Like so many that preceded it, career football win No. 150 for Central College coach Jeff McMartin Saturday was a textbook performance.
Not that the game was without flaws but it can't get much more balanced than Central's 41-16 American Rivers victory at Luther College. There were 205 yards rushing and 205 yards passing for the Dutch. The defense withstood a second-quarter Luther surge and dominated the second half, notching six quarterback sacks. And the Dutch got special teams contributions as well, including a pair of Logan Sunvold (senior, Monroe, Southeast Polk HS) field goals.
McMartin, in his 20th season at his alma mater, is 150-47 (.747) for his career and is the 11th active Division III coach to reach the 150-win mark. He ranks seventh in Division III in career winning percentage. On the Central charts, he trails only his college coach, AFCA Hall of Famer Ron Schipper, who compiled a 287-67-3 mark over 36 seasons. McMartin, the 2021 AFCA Division III Coach of the Year, has piloted Central to six conference titles and six NCAA Division III playoff berths. He also serves as the AFCA's first vice president.
But to McMartin and the Dutch, the only win that mattered Saturday was the one secured that afternoon amid the bluffs surrounding the field in Decorah. They opened the game like a team that had waited seven long days to flush last week's disheartening 19-11 setback against Coe College out of their minds. In the first 14 minutes, quarterback Hunter Hoffman (sophomore, Pecatonica, Ill.) flung three of his four touchdown passes, one each to fleet-footed seniors Jeff Herbers (Urbandale, Des Moines Christian HS), Ryan Neu (West Des Moines, Valley HS) and Logan Mont (Aurora, Ill., West Aurora HS). Central outgained Luther 152 yards to 11 in the first quarter and raced to a 21-0 lead.
"We got the ball right away and were efficient with it," McMartin said. "We got some good stops on defense, we got a turnover, we recovered an onside kick, we had great field position to get started. All those things you want to get off to a good start, we did."
The Dutch had a chance to extend the advantage but their seemingly firm hold on the game loosened a bit when Luther followed a red zone interception with a 15-play, 86-yard drive that consumed 7:19. The Norse added a 32-yard field goal before the half to cut the advantage to 21-10.
"We turned the ball over in the red zone, which was unfortunate," McMartin said. "And then they were able to go on a drive. They got a couple of first downs on big plays and we had some penalties. And they were really able to use the clock. They were very patient in snapping the ball."
But the Central defense took command in a shutout third quarter, limiting the Norse to 24 yards of offense and notching two sacks. Hoffman ran for a 20-yard touchdown as part of a 17-point fourth quarter and threw a 15-yard pass to Nolan Meyer (sophomore, Bondurant, Bondurant-Farrar HS) for Meyer's first collegiate TD.
Central gave up 51 of Luther's 86 rushing yards on one late fourth-quarter play. Meanwhile, the Dutch kept a close eye on quarterback Beau Cornwell, who completed 22-of-46 passes for 197 yards and two scores.
"I thought defensively we played really well throughout the course of the game," McMartin said. "I think our coaching staff is doing a very good job of creating good matchups and getting the players to play well as a unit. We've got some depth there and it's been helpful."
Cornerback Ben DeMuelenaere (sophomore, Belle Plaine) missed the game with an injury but McMartin praised his backups.
"I thought Josiah Villanueva (sophomore, Mesa, Ariz., Red Mountain HS) and Derek Pacheco (sophomore, Littleton, Colo., Thunder Ridge HS) played really well at corner today," he said. "We're really developing some good depth and we've got depth in our defensive line, too. You need that in today's football so we're able to keep guys fairly fresh. I thought we did a good job against the run and forced them to be one-dimensional."
Hoffman completed 14-of-22 passes for 170 yards with an interception and four TDs. Mont had four catches for 41 yards as eight Central receivers made catches. Kyle Norton (sophomore, Vancouver, Wash., Evergreen HS) rushed for a game-high 67 yards on 14 carries while Hoffman ran for 43 yards on five carries.
Linebacker Reid Pakkebier (junior, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) was credited with eight tackles while linebacker Brody Klein (senior, Rainier, Wash.) made seven stops. Defensive end Bradley Warren (sophomore, The Woodlands, Texas) was in on three sacks with a solo and two assists. Cornerback Gavin Smith (sophomore, Audubon) had a pair of pass breakups while linebacker Austin Burns (senior, Williamsburg) made a first-half interception that set up a Central touchdown.
"That was a great play," McMartin said of the interception. "He went over him and made a one-handed interception. It was highlight-reel stuff."
Central's pass rush forced some hurried throws in the second half.
"We did a good job of just being relentless," McMartn said. "We made a couple of adjustments in the second half with some stunts that paid off for us."
Central plays its homecoming game next Saturday against the University of Dubuque. The Spartans are 1-2 overall and 1-0 in American Rivers play after a 35-23 home-field win over Loras College Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m. at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium.
Characteristically, that's where McMartin will quickly place his focus but as the Central bus navigated a series of two-lane roads back on yet another autumn evening trip back from Decorah, he also paused to think about a tenure that has produced 150 wins for a school where he once served as a student assistant.
"It's great to know that I've been a part of this program for that many wins," he said. "There have been a lot of great players and great coaches and when it's over, you look at it for a second and think back to all the games and all the years. We've had some great coaches on our staff to work with and who I've learned from. You really appreciate all of their expertise and their hard work. And we've had some great players that I've been able to coach. It's special to be a part of all those games, for sure."
Central notches win No. 150 for McMartin
/seasons/2023/boxscores/20230923_4y9v.xml
2023
Central
41
Luther
16
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central (3-1) | 21 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 41 |
| Luther (0-3) | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
Sep 23, 2023