Keeping the Cup! Bryant's Legs, Sauberan's Leg Enough as 'Darkside' Rules

Council Bluffs, IA

In the 13-season series history of Iowa Western versus Iowa Central, there have been games with little drama and there have been games like Saturday.  Noah Sauberan's 46-yard go-ahead field goal with under one minute remaining lifted the NJCAA, number two Reivers (7-0, 4-0) to a 20-17 victory over the sixth-ranked Tritons (6-2, 1-2) to win their 11th ICCAC regular-season championship and keep 'The Cup' in Council Bluffs for another season.

Averaging nearly 500 yards of offense per game entering the contest, Iowa Central, was limited to just over 300 yards of total offense by a Reivers defense that pressured quarterback Byron Jarrett all game long.

ICCC Head Coach Jesse Montalto wanted his team to score quickly and force the Reivers to play from behind and that they did.  Jarrett led the Tritons to a score on the team's second offensive drive, finding wide receiver Madison Ridgeway in the left corner of the endzone from 14-yards out for a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Trailing for just the third time this season, Iowa Western struck back on the next possession.  Reiver QB Nate Glantz reeled off three straight completions before running back Moses Bryant rushed across midfield for a six-yard gain and followed on 2nd and four with a 45-yard rumble for the game-tying touchdown as Noah Sauberan knocked home the point after.

After the two teams traded punts, Iowa Central found themselves in Reiver territory on 4th and 1.  Jarrett, taking a rare snap under center, was stuffed by the 'Darkside' as Zach Strickland and Elijah Elmore stopped the QB shy of the first down.

Both teams entered the game leading their opposition by double figures in turnover margin (IWCC +13, ICCC +12) and the defenses would continue to dominate into the second quarter at Titan Stadium.  Iowa Western, on their first sustained drive of the game, saw the Tritons strike with the first takeaway of the game.  Glantz's pass down the left hash was tipped and intercepted by Bilhal Kone midway through the quarter to stop the home team's momentum and keep the score even at seven.

The Reivers drove into the Tritons red-zone again, earning a first and goal set of downs on a catch and run by Kaden Wetjen off the arm of Glantz, but the Tritons flexed their muscle again, forcing a field goal by Sauberan from 20-yards out to limit the damage.  The game entered the midway point with a score of 10-7, the home team in front.

Iowa Western received the second-half kickoff and appeared to be marching for another score before the Tritons C.J. Christian played hero.  Glantz threw to the right side of the Reivers endzone on a pass intended for Michael Love, but Christian wrestled a sure touchdown away from the receiver to end the IWCC threat.

The 'Darkside' forced another Triton punt, but their counterparts went plus three on the day in takeaways when Glantz threw his third interception, this time to ICCC linebacker Noah Epley.

Fortunately for the offense, the Reivers defense was as stout as they've been all year.  Down 10-7, the Tritons gained nine yards on three plays to the Reivers 32-yard line.  On 4th and one Ethan Weirather stuffed Jarrett, who had a head of steam after taking a shotgun snap, for a one-yard loss and a turnover on downs.

One play later, it was Bryant again, breaking through the middle of the line and blasting past a pair of defenders who grasped and missed.  The 67-yard touchdown put the Reivers up 17-7 midway through the 3rd quarter.

The two teams traded possessions to start the 4th quarter and after IWCC was called for kick catch interference to set up a Triton possession in Reiver territory, it was Jarrett's turn to be bitten by the turnover bug.  Scrambling to the left, the dual-threat QB threw upfield as he was being hit by Diontrel Wommack and Jacob Ellis stepped in front of the football for his third interception of the year.

Glantz drove the Reivers to the Triton 32 before the visitors returned the 4th down favor, stuffing Bryant on 4th and 1 for the turnover on downs.

Iowa Central would capitalize, scoring their first points since the 1st quarter on a 44-yard Colin Swygman field goal through the south uprights to close the deficit to just seven with nine minutes remaining in regulation.

A quick three and out by IWCC and a punt by Jake Calvert sent the football to the Central 29 with the Tritons trailing 17-10.  On 1st and 10, Jarrett, scrambling to his right, had the ball swiped away by Sheldon Cage and Wommack pounced on the loose ball to put the Reivers offense in prime position to build on their lead.

