November 5, 2005

This season Dana football won four straight games at home. The Vikings were looking to extend their win-streak to five Saturday when they hosted Northwestern College (Iowa). But the Raiders running game poked some holes in the Viking fury defense and Northwestern ran away with the win 39-21.

Each drive of the first quarter resulted in a score. First Northwestern ran the ball into the end zone for six points. But the Raiders missed the extra point attempt.

Dana answered with three quick passes- all to Greg Hill (Omaha, Neb.)- for a touchdown. Rick Lebeda (Omaha, Neb.), still perfect on extra-point attempts this season, kicked the extra point for the Vikings’ 1-point lead.

Fifteen plays later Northwestern scored again with a 22-yard field goal.

Running back Matt Neesen (Omaha, Neb.) picked up significant yardage on the ground in the Vikings next drive. QB Marcus Sladek (Omaha, Neb.) connected with Javon Bell (Miami, Fla.) for the touchdown Lebeda made another extra point and the Vikings took a 14-9 lead into the second quarter.

Dana scored again in the second quarter on a 26-yard pass completion to senior Dan Irwin (Bellevue, Neb.)

Northwestern made a 25-yard field goal and scored six on a 10-yard pass. This time the Raider kicker made the extra point.

At halftime a close game favored the Vikings 21-19.

Frustration flooded Dana in the second half. The Vikings were scoreless while Northwestern put up 20 points.

“We had some mistakes that cost us big plays in the second half,” said coach Bill Danenhauer.

Sladek completed 20 of 34 passes for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns. Greg Hill and Javon Bell each caught six passes. Hill had 87 yards. Bell had 66. Irwin had 73 yards on four receptions. Casey Newsom caught the longest pass in the game- a 51-yarder.

Matt Neesen had 78 yards on 14 carries.

Freshman Trevor Ketelsen had 7 solo tackles and 4 assisted. He also picked off a pass for an interception. Mike Buchanan had 9.5 total tackles. Chris Reinke, Shaun O’Connell and Saxxon Nielsen each had six solo tackles.

Clay Salberg had 2 tackles for a loss; one of those was a 10-yard sack.

Dana will meet the nation’s No. 3 team, Morningside College, in Sioux City, Iowa next Saturday. Kickoff is at 1:00pm.

Click here for complete game stats: http://www.dana.edu/football/Stats/NORDAN.HTM

For more information, contact:
Leslie Rasmussen, sports information director, (402) 426-7298, lrasmuss@dana.edu
— or —
Shad Beam, assistant sports information director, (402) 426-7389, sbeam@dana.edu