PELLA—An early week off provided a distinct transition to the start of American Rivers play for the Central College football team Saturday.
           
It's homecoming for the Dutch (2-0), who play their conference opener against Loras College (1-2 overall, 0-1 conference) Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m. at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium.
           
Central last was in action Sept. 14 in a 45-19 non-conference win over DePauw University (Ind.). The other eight league schools opened American Rivers play Saturday, with Loras tumbling at home against Coe College, 24-7.
           
On the air and online—The Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, will call Saturday's action on KRLS-FM (92.1), with Central's NFCA Hall of Fame softball coach George Wares providing the color. Castle, now in his 19th season, received an Iowa Broadcast News Association sports play-by-play award last spring for his coverage of Dutch football. 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.

A video webcast of the action and live stats can be accessed via the Central athletics website at www.central.edu/athletics.

On Mondays, Castle plays host to coach Jeff McMartin on the KRLS Coaches' Corner at 7 p.m. Those broadcasts are also available on demand through www.kniakrls.com.
Twitter users can get updates through @CentralDutch.

The series—Central outlasted the Duhawks at Dubuque in last year's season finale, 37-34. The teams first met in 1939 with Central leading the all-time series 31-6. Loras last prevailed in 2015.
           
The Duhawks—The Loras attack is spearheaded by junior dual-threat quarterback Noah Sigwarth. He's completed 49 of 110 passes for 588 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He's also rushed 48 times for 104 yards.
           
"He's an outstanding athlete and a very good passer," McMartin said.
           
Senior wide receiver has 15 catches for 262 yards and two TDs.
           
"He's a big, skilled wide receiver who's had a lot of success," McMartin said. "He's very skilled.
           
"They also have a number of running backs they utilize and they're really sound in the kicking game."
           
Junior wide receiver leads the conference in kick returns, averaging 24.4 yards a return.
           
Loras is averaging 125.0 rushing yards and 196.0 passing yards. The Duhawk defense is allowing 152.0 yards rushing and 194.7 through the air. Sophomore defensive back Danny Kamm has 23 tackles, including 5.0 for loss while senior defensive back Riley Larson has 3.0 sacks.
           
"They're going to come at you," McMartin said. "They use a four-man front with a lot of different looks for different coverages. They've got good defensive backs and they're good at stopping the run. The linebackers are very physical.
           
"Loras is a good football team. We expect a tough game."
           
Off-week strategy—Because Central's off week landed after just two games, McMartin treated it a bit differently than in some other seasons.
           
"We're still early in the season and it's a great week to get some extra preparation in," he said. "You want to give the guys some time off of their feet, but I think you really want to use this to look at some different things and to prepare for your next opponent. You want to keep your team moving. If it's late in the year, it's more a matter of keeping your timing up and resting a lot of people."
           
Focus areas—Predictably, the positions where Central returned experience, players are performing well. Others are making progress. All-conference quarterback Blaine Hawkins (junior, Ankeny) is 11th in the NCAA Division III in passing efficiency (187.9), 10th in completion percentage (70.6), 11th in passing touchdowns (9) and 21st in passing yards (310.0).
           
entral is averaging 331.0 yards passing overall and 163.0 yards rushing. Sophomore Jason Hopp (Earlham) won the starting running back job but is slowed by injury. The Dutch are also using junior Joey McIntyre (Chicago, Ill., St. Viator HS) and freshman Benjamin Crist (Elizabeth, Ill., River Ridge HS).
           
"We're not satisfied with where we are," McMartin said. "We can get better at running the football."
           
But McMartin was encouraged by Central's final possession, a 12-play, 83-yard drive that featured 11 running plays.
           
"Even though it was late in the game, that was good four our football team," he said. "We finished the drive and stayed on the field. We were able to utilize some different personnel groups and individuals."
           
