Bulldog Weekly Report (Nov. 9)

By Jacob Knabel on Nov. 9, 2021 in Athletic Announcements

Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week

Male: Camden Sesna, Cross Country

Sesna, a native of Kearney, Neb., placed seventh at the GPAC Championships while finishing the 8k race in a time of 26:34.08. Unofficially, that time earned Sesna a spot in the national meet. Sesna was Concordia’s top runner at each meet this season.

Female: Gabi Nordaker, Volleyball

Nordaker, who hails from Omaha, Neb., helped lead the Bulldogs to wins last week over Hastings and No. 5 Midland. In those victories, Nordaker totaled 19 kills (.500 hitting percentage) and eight blocks. She notched five blocks in the GPAC quarterfinal win over the Warriors.

Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
Nov. 2 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
Oct. 26 – Peyton Mitchell (football) / Lexie Kreizel (volleyball)
Oct. 19 – Lane Napier (football) / Kalie Ward (soccer)
Oct. 12 – Caydren Cox (football) / Kalee Wiltfong (volleyball)
Oct. 5 – DJ McGarvie (football) / Sarah Schwacher (shooting sports)
Sept. 28 – Wyatt Hambly (shooting sports) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Sept. 21 – Camden Sesna (cross country) / Lina Kirst (soccer) / Grace Reiman (cross country) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
Sept. 14 – Caydren Cox (football) / Mikeila Martinez (soccer)
Sept. 7 – Drew D’Ercole (golf) / Ivan Yabut (golf) / Erica Heinzerling (volleyball)
Aug. 31 – Martin Herrera (soccer) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)

BAAM Athletes of the Month
September – Caydren Cox (football) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)

News and notes:

BAAM luncheons are held every Tuesday at 12 p.m. CT inside the Dog House Grill, located in the Janzow Campus Center. The luncheons feature reports from head coaches who are in season at the time.

Game/event days on campus: Concordia Athletics continues to welcome fans to its venues for sporting events. Currently, there are no attendance limits. Before visiting road venues involving Bulldog teams, fans should be sure to check the spectator policies on those particular campuses. Other locations may require the use of face coverings. Once again, fans attending varsity sporting events at Concordia are able to purchase advance tickets online via HomeTown Ticketing. Tickets will also be sold on site on the day of events. Should any policies or protocols for fans change, updated information will be available on the athletics fan information page HERE.

Concordia announces launch of men’s and women’s powerlifting programs: Concordia Athletics will soon expand its sport offerings. The Athletic Department announced the launch of men’s and women’s powerlifting on Monday (Nov. 9). The two programs will begin competition during the 2022-23 academic year. The target date to name a head coach is January 1, 2022. Like all other intercollegiate sports at Concordia, the powerlifting programs will offer athletic scholarships to student-athletes. For more on this development, click HERE.

Cattle Classic a 22-year success: The 22nd annual Cattle Classic unfolded this past Friday and Saturday (Nov. 5-6) inside Friedrich Arena. The event, co-sponsored by Concordia and Cattle Bank & Trust, raises money and food for the Blue Valley Community Action's Food Pantry. Pac N Save of Seward matches all canned food donations. Through 22 years, the event has raised more than 118,000 canned food items and more than $33,000 in cash donations. The Cattle Classic includes four men’s and four women’s basketball games each year.

Tara talks five-year journey, perseverance of 2021 team: Four years was just not enough for Tara Callahan, who returned to the Concordia Volleyball team in 2021 to provide steady leadership and consistently excellent play on the court. Her journey has included many mountaintop moments and unshakable bonds. Her leadership has been key for a Bulldog team that dropped its first seven five-set matches of the season before getting over the hump. Callahan has also helped Concordia to two national tournament berths. For more on Callahan’s journey, click HERE.

Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its seventh year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT on KTMX-FM 104.9 Max Country. The weekly feature can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the Max Country app. Throughout the 2021-22 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country. Parker Cyza serves as the host of the coaches’ show as well as the play-by-play voice for football and basketball. Frank Greene is in his seventh season calling Concordia volleyball.

Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting https://www.cune.edu/athletics/watch-bulldogs at game time. Beginning in 2019-20, Concordia Athletics partnered with PrestoSports for live video and statistical streaming. For more details on this change, click HERE. Check team schedules/results pages for webcast dates. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.

Cross Country

·        The 2021 season is in the books with the exception of those individuals who have qualified for the national championships. At the GPAC Championships hosted by Northwestern in Orange City, Iowa, on Nov. 6, the Bulldogs turned in place finishes of fourth on the men’s side and fifth on the women’s side. Those results fell short of what would have been necessary for Concordia to qualify for nationals from a team perspective. The GPAC meet marked the fifth meet of the season for Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads. For more information on Concordia Cross Country, click HERE.

·        The Concordia men finished with 122 points at the conference meet and placed fourth behind Dordt (15), Doane (71) and Northwestern (85). For the fifth meet in a row this season, the Bulldogs were paced by the Kearney, Neb., native Camden Sesna. He placed seventh in the conference with an 8k time of 26:34.08. The fourth-place claim as a team ranks as high as any GPAC finish for the Bulldogs since coming in at No. 3 in 2013. The men’s program last celebrated a conference championship in 2012.

·        Considering the women’s team was ranked first or second in the GPAC all fall, the result on Saturday was hard to swallow. The Bulldogs accumulated 110 points at the conference meet, putting them behind Dordt (54), Hastings (77), Morningside (79) and Doane (105). It wasn’t the ending Concordia had trained for, but there were many thrilling moments. The Bulldogs rose as high as No. 11 in the NAIA coaches’ poll this season. They were ranked 21st in the nation entering last weekend and had hoped to compete for a GPAC title. The women’s program won the 2019 conference championship.

·        The top 15 individual finishers for both men and women all earn All-GPAC accolades. Concordia wound up with three all-conference runners: Rylee Haecker (seventh), Camden Sesna (seventh) and Calvin Rohde (10th). Each of those three Bulldogs picked up cross country all-conference awards for the first time in their careers and will be headed to the NAIA national meet as individual national qualifiers. Sesna and Rohde will be the first Concordia men’s runners to compete at nationals since Ben Sievert in 2014.

·        Below is a list of the official GPAC place finishes and times recorded by the Bulldogs in the women’s 5k race.

7. Rylee Haecker – 19:19.69

25. Keri Bauer – 20:18.19

27. Grace Reiman – 20:24.25

29. Rhaya Kaschinske – 20:28.15

30. Kylahn Heritage – 20:28.23

31. Amie Martin – 20:33.77

38. Kaia Richmond – 20:52.46

40. Abi DeLoach – 21:01.36

44. Courtney Wright – 21:18.47

60. Katelyn Nix – 22:11.16

·        Below is a list of the official GPAC place finishes and times recorded by Concordia in the men’s 8k race.

7. Camden Sesna – 26:34.08

10. Calvin Rohde – 26:58.46

34. Sam Plante – 28:44.57

40. Jack Ellis – 29:05.22

42. Thomas Gorline – 29:07.42

50. Ethan Pankow – 29:23.50

52. Nathan Pennekamp – 29:32.31

54. Charlie Hayden – 29:33.04

57. Micah Willweber – 29:51.29

·        The season will resume next week for the trio of Haecker, Rohde and Sesna, who will take part in the 2021 NAIA Cross Country National Championships. The meet will be held in Vancouver, Wash., on Friday, Nov. 19. The location is the same as 2019 when the Bulldog women qualified and placed 12th in the NAIA.

Volleyball

·        Elevated performances down the stretch should have the Bulldogs in the national tournament for the third year in a row (official national qualifiers are announced on Nov. 15). The Bulldogs are riding high following this past weekend’s straight sets win at No. 5 Midland (seeded third in the GPAC) in the GPAC tournament quarterfinals. Earlier in the week (Nov. 2), Concordia hosted for the final time in the regular season and took care of Hastings in three sets. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad will carry an overall record of 15-10 into the GPAC semifinal round. For more information on Concordia Volleyball, click HERE.

