven weeks.
Game time is 1 p.m. at Abel Stadium in Lincoln.
The teams are coming off losses to the two unbeaten league co-leaders. The Prairie Wolves (2-4 overall, 1-3 conference) were on the short end of a 42-23 contest at the No. 18-ranked University of Dubuque Saturday, while Central dropped a tense 33-30 game at Coe College.
The series—Central and Nebraska Wesleyan first met in 1984 and played four straight seasons but haven't played each other since. The Dutch, who posted a 37-1 regular-season record in those four years, hold a 4-0 lead in the series.
Yet McMartin said he's more familiar with the Prairie Wolves than he would be a non-conference opponent.
"We haven't played them before, but they're in our league," he said. "In some ways it's different but in other ways, we see them every week on film so we've gotten to know them."
McMartin said Nebraska Wesleyan is a good fit for the Iowa Conference.
"I'm thrilled they're in our conference," he said.
On the air and on the Web—The Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, will call Saturday's action on KRLS-FM (92.1), along with Cory Houser and sideline reporter Libbie Randall, a Central junior. The KRLS pregame show will air at 12:35 p.m. The broadcast can also be accessed through www.kniakrls.com or directly at rdo.to/krls. It's also accessible via mobile device with the KRLS app available through iTunes and other outlets.
On Mondays, Castle also plays host to McMartin on the KRLS Coaches' Corner broadcast live from Fred's dining establishment inside Central's Maytag Student Center at 7 p.m. Those broadcasts are also available on demand through www.kniakrls.com. A live video stream of the show can be accessed via the Central athletics website at www.central.edu/athletics.
Twitter users can follow Saturday's action through the Central football account @CUI_Football.
The Prairie Wolves—Senior running back Joel Wiedel is a breakaway threat for Nebraska Wesleyan. He ranks fifth in Division III in all-purpose yardage with 194.8 yards per game. He's averaging 100.1 yards rushing with eight touchdowns and has also caught 18 passes for 192 yards and three scores. Ben Green, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior, has completed 100 of 199 passes (55.8 percent) for 1,126 yards and eight touchdowns with eight interceptions. At Dubuque Saturday, he was 22-of-37 for 230 yards and two scores, but was picked off four times. Senior receiver Ryan Schneider has 15 catches for 304 yards and two TDs.
"It's a really good football team," McMartin said. "They've got an explosive tailback, good wide receivers and a good tight end. They're solid up front with good blocking schemes. They do a lot of things formation-wise that make it hard on you."
Senior kicker Kramer Rath is 13th in Division III field goal percentage, hitting 90 percent (9-10) with a long of 35 yards.
Senior linebacker Preston Franzen has 67 tackles, including six for loss while senior safety Riley Shoemaker has 56 stops, including 11 for loss with four pass breakups.
"Their defensive line is good," McMartin said. "Their linebackers run well and are very physical. Their cornerbacks press you a lot and make it hard for you. I've watched them a lot on film and have been very impressed."
Looking ahead—When Central cracked the national rankings earlier this season, McMartin wanted his team to ignore the publicity and solely focus on the game ahead. Similarly, the Dutch are putting the frustrations of the past two games behind them.
"We try to be a one-week-at-a-time team," McMartin said. "This is another opportunity for us to practice and work towards our goals. We've got a good group of seniors and they're doing a good job of motivating their teammates."
And in reviewing the video from Saturday's setback, McMartin saw much that he liked.
"(Wide receiver) Sam Markham (senior, Atlantic) had an amazing game," he said. "(Wide receiver) Kohle Helle (junior, Guttenberg, Clayton Ridge HS) played at a high level and we got a lot of great plays out of (S-back) Kyle Gritsch (Brooklyn, BGM HS). (Receiver/returner) Zack Martinelli (senior, Elburn, Ill., Kaneland HS) was limited to one catch but it was a great catch and he continues to do a lot of little things for us as well.
"We got a great effort out of a lot of players who really stepped up."
Dutch numbers—Central continues to be the national leader in first downs (181) and is 11th in average total offense (520.7 yards). The Dutch are 17th in third-down conversions (50 percent, 53-106) and 26th in fewest penalties per game (4.67).
Individually, Markham is second nationally in receptions per game (10.2) and sixth in receiving yards (703). Free safety Zach Matter (senior, Ankeny) is 18th in passes defended (1.8).
Tackle leaders—Senior linebacker Sam Norgaard (Naperville, Ill., Neuqua Valley HS) still tops the Dutch tackle charts with 57, along with two pass breakups and an interception. Junior linebacker Chris Neeld (New Boston, Ill., Mercer County HS) has 44 stops and senior linebacker Drew Carlson (Ankeny) has 40.
Markham records—Markham upped his school career receptions record to 182 Saturday and, with 2,333 career receiving yards, is within 233 yards of Chris Johnson's (1995-98) mark. His 17 career touchdown receptions rank seventh in school history, he's up to eighth in season receiving yards with 703 and his 61 receptions this season rank third all-time, trailing his own school mark of 69 set last year and 63 by Johnson in 1998.
Notes—Injuries have resulted in a young look for the Dutch secondary. With strong safety Collin Erickson (sophomore, Gilbert, Ariz., Dobson HS) now in the lineup, Central is starting a freshman, two sophomores and a senior in the defensive backfield. The Dutch are starting five seniors on defense and seven on offense…Central is traveling out of state for three of its first four road games…The Dutch remain on pace to break some offensive team records. They're averaging 312.5 passing yards per game, well over the 2007 mark of 244.4. With 181 first downs, Central is only 65 shy of the 2009 record. And Central's total offense average of 520.7 yards easily exceeds the 1996 record of 457.0. An average of 384.8 yards in the final four games would top it.
