PELLA—Riding a three-game win streak, 31 seniors and the rest of the Central College football team look to finish the 2017 season on the upswing Saturday.
           
The University of Dubuque visits in a 1 p.m. season finale at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium.
 
The Dutch are 6-3 overall and alone in second place in the Iowa Conference at 5-2. But Dubuque (6-3 overall, 4-3 conference) could force a second-place tie with a win.
           
Central dropped Luther College into a tie for third place Saturday at Decorah with a 23-21 escape while Dubuque was a 35-21 winner at home over Coe College.

On the air and online—The Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, will call Saturday's action on KRLS-FM (92.1), along with hall of fame softball coach George Wares and sideline reporter Libbie Randall, a Central senior. 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 plays host to coach Jeff McMartin on the KRLS Coaches' Corner broadcast live from Fred's dining establishment inside Central's Maytag Student Center at 7 p.m. Previous shows are also available as podcasts through www.kniakrls.com. Twitter users can follow Saturday's action through the Central football account @CUI_Football.
               
The series—Dubuque spoiled Central's homecoming festivities a year ago, 35-17, and has won the last two games in the teams' series. However, Central holds a 56-19-2 all-time advantage. The teams first met in 1930.
           
The Spartans—McMartin is impressed with the Spartans.
           
"They've played good football," he said. "They've been in a lot of close games and find ways to win. They're very well-coached."
               
Dubuque has some of the league's top playmakers. Cornerback Michael Joseph is third in the NCAA Division III in interceptions with eight and also has eight pass breakups. The Spartans are second in Division III in interceptions with 21 overall.
           
Dubuque is the conference sacks leader with 21 for 113 yards. Junior nose tackle Doug Gates has 6.5. Senior free safety Derek Trotter has a team-high 73 tackles with four pass breakups, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Senior outside linebacker Le'Devin Smith has 72 tackles with three breakups and a forced fumble while sophomore defensive end Ravon Woods II has 9.0 tackles for loss.                                                              
           
"They are playing a little more three-man fronts but still some four-man as well," McMartin said. "The defensive end has a lot of sacks and they've got a very good linebacker. And when you look at the secondary, that's one of the strengths of the team. Joseph is an exceptional defensive back, just outstanding. Their free safety (Trotter) plays very physical. They come after you."
           
Meanwhile, sophomore running back Dwayne Allen, Jr. leads the conference with 129.2 yards per game and has the nation's best per-carry average at 8.4 yards, gaining 1,163 yards on 138 attempts with nine touchdowns. The Spartans also boast another top rusher in junior Maurece Herrion, who has 913 yards on 158 carries for 101.4 yards per game, fifth in the league.
           
Injuries forced Dubuque to use a pair of quarterbacks this season but in the win over Coe went with junior Michael Briscoe and he's listed as this week's starter. Briscoe completed 14 of 26 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns last week. For the year, he's 29 of 58 for 367 yards with four TDs and two interceptions.
           
Sophomore Emanuel Jenkins has 34 pass receptions for 591 yards and four scores.
           
Dubuque is outgaining opponents 424.8 yards to 410.8 and outscoring them 28.8-25.1. They rank second in the league in scoring defense and rushing defense (136.2 yards). They're also second in rushing offense (251.7 yards).
           
"They run the ball very well," McMartin said. "They've used two tailbacks a lot and they're big up front. They run some play-action and lots of (bootlegs) off that and deep outs. They try to push the ball down the field."
           
Last year against Central, Dubuque took control by forcing six Dutch turnovers and the Spartans are plus-13 in turnover margin this year.
           
"A big storyline in last year's game was turnovers," McMartin said. "Taking care of the ball is at a premium in any game and will be again this week. I was happy with how we did that Saturday (at Luther) when we didn't have any turnovers. The outcome would have been extremely different if there had been some turnovers."
           
McMartin noted that Dubuque is second in the conference in Red Zone defense, holding opponents scoreless in 12 of 36 trips inside the 20-yard line.
           
"We have to take advantage of any opportunities we have to score," he said.
           
Central enters the game first in the league in Red Zone offense at 85.4 percent, scoring on 35 of 41 trips, with 24 touchdowns. Opponents are converting 74.4 percent (32-43, 27 touchdowns).
           
Strong second half—McMartin liked his team's perseverance after a slow start at Luther Saturday. The Dutch were limited to three points in the first half.
           
"Give Luther credit," he said. "They've got a good secondary and they were able to defend us. We didn't get into a good rhythm."
           
But Central came back with a 20-point second half.
           
"A lot of it was just execution," McMartin said. "Each drive we had in the second half had potential."
           
All-America wide receiver Sam Markham (senior, Atlantic) attracted extra defensive attention, as usual, and had just three catches for 28 yards, but freshman quarterback Blaine Hawkins (Ankeny) was able to spread the ball around, with completions to five other receivers. Tight end P.J. Norem (senior, Iowa Falls, Iowa Falls-Alden HS) had a 30-yard touchdown reception and freshman wide receiver Erik Knaack (Reinbeck, Gladbrook-Reinbeck HS) had his first collegiate catch.
           
The defense yielded some second-half points but hung tough.
           