·        What a difference a few weeks makes. After falling at home to Dordt in five sets on Oct. 9, the Bulldogs stood at 4-6 in conference play and were in danger of missing the GPAC tournament. Fast forward to the present and Concordia has gone 6-1 since that date with three wins over top 15 nationally ranked opponents: No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan, No. 14 Northwestern and No. 5 Midland, in that order. The other victories during that stretch have come against Briar Cliff, Morningside and Hastings.

·        Considering those recent results, it’s almost certain that the Bulldogs will be back in the NAIA top 25 when a new poll is released on Wednesday. Over the past seven matches, Concordia has outhit its opponents, .267 to .168, while averaging an impressive 14.44 kills per set. During that same stretch, the Bulldogs have had advantages over their foes in digs, 425-386, aces, 34-20, and blocks, 47-41. Individually, Camryn Opfer has produced 97 kills (.245 hitting percentage) and 82 digs over the past seven matches.

·        Concordia beat Midland like a drum in the third and final set. The score was an eye-opening 25-7 as the Bulldogs hit .722 (13 kills and no errors) in that set. For the match, Concordia outhit Midland, .333 to .065, and enjoyed a massive blocking advantage, 9-2. In total, the Warriors were guilty of 35 errors, including 26 of the attacking variety. Opfer led the attack with 13 kills (.286) from the outside. In the middle, Gabi Nordaker continued her tear with seven kills (.500) and five blocks. With a lot of focus from the opponent placed on Opfer and Nordaker, Carly Rodaway took advantage of her opportunities and collected nine kills on 14 swings from the right side.

·        At 15-10, Concordia’s record may end up fooling some people when it comes national tournament time. Massey Ratings lists the Bulldogs as the No. 13 team in the NAIA and having played the second most challenging schedule in the nation. Based on the most recent poll, Concordia has played 13 matches against top 25 opponents. The most noteworthy nonconference victory came over Montana Tech, a squad ranked No. 17 in the NAIA. The GPAC stands a strong chance of putting seven teams in the national tournament field.

·        Before worrying about national tournament announcements, the Bulldogs will give it their best shot in terms of winning a GPAC postseason title. Concordia will play at ninth-ranked College of Saint Mary (25-4) in the GPAC semifinals on Wednesday. First serve from Omaha, Neb., is set for 7 p.m. CT. The Flames won both regular season matches in five sets. The winner will advance to play either top-seeded Jamestown or fourth-seeded Dakota Wesleyan in the championship match on Saturday. As the No. 6 seed, the Bulldogs will be tasked with tying to continue to win on the road in the conference tournament.

Men’s Soccer

·        The season came to an end much sooner than the Bulldogs would have preferred, as they fell, 2-1, in the GPAC quarterfinals at Morningside on Nov. 3. This marks the third year in a row that the program has had its season end in the conference quarterfinal round. The Mustangs wound up falling in the GPAC semifinals. The conference tournament final will feature top-seeded Northwestern versus third-seeded Hastings. Meanwhile, Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad heads into the offseason with an overall record of 7-8-3 (5-4-2 GPAC). The Bulldogs were the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament. For more information on Concordia Men’s Soccer, click HERE.

·        For the Bulldogs, the loss at Morningside felt a lot like several defeats they experienced during the regular season. It was a season of close calls as seven of Concordia’s eight losses came by one-goal margins. The only loss by more than a single goal occurred outside of conference play (2-0 loss at Grand View University). In other words, Weides has reason to believe a strong foundation is still in play. The Mustangs got the game winner in last week’s quarterfinal game via Robin Thomala in the 56th minute. The lone Bulldog goal was scored by Matt Schultz (38’). Morningside owned the advantage in shots, 20-11.

·        The close losses prevented the 2021 team from extending the program’s run of consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins. That streak dated from the 2011 through the 2020 campaigns. During that stretch, Weides guided the program to a combined record of 110-61-22. The 2016 team that went 16-3-1 remains the program record holder for wins in a single season. The hope is to experience another mountaintop moment like 2015 when Concordia upset Hastings in the GPAC tournament title game. The Bulldogs appeared in the conference final three-straight years from 2015 through 2017.