The Tritons matched the defensive effort of the home team, stuffing the Reivers again on three plays to force another Sauberan field goal attempt.  The 43-yard attempt sailed wide left on the attempt, sending the visiting fans and team into a frenzy on the sideline as ICCC remained within striking distance with just under six minutes on the game clock.

ICCC drove 67-yards to the IWCC nine and Jarrett finally found room, rushing into the endzone for the score.  Swygman's point-after tied the game at 17 with 1:53 remaining in the game.

The ensuing return by Wetjen was returned 21-yards to the IWCC 34 and an ICCC unsportsmanlike penalty pushed the ball to near midfield for the Reivers final drive of the game.

After completions to Ty'shun Jordan and Jaden Koger, the Reivers were stopped for a loss of one on 3rd and four.

"I asked him twice, do you have it?" Said Head Coach Scott Strohmeier on the sideline conversation with his Freshman Kicker Sauberan, "He told me, Coach, I've got this."

Sauberan, who'd missed earlier in the quarter from 43 and in the second on a tipped kick from 27, nailed his career-long from the far-side hash with only 49 seconds left to give the Reivers the 20-17 lead.

The Tritons had burned all three of their timeouts as they fought from behind to tie the game and IWCC's special teams pinned the Tritons inside their own 20 with and just 45 seconds remaining.

After a pair of incompletions by Jarrett to start the drive, the Reivers again forced the sophomore QB to his left and Jacob Ellis played hero again, extending horizontally on a diving interception that he tucked into his midsection as he hit the ground.

The celebration ensued, as Glantz kneeled in victory formation and the Reivers stayed unbeaten.

"You've got to hand it to Jesse (Montalto) and his staff, they've got a great team." Said Strohmeier, "these are the kind of games you love to prepare for and to play in, our defense was lights out, they made the plays when we needed them to and Nate settled down and played like a championship quarterback." 

The two teams finished even in the turnover battle, while Iowa Western outgained the Central offense by 63-yards, 60 of that advantage coming on the ground where Moses Bryant raced for 120-yards and a pair of scores, while Glantz tossed three more yards (208-205) than the nation's 4th leading yard gainer in Jarrett.

The defense, led by Ellis's pair of interceptions and team-leading 15 tackles, sacked Jarrett 3 times and tackled ICCC another seven times behind the line of scrimmage, including two one-yard losses on 4th and one.

It was the Reivers' third Top 10 win of the season and fourth win over the Tritons in 2021.  The all-time series now stands 14-2 in the Reivers favor with the team posting a 7-1 record both home and away.  The Reivers have won 'The Cup' in both match-ups the two teams have played for the newly named traveling trophy, while the team won the former 'Kinney Cup' nine times.

Next up for IWCC is a trip to Milledgeville, Georgia where they'll take on the 15th ranked Bulldogs of Georgia Military.  IWCC lost to GMC in the only other regular-season meeting, 48-38, in 2013 to snap an 18-game winning streak.  The Reivers exacted their revenge in the 2015 Graphic Edge Bowl, topping the visiting team 20-6.  In the game, GMC gained -1 total yards of offense in a game dominated by the Reivers 'Darkside'.  Reiver wide receiver Taj Williams scored both touchdowns in the win that gave the Reivers their 4th straight 10-win season.  This weekend's game can be heard and seen on the Reiver Sports Network.  The pregame will start on Iowa Western's 100,000 watt FM station, 89.7 the River at 11:30 with Jake Ryan and Russ Nelsen on the call for the game, kickoff is set for 12:00 pm from the Peach State.

Follow the team on Twitter or Facebook for live updates and information from the game.

NOTES

The win was the first since the 2017 Bowl win over Snow that was clinched via a field goal.  Eddie Ogamba's 37-yarder rallied the Reivers to a 19-17 victory in the Graphic Edge Bowl.  The only other game that was won on a late field goal came in the inaugural season of football when Dan Biddick kicked the Reivers over 11th ranked Ellsworth, 20-17, to finish 5-4 overall.

Glantz's 208-yard performance pushed him past former Reiver Connor Bravard into sole possession of 2nd place in all-time passing yards.  The still freshman QB ranks behind only Jake Waters in career starts (14), TD passes (33), and yards (3054) with three regular-season games to go.

The Reivers are now 48-6 in regular-season conference wins.  Including playoffs, which lasted from 2009-2012, the team is now 50-8 all-time in conference games.