"I thought up front we did some good things," McMartin said. "We played some different people. Our freshman nose guard, Blade Durbala (Blairstown, Benton HS) made some good plays. I was encouraged by that. Our safeties did a good job in the running game. (Linebacker) Chris Neeld (senior, New Boston, Ill., Mercer County HS) had a good game and so did (linebacker) Josh Scheible (senior, Kansas City, Mo., Liberty HS)."
           
Linebacker Tyler Olson (senior, Mapleton, Minn., Maple River HS) had a career-high 20 tackles while Scheible had 12 stops, Neeld had eight and Durbala had three.
           
Their contributions were crucial since the Dutch were without the conference's leading tackler, linebacker Sam Norgaard (senior, Naperville, Ill., Neuqua Valley HS). Norgaard was injured the previous week and ruled out of action shortly before kickoff. In his place, Andy Butts (senior, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley West HS) and Carson Remick (senior, Hillsboro, Mount Pleasant HS) saw extended playing time. Remick made nine tackles and Butts had six.
           
"They both made plays," McMartin said.
           
Norgaard's status for Saturday is uncertain, but McMartin is holding out hope that he'll see action for his final game. He's racked up 107 tackles in eight games, which ranks eighth in school history, and 239 for his career.
           
"I hope he can play," McMartin said. "He's had an awesome senior year. He made the commitment to come back after missing a year and he's gotten everything out of this year that he possibly could. He's a special player."
           
Olson was named the conference defensive player of the week for the second time while punter Tyler Bryant (junior, Donnellson, Central Lee HS) was tabbed the conference special teams player of the week, averaging 53.7 yards on three punts, including two that landed inside the Luther 20-yard line. He upped his season average to 39.7 yards.
                       
And another Markham milestone nears--Markham is on the brink of a second straight 1,000-yard season as he puts the finishing touches on a remarkable career. He leads the conference with 988 receiving yards on 57 catches, and ranks 15th in Division III. He's averaging 109.8 yards a game and 17.3 yards a catch, with 10 touchdowns. A year ago, Markham had 1,215 receiving yards.
           
Markham has school career records for receptions (283), receiving yards (3,833) and touchdown receptions (32).
           
Dutch numbers—Central is outscoring opponents 34.3-29.9 but getting outgained 472.4 yards to 462.3. The Dutch are third in the league in rushing offense (236.8 yards per game). Turnover margin was a preseason point of emphasis and Central is showing improvement there, at plus-4.
               
Conference leader—Hawkins is the new conference total offense leader, with 331.5 yards per game. Riley Gray set the school season total offense average record last year with 309.5. Hawkins ranks ninth in school history in total offense yardage with 1,989. Tim Connell set that mark (3,331) in 2007. Gray had 3,095 last year.
           
Hawkins also ranks sixth in the league in rushing average with 88.9 yards per game, gaining 533 yards on 75 carries with nine touchdowns. He's averaging 7.1 yards per carry. Hawkins has passed for 1,456 yards, completing 92 of 151 passes (60.9 percent) with 15 TDs and three interceptions.
           
Jon Alberts (sophomore, Huntley, Ill.) had a field goal attempt blocked Saturday at Luther, his first miss in 14 tries. But he still ranks second in Division III in field goal percentage at 92.9. Jake Viggers set the school mark with 86.7 in 2007 when he converted 13 of 15 tries. Alberts and Viggers now share the school record for most season field goals with 13.
           
Senior salute—Central's 31 seniors will be honored Saturday and it's a testimony to McMartin's program that the Dutch continue churning out such large classes of players eager to be part of Central football in any role. Only 14 of the 31 are listed as starters.
           
"It's just an amazing group," he said. "They're great young men who have brought a lot of enthusiasm and passion--and a strong work ethic--to the program. They've played a big role in the success of the team this season. They've done a great job of carrying on the legacy of the program and they have a lot to look back on with pride.
           
"They were very good leaders again on Saturday (at Luther)," McMartin said. "It was a tough game on the road and we've been battered by injuries. But the seniors on the field and on the sidelines really stepped up."
           
While stat leaders like Markham and Norgaard garner much of the attention, McMartin is proud of the numerous other contributors in the class as well.
           
"I think of guys like Matt Mills (senior, Atlantic), Ben Mitchell (senior, Des Moines, Hoover HS) and Derrick Gray (senior, Mechanicsville, North Cedar HS), playing out of position in practice last week to help our team prepare to defend the option. I can't say enough about what they've done. And then there are players like Jeremy Shannon (senior, Morris, Ill.), who always works hard and has a great attitude, and Cory Archer (Fremont, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS), who every day in practice, shows our younger players who we are, what we want to be and how we want to play.
           
"I really appreciate those guys and what they do. That's leadership."
           
Notes—The victory at Luther assured the Dutch of their 55th winning season since 1960. In that span, they've posted 39 campaigns with seven wins or more and Central will seek to add to that total this week. The Dutch were 8-2 in 2014 and 2016 while finishing 6-4 in 2015…Central is assured of at least a share of second place in the conference race. That's the 32nd top-two league finish for the Dutch since 1980, the most in the conference…Central has a quick-strike offense but that's come at a price. The Dutch are last in the league in possession time, averaging just 27:16 out of 60 minutes…With 15 touchdowns, Hawkins needs one more to crack the top 10 in school history for a season, despite having appeared in only six games. His combined 24 touchdowns by rush or pass ranks sixth on the school season list.