·        Over 18 games in 2021, Concordia outscored its opponents by a combined total of 35-22 (23-11 in conference matches). Yessine Bessaïes wound up leading the Bulldogs in both goals (six) and assists (five). Four of his teammates notched exactly four goals on the season: Martin Herrera, Garrett Perry, Isaiah Shaddick and Ryan Wokutch. In addition, David Moreno put three goals on the board. In the assist column, Eli Rhodes recorded four and Herrera and Perry were credited with three apiece. Thirteen Concordia players found the back of the net at least once in 2021.

·        Weides expects to have a talented team in 2022. This past senior day, the program recognized Bessaïes, Daniel Campbell, Caleb Goldsmith, Callum Goldsmith, Decker Mattimoe and Carlos Orquiz. Several of those players could decide to return to use the ‘COVID year’ of eligibility that was granted due to the unique circumstances surrounding the 2020-21 season. In the mind of Weides and his team, the 7-8-2 record this season was not indicative of where the program stands. At goalkeeper, the Bulldogs should be deep once again with Gabriel Mendoza and Federico Simonetti possessing starting experience.

·        In the final GPAC regular season standings, Concordia placed behind Northwestern, Briar Cliff, Hastings and Morningside. If the Bulldogs are to contend for a GPAC championship next season, they will have to figure out how to get over the hump against the other top competition in the conference. Concordia went 0-4-1 against the aforementioned top four seeds with all four losses coming by one-goal margins. The draw occurred at Hastings. The GPAC wins for the Bulldogs came over Mount Marty, Dordt, Dakota Wesleyan, Jamestown and Presentation.

Women’s Soccer

·        Concordia came up short in its bid of making another magical postseason run. Despite playing a solid all-around game, the Bulldogs were edged in the GPAC quarterfinals, 1-0, at Hastings on Nov. 4. Had Concordia won last week, it would be preparing to play today (Nov. 9) in the conference semifinals at Briar Cliff. Jamestown and Morningside are alive in the conference tournament on the other side of the bracket. Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad enters the offseason with an overall mark of 9-7-2. For more information on Concordia Women’s Soccer, click HERE.

·        The postseason results in recent seasons were cause for optimism heading into last week’s matchup at Hastings. Entering this year, the Bulldogs had advanced to the GPAC tournament final in six of the previous seven seasons – a feat no other program in the conference has accomplished. Concordia celebrated GPAC tournament titles in 2014 and 2016 under then Head Coach Greg Henson and then won another postseason championship under Goines this past spring. Even with last week’s defeat, the Bulldogs own a GPAC tournament record of 13-4-3 since the start of the 2014 season.

·        The 1-0 score last week felt familiar for the ’21 team. Since the end of September, seven of Concordia’s final 10 games ended in 1-0 scores. The Bulldogs came out on the right side of those contests against Midland, College of Saint Mary and Doane. It seemed that no matter the opponent, Concordia matches were always nail-biters. Only five of the 18 games were decided by margins of more than one goal. The biggest goal scoring outburst for the Bulldogs came on Sept. 18 when they blew out Mount Marty, 7-0.

·        No doubt, Concordia hung its hat on gritty, defensive-minded play in 2021. Over 18 outings, the Bulldogs slightly outscored their opponents, 23-20. No clear-cut No. 1 goal scoring option emerged as seven Concordia players notched two or more goals: Madeline Haugen (four), Mikeila Martinez (three), Aliyah Aldama (two), Lina Kirst (two), Lisa McClain (two) and Grace Soenksen (two). On the other end, only two GPAC opponents managed to score more than one goal against the Bulldogs – Northwestern and Briar Cliff.

·        As backbones of the team, four players started all 18 games: Allee Downing, Mikeila Martinez, Grace Soenksen and Michaela Twito. Downing and Soenksen again put together strong seasons in the back after earning All-GPAC accolades in 2020. A five-year member of the program, Twito will leave Concordia as the school’s all-time leader in games played with 97. Lastly, Martinez is the career goals leader among active Bulldogs with 12. At keeper, Kalie Ward started 17 games while taking over the role from four-year starting keeper Lindsey Carley.

