PELLA—Looking to solve one of the league's dominating defenses, the Central College football team travels to Coe College Saturday.
           
The American Rivers game starts at 1 p.m. at Clark Field in Cedar Rapids.
           
Coe is just a game out of first in the conference standings at 4-1 with a 5-2 overall mark after scoring a 27-17 road win at Loras College Saturday. The Kohawks rank second in the conference and 26th in the NCAA Division III in scoring defense, allowing just 13.6 points per game.
           
"They're a solid team all the way through," said coach Jeff McMartin. "They're playing great on defense and they're also playing really well offensively."
           
Central is 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference after overpowering Simpson College 49-17 at Pella last Saturday.
           
On the air and online—The Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, calls the action on KRLS-FM (92.1), with NFCA Hall of Fame softball coach George Wares providing the color. The KRLS pregame show will air at 12:35 p.m. The broadcast can 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.
Castle also hosts "Coaches' Corner" with coach Jeff McMartin which airs each Monday at 6 p.m. on KRLS and is available on demand online.
           
The series—Central was a 55-21 winner at Coe last year and leads the teams' series 19-10. The teams first met in 1925 but played just once between 1951 and 1998 when the Kohawks joined the conference.                         
           
The Kohawks—Coe is 12th nationally in rushing defense (57.1 yards per game), third in tackles for loss (9.7) and 19th in pass efficiency defense (98.25).
           
Sophomore outside linebacker Jay Ooostendorp tops the Coe tackles chart with 35, including four sacks and an interception. Senior middle linebacker Ben Ridenour has made 31 stops. Junior defensive end Alex Atchison ranks 13th in Division III in sacks with 8.5 and 19th in tackles for loss with 13.0.
           
"They're playing a lot of three-man front and mixing up coverages," McMartin said. "They've got a really good defensive line, a good linebacker group and their defensive backs have really improved throughout the year. They've got a lot of guys that played last year who are back, so they're experienced and they play really sound."
           
The Kohawks rank 13th nationally in punt returns, averaging 18.6 yards. Senior Dominc Shepardson is averaging 21.5 yards on four returns. He's also 16th in pass receptions per game with 7.0. Junior quarterback Carter Maske has completed 73 of 120 passes for 948 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. Sophomore running back Trenton Barnes is averaging 57.5 yards rushing per game.
           
"They've found a good rhythm," McMartin said. "They're running the ball well, but they complement that well with their passing game. They're playing their best ball right now."
           
Efficient offense--Central scored touchdowns on six of its first seven possessions Saturday against Simpson, needing just three plays to reach the end zone on its opening drive.
           
"We got off to a really good start," McMartin said. "The last couple of weeks we've been able to do that. That's an important part of playing a good game, getting into a rhythm having some success and feeling like you're playing the way you want to play. I was happy with how we executed early in that half."
           
Simpson was only four of 16 on third-down conversions but McMartin said the Dutch defense needs to do a better job of getting off the field.
           
"We've got to be more sound and play off blocks better," he said. "There's room for improvement for sure."
           
Special teams standouts—Kicker Logan Sunvold (junior, Monroe, Southeast Polk HS) was tabbed as the conference special teams player of the week for the fourth time in his career. He ranks 18th in Division III field goal percentage (.750), connecting on six of eight field goal tries. He's 39-of-40 on extra points, with the only misfire coming on a mishandled snap. Sunvold is averaging 61.1 yards on kickoffs.
           
"He works really hard every day in practice," McMartin said. "He takes a lot of pride in what he does and there's a craftsman-like quality to him."
           
Meanwhile punter Austin Burns (junior, Williamsburg) is averaging a league-best 39.4 yards.
           
"We've punted well and been effective and we've kicked the ball well," McMartin said.
           
Quarterback option—Central continues playing three and sometimes four quarterbacks a game and is putting up points regardless of who's taking the snaps. The Dutch are fourth in Division III in passing offense with 330.3 yards per game and 15th in total offense with 490.3 yards.
           
Wide receiver Ryan Neu (junior, West Des Moines, Valley HS) is eighth in touchdown catches (9), 20th in receiving yards (96.3 per game) and 27th in yards per catch (21.0).
           
Defensive numbers—Strong safety Cameron Bannister (senior, State Center, West Marshall HS) is 15th in Division III in interceptions per game (0.7) while cornerback Stevie Maddox, Jr. (senior, Mesa, Ariz., Tempe HS) is 15th in fumbles recovered (2). The Dutch are 17th in average turnover margin (plus 1.14).
           
Linebacker Reid Pakkebier (junior, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) is Central's top tackler with 64, including 29 unassisted stops and eight tackles for loss along with an interception and fumble recovery. Linebacker Nathan Rahn (senior, Chadwick, Ill., Milledgeville HS) has 60 tackles with 25 unassisted and 8.5 tackles for loss.
           
More future promise on display—Even with several freshmen back in Pella practicing with the varsity, Central's junior varsity improved to 4-0 Monday night, getting a late score for a rain-soaked 47-44 win at Monmouth College (Ill.).
           
"It was a hard-fought victory," McMartin said. "Give our guys a lot of credit, they made plays. It's exciting to see these guys making plays and winning on the road. It was an all-out team effort. We had to get a stop at the end of the game. That's a team that beat our JV last year so that's a good win for us."
           
While the focus for young players is on development, McMartin said newcomers are making important contributions on Saturdays as well.
           
"Some of your younger guys are getting more and more varsity reps, either at their position or on special teams," he said. "I think that's been good for their development."
           
Central has one JV game remaining, Nov. 7 at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.
           
Notes—Central has topped the 40-point mark four times in seven games this season. Since 2019, the Dutch have scored 40 or more 25 times in 34 games and have put up 50 or more 13 times. Central is averaging 42.4 points per game in 2022, which ranks 18th nationally. The Dutch are giving up 20.4 points…Coe hasn't played in Pella since 2018…While unranked, Central continues to receive votes in the D3football.com and AFCA top-25 polls.