No. 10 Mustangs force six turnovers in the snow
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — On a snowy afternoon when ball security was at a premium, No. 10 Morningside didn’t just protect the football — it took it away.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
|
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28 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 63 |
Team Stats
Mount Marty
| Game Statistics | Mount Marty | Morningside |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 246 | 314 |
| Rushing Yards | 131 | 312 |
| Turnovers | 6 | 1 |
| Time of Poss. | 23:09 | 32:06 |
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — On a snowy afternoon when ball security was at a premium, No. 10 Morningside didn't just protect the football — it took it away.
The Mustangs (6-2, 6-1 GPAC) forced six turnovers in a 63-20 win over Mount Marty on Saturday, including three interceptions by sophomore Victor Atupra.
Atupra snagged one pick in the second quarter and two more in the third, marking the first three-interception game of his career. He also forced a fumble that led to a Mustang touchdown and now has four interceptions over the last two weeks.
"I just had to execute my job. It was all about being in the right position," said Atupra, a Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson High School graduate. "I saw on film what they liked to do, and doing my job put me in the right place."
Head coach Steve Ryan praised Atupra's growth and consistency.
"I was excited when he made a play last week, and now this week, he gets three interceptions," Ryan said. "He's just getting more confident and better. I love the way he's playing."
Morningside's defense set the tone early, scoring just 2 minutes, 12 seconds into the game when Jack Brickhouse scooped up a fumble and returned it 67 yards for a touchdown. Teyel Lowe forced the fumble, and Laytin Koch added another later to round out the Mustangs' six takeaways.
Cade Harriman led Morningside with seven total tackles as 18 different Mustangs recorded at least one.
"(Defensive coordinator Casey) Jacobsen put us all in the right positions to make plays," Atupra said. "We came in ready to play a tough, physical game. When Jack and Lennx (Brown) set the tone early, we just kept that ball rolling."
The Mustangs' offense did the rest, scoring 28 points in the first 14 minutes. Lennx Brown opened the game with a 56-yard touchdown catch from Zack Chevalier, followed by scores from Drew Sellon for 25 yards and Jaylen Burch for two.
Chevalier threw three touchdown passes, including one to Griffin Kraft. Burch, Juven Hudson, and Ty Cozad each found the end zone three times, with Cozad leading the ground attack at 211 yards on 17 carries.
Morningside will host Dordt next Saturday at Elwood Olsen Stadium with the GPAC title on the line.