·        Not that it’s easy, but the trick next season will be to find more consistent goal scoring options. Either way, Concordia has shown it can compete with the top teams in the conference. The formula the Bulldogs used in 2021 was similar to the one that carried them to a GPAC tournament title back in April. Concordia last had a double-digit goal scorer in 2017 when Maria Deeter found the back of the net 10 times. On a positive note, the Bulldogs have now enjoyed winning records in seven of the past eight years.

Football

·        With one week remaining in the season, Concordia is feeling good about itself thanks to its active five-game winning streak. The streak was extended last week as the Bulldogs handled Doane, 20-13, in a rivalry matchup inside Bulldog Stadium. The contest was controlled by both defenses as Concordia defeated the Tigers for a second year in a row. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad stands in a tie for third in the GPAC with a mark of 6-3 (also 6-3 overall). The win over Doane came following a bye week. For more information on Concordia Football, click HERE.

·        During Daberkow’s tenure, the Bulldogs have turned the tide against Doane. From 2006 through 2016, the Tigers won 11-straight meetings over Concordia. That streak finally ended in 2017, Daberkow’s first season as head coach. The Bulldogs toppled then seventh-ranked Doane, 29-18, on homecoming of that season. Daberkow is 3-2 against the Tigers having also earned a 24-7 triumph in Crete in 2020.

·        The play of the game last week occurred in the fourth quarter when Doane quarterback Vaughn Martinez was picked off by Jorge Ochoa, who returned the interception 23 yards for a go-ahead touchdown that accounted for the deciding points. Three plays from scrimmage earlier, Concordia tied the game on DJ McGarvie’s seven-yard touchdown toss to Cayden Beran on a fourth-and-goal. A senior linebacker from Beaumont, Texas, Ochoa also collected nine tackles (one for loss) and a pass breakup in a winning effort.

·        This marks the first time Concordia has won at least five games in a row since the 2013 team started the season at 6-0. During the current streak, the Bulldogs have knocked off Dakota Wesleyan, Jamestown, Mount Marty, Midland and Doane while outscoring them by a combined total of 137-44. With victories in hand over Midland and Doane, the 2021 Concordia squad has a chance to become the program’s first team to defeat Doane, Hastings and Midland in the same season since 1970. Within the GPAC, only Morningside (nine wins in a row) has a longer active streak than the Bulldogs.

·        There’s something about playing Doane that has brought out the best in Crete High School product Jonah Weyand. In last week’s win, Weyand rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. In last season’s meeting, Weyand scorched the Tigers with 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, Weyand has missed some three games this season due to illness/injury, but he’s managed to lead the team with 467 rushing yards (an average of 77.8 per game). He found the end zone on a 17-yard rush last week versus Doane.

·        Ochoa was not alone in putting up strong numbers on the defensive side of the ball last week. Lane Napier led the way with 14 tackles while also picking off a pass. Up front, the combo of Jordan Kavulak (2.5 sacks, fumble recovery) and Payton Stevens (11 tackles, 1.5 sacks, forced fumble) wreaked havoc. Their combined efforts limited Doane to 264 total yards and resulted in three takeaways. The punting of Korrell Koehlmoos also provided a boost to the defense. Koelmoos landed four punts inside the opposition’s 20.

·        The season will wrap up on Saturday in Hastings against a Bronco squad guided by former Doane head coach Matt Franzen. It’s been a rebuilding season at Hastings, which is 2-7 with wins over Briar Cliff and Mount Marty. Last season’s Concordia-Hastings meeting in Seward was one to remember. The Bulldogs won it, 34-28, in overtime behind five touchdowns from Weyand. Concordia is seeking its first seven-win season since 2016 when it finished ranked 19th in the NAIA.

Women’s Basketball

·        The Bulldogs played at home three times last week and went 2-1 during a stretch that included the 22nd annual Cattle Classic. The weekend event featured four NAIA top 25 teams, including ninth-ranked Concordia. During the opening week of the 2021-22 season, the Bulldogs defeated Bellevue University (receiving votes), 77-71, lost at the hands of No. 18 Sterling College (Kan.), 84-66, and bounced back with an 88-80 victory over No. 13 Dakota State University (S.D.). Head Coach Drew Olson’s squad will venture into conference play already this Saturday. For more information on Concordia Women’s Basketball, click HERE.