Back-up QB shuffle—Engineering most of that final drive was freshman Cameron Bannister (State Center, West Marshall HS), the third quarterback in three weeks to serve as the top back-up. He rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown on eight carries in the game. Bannister moved to quarterback from defensive back just a few days earlier because of an injury to freshman Nathan Herbers (Urbandale, Des Moines Christian HS), who shined in the preseason. Hayden Vroom (sophomore, Pella, Pella Christian HS) filled in for the opener against the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (Minn.) but will focus on his primary position as wide receiver as Bannister is making strides quickly at his new position.
           
"He is a really good athlete," McMartin said. "He's looked good in the off-week."  
           
There's work to do on defense as well although Central is limiting opponents to 247.0 yards per game, including just 87.5 on the ground.
           
"I think we're developing," McMartin said. "I thought we saw improvement in week two. I think our defense will play a number of guys and use them in formations and situations that fit who they are and what they can do."

Blaine bits—Hawkins has climbed to third in school history in passing touchdowns (44), sixth in passing yards (4,207) and seventh in pass completions (311). He's completed 311 of 473 passes (65.8 %) with nine interceptions. Through two games this fall, he's 49 of 68 (70.6%) with one interception and nine TDs for 620 yards.
           
Notes—The defense will get a boost with the return of veteran cornerback Danny Anderson (senior, Boone), who missed the DePauw game with injury…Wide receiver Hunter Robinson (senior, Lisbon) leads the conference in punt returns (16.7 yards per return) and ranks ninth nationally while free safety Brayden Egli (sophomore, St. Charles, Interstate 35 HS) is second in the league (16.0 yards). Robinson is second in all-purpose yards (143.0). He has 13 pass receptions for 169 yards and three touchdowns. Tanner Schminke (junior, Boone) is Central's leading receiver with 15 catches for 230 yards and two scores…The Dutch rank eighth in Division III in third-down conversions (.588, 20-34)…Linebacker Connor Lewin (senior, Stillman Valley, Ill.) has 15.0 tackles in two games…Saturday is Central's third straight home game but four of the season's final seven are on the road…McIntyre, a former Dutch wrestler in his first year on the football squad, is slated to make his first start at running back Saturday, filling in for Hopp.

Probable starters
OFFENSE
QB       3         Blaine Hawkins (5-11, 200, jr.)
RB       24        Joey McIntyre (5-8, 210, jr.)     
SB        1         Caleb Schlatter (5-11, 200, jr.)  
TE        83        Ross Norem (6-3, 230, sr.)       
WR      11        Erik Knaack (6-0, 190, jr.)       
WR      2          Hunter Robinson (6-0, 190, sr.)
LT        68        Cody Smith (6-4, 295, sr.)        
LG       50        Ed Henning (6-1, 270, sr.)        
C          53        Jake Suggett (6-0, 300, sr.)       
RG       58        Josh Mayhew (6-1, 260, jr.)      
RT       70        Travis Wagner (6-5, 270, jr.)    
 
DEFENSE      
DL       67        Matt Glockel (6-0, 245, jr.)      
NG       52        Tom Adolph (5-11, 250, so.)    
DL       92        Blade Durbala (6-1, 285, jr.)     
OLB     33        Tate O'Tool (5-11, 185, jr.)      
ILB      21        Drew Smith (5-9, 195, so.)       
ILB      12        Connor Lewin (6-1, 195, jr.)     
OLB     59        Hunter Maddy (6-3, 220, jr.)    
CB       14        Danny Anderson (6-1, 190, sr.)
SS        22        Jordy Borman (5-10, 170, sr.)   
FS        4          Brayden Egli (6-1, 180, so.)     
CB       13        Tre Wilridge III (5-7, 145, jr.)  
 
SPECIALTY
K         19        Jon Alberts (5-11, 180, jr.)       
P          55        Que Baker-McCaulay (6-2, 265, fr.)     
KR       15        Tanner Schminke (6-0, 185, so.)
            8          Jason Hopp (6-0, 225, so.)        
PR        2          Hunter Robinson (6-0, 180, jr.)
            14        Danny Anderson (6-1, 190, sr.)
LS        67        Matt Glockel (6-0, 235, so.)
H         80        Logan Huinker (6-2, 165, so.)