PELLA — Piling up 375 rushing yards, the Central College football team raced to a 52-27 win over Buena Vista University Saturday.
           
The Dutch (7-1, 5-1 American Rivers Conference) scored 47 seconds into the game with a 47-yard rushing touchdown by Cody Klein (sophomore, Newton) and never looked back.
           
"It was good to get back on the winning track," coach Jeff McMartin said. "We came out ready to play and got off to a good start offensively."
           
Central had 13 different players with at least one rush attempt but it was Klein who shined with 212 yards on 10 attempts, scoring a trio of touchdowns.
           
"Cody had a special game," McMartin said. "He saw seams and had a burst of speed. He ran through some arm tackles and accelerated through the hole."
           
Aidan Pollock (senior, Pella) and Eli Rouse (sophomore, Madrid, Ballard HS) also had rushing touchdowns while Tate Jirovsky (sophomore, Grundy Center) and Nolan Meyer (senior, Bondurant, Bondurant-Farrar HS) had receiving touchdowns. Quarterback Hunter Hoffman (senior, Pecatonica, Ill.) had two touchdowns and 143 yards, completing 13 of 21 pass attempts.
           
"We utilized a lot of different people," McMartin said. "We needed that as a team to have players step up and add to who we are."
             
Defensively, linebacker Cole Clark (fifth year, Lisbon) led the team with nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Trent Cakerice (sophomore, Grundy Center) had seven tackles and a sack.
           
Central totaled eight pass break-ups, including three by Ben DeMeulenaere (senior, Chelsea, Belle Plaine) and two by Nate Fischer (freshman, Anamosa). DeMeulenaere also blocked a field goal on the first Beaver possession of the second half.
           
"We got a great effort out of Trent," McMartin said. "Those were important plays by our second and blocking the field goal was huge."
           
Central goes to Indianola for a 1 p.m. game against Simpson College next Saturday.
           
"One of our goals is to the be team that improves the most in our conference," McMartin said. "Simpson is a tough test. They've played well this year and they are a very improved team. It's a big rivalry game and it'll be a great challenge."