·        At least to start the season, Olson has sent out a relatively youthful starting five that includes four players in either their first or second year inside the program. The backcourt is full of sophomores (academically) in Bailey Conrad, Taysha Rushton and Mackenzie Toomey. The newcomer to the starting lineup is post player Abby Heemstra, a native of Rock Valley, Iowa. The final piece of the starting group has been Rylee Pauli, who is in her fourth season as a Bulldog. Returning starter Mackenzie Koepke has been sidelined so far this season.

·        Because of some of that youth in the lineup, Concordia is likely to experience some growing pains at times. The Bulldogs started last season at 0-3 before recovering in a big way. By the stretch run of the season, Concordia will certainly be battle-tested. The nonconference slate still includes matchups with No. 2 Thomas More (Ky.), No. 3 Campbellsville (Ky.) and No. 8 Wayland Baptist (Texas). After a rocky performance last week in the loss to No. 18 Sterling, the Bulldogs showed encouraging signs while topping No. 13 Dakota State. Concordia outscored the Trojans, 55-43 in the second half to erase a four-point halftime deficit.

·        One thing is clear early on – Rushton will have the green light to fire away. The Midland, Texas, native might already be one of the most dynamic scorers in all of the NAIA. She poured in 32 points in the season opener and followed it up with 19 points versus Sterling and 17 versus Dakota State. As a freshman in 2020-21, Rushton averaged 14.4 points (34.3 percent from 3-point range) and was named First Team All-GPAC. She’s now in a leadership role in the backcourt with Taylor Cockerill having graduated.

·        It appears that Pauli is in for a stellar season in the frontcourt. She won’t be the tallest player on the court, but her motor doesn’t stop. Through three games, Pauli is nearly averaging a double-double at 10.0 points and 9.3 rebounds. She and Heemstra were critical in the win over Dakota State. Pauli posted 16 points, nine rebounds and four steals while Heemstra produced 19 points and eight rebounds. Pauli figures to improve upon her season averages last season – 7.2 points and 5.2 rebounds.

·        The Bulldogs will have had a week to prepare for Briar Cliff (1-1, 0-0 GPAC) by the time tipoff arrives at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday. The Chargers fell at the hands of Dakota State, 81-79, and own a win over Dickinson State University (N.D.), 61-41. Concordia and Briar Cliff split last season’s two meetings with the home team winning in both instances.

Men’s Basketball

·        So far so good for the Bulldogs, who have won each of their first four games by comfortable margins. After two neutral site games to open the 2021-22 season, Concordia made its home debut over the weekend at the 22nd annual Cattle Classic. The Bulldogs defeated Waldorf University (Iowa), 89-72, before notching their biggest win yet, 68-53, over No. 18 Benedictine College (Kan.). Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad also owns wins over Friends University (Kan.) and Presentation College (S.D.). For more information on Concordia Men’s Basketball, click HERE.

·        The Bulldogs still have yet to have their entire team available for any single game in the early going. It’s been hard to notice thanks to the depth built up in the program. It helps when your stars play like stars. Through four games, the always steady Justin Wiersema is averaging 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game while Carter Kent is averaging 16.5 points, 4.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. Both standouts were named to the All-Cattle Classic team. Wiersema (969 career points) is charging hard towards 1,000 career points.

·        Concordia is a team fully capable of outgunning an opponent in a shootout. In the victory over Benedictine, the Bulldogs also showed they could win more of a slugfest. Concordia shot only 25.9 percent from the floor in the second half and still managed to maintain a double-digit advantage the entire time. Defensively, it held Benedictine to 30.6 percent shooting for the game. This was a win that will boost the profile of the Bulldogs. The Ravens returned every single varsity player from last season’s team that qualified for the national tournament.

·        Gage Smith and Garrett Seagren saw extensive minutes over the weekend after having sat out the Hastings Classic (Oct. 29-30). Smith had a minor injury that prevented him from playing the first two games. He returned to the starting lineup at the Cattle Classic and put up a combined 20 points and 17 rebounds. The native of Elizabeth, Colo., is coming off a Second Team All-GPAC season. Meanwhile, Seagren (a transfer from Chaminade University) was finally cleared to play this past week. He totaled 10 points over the two Cattle Classic wins.

·        Because of some of the aforementioned circumstances, seven different players have started at least once this season. The constants have been Kent, Wiersema and Ryan Holt while AJ Watson has started three times. Off the bench, Noah Schutte has gotten consistent minutes and has produced 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. As a team, Concordia is outscoring its opponents, on average, 85.0 to 63.5. The Bulldogs are shooting 47.2 percent from the field compared to 39.7 percent by their foes.

·        Concordia will host Peru State College (1-3) today (Nov. 9) at 7 p.m. CT. The Bobcats defeated the Bulldogs, 70-62, last season in Peru, Neb. Concordia will then open GPAC play on Saturday with a trip to Briar Cliff (1-1, 0-0 GPAC) for a 7 p.m. tipoff in Sioux City, Iowa. The Chargers are 1-1 with a win over Bellevue University. Concordia and Briar Cliff split last season’s two meetings with the home team holding serve in both cases.

Wrestling

·        It was a relatively light week as the Bulldogs entered only five wrestlers into the Dan Harris Open that took place at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan., on Sunday. Those five grapplers combined for five wins. It marked the second tournament of the season for Concordia, which competed at the York College Open a week earlier. Head Coach Myron Bradbury and the Bulldogs will make their home debut this week. For more information on Concordia Wrestling, click HERE.

·        Jose Sanchez enjoyed the most success amongst Concordia wrestlers at the Dan Harris Open. He notched three wins in the 165-pound bracket. Sanchez opened the day with a 9-8 victory by decision and also collected a pin. Tavoris Smith (157) and Mozes Valenzuela Smith (285) picked up one win apiece. Valenzuela Smith pinned his second opponent of the day. Meanwhile, Tracey Allen (149) and Jack Hedke (197) came up empty in their two matches.

·        While at the York Open, the Bulldogs went up against grapplers from Avila University (Mo.), Bryant & Stratton College (Wis.), Hannibal LaGrange University (Mo.), Hastings, Wayland Baptist University (Texas) and host York College. When the dust settled, the 14 Concordia wrestlers combined for 39 wins, including 23 that came via fall. Thirteen Bulldogs turned in at least one victory on the day. A summary of the team’s place finishes is shown below.

·        Thomas Ivey (125A) – 2nd

·        Adam Roberts (125B) – 4th

·        Josh Broyles (141A) – 3rd

·        Conner Burrus (141B) – 1st

·        Tracy Allen (149A) – 4th

·        Tavoris Smith (157A) – 3rd

·        Anthony Perez (157B) – 2nd

·        Jose Sanchez (165) – 3rd

·        Hunter Weimer (184) – 4th

·        Mason Garcia (197) – 1st

·        Jack Hedke (285A) – 4th

·        Bradbury will make his home debut as head coach on Thursday. Bradbury spent the previous five seasons as the top assistant at Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.). During that stretch, the Blue Raiders placed inside the top five at the NAIA National Championships each season with runner-up claims in 2017 and 2019. So far this season, Bradbury has presided over a Bulldog team that has wrestled at the York College Open and the Dan Harris Open (hosted by Baker University).

·        Thursday will be Faculty Night inside Friedrich Arena when Hastings visits for a GPAC dual. The action is set to get started at 7 p.m. CT. All faculty in attendance will receive a free popcorn and free soft drink. Prior to last season, the Bulldogs had won or shared the GPAC regular season title in five of six seasons. Last season’s GPAC dual wins came over Dakota Wesleyan, Midland and Jamestown. Concordia hopes to reverse its 27-24 loss to Hastings from this past January. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will take part in the Dakota Wesleyan Open in Mitchell, S.D., with wrestling beginning at 9 a.m.

For a detailed preview of Thursday’s dual, click HERE. The Broncos boast three grapplers who are ranked nationally: Edrich Nortje (seventh at 141), Thomas Stevenson (14th at 157) and Taygen Smith (sixth at 165). Meanwhile, Concordia trots out two wrestlers ranked in the NAIA: Mario Ybarra (eighth at 133) and Jacob Telles (19th at 285).