Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Caydren Cox, Football
Cox, who hails from Beloit, Kan., spurred a Concordia defense that allowed only 154 yards in last week’s 61-21 win over Briar Cliff. Cox recorded six tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble as part of a dominant performance.
Female: Mikeila Martinez, Soccer
A native of Fairfield, Calif., Martinez played a key role in last week’s 2-1 win at Southwestern College (Kan.). Martinez tied the game with a goal in the 56th minute. It marked the second goal of the season and 11th of her career.
Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
Sept. 7 – Drew D’Ercole (golf) / Ivan Yabut (golf) / Erica Heinzerling (volleyball)
Aug. 31 – Martin Herrera (soccer) / Camryn Opfer (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, 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.
Shooting Sports officially opens season at Fort Hays State Shoot: The Concordia Shooting Sports season got underway over the weekend (Sept. 11-12) as the Bulldogs placed third as a team (out of 11 squads) at the Fort Hays State University Intercollegiate Shoot held at Hays City Sportsmen’s Club in Hays, Kan. With 1,568 total targets struck as a team, the Bulldogs placed behind only Fort Hays State (1,629) and Midland (1,605). Concordia’s top five overall shooters were Colten Uitermarkt (326), Sam Blevins (322), Wyatt Hambly (310), Damien Stewart (308) and Jack Nelson (302). Uitermarkt was five targets shy of the Fort Hays State Shoot HOA individual winner and placed in a tie for fourth among all competitors. Blevins also placed inside the top 10.
By discipline, the top Bulldog competitors last week were Uitermarkt, Russell Malterud and Brennen Stones (99 apiece) in trap, Blevins in trap doubles (95), Blevins and Stewart (49 apiece) in skeet doubles and Uitermarkt in sporting clays (88). As a team, Concordia placed second in skeet doubles (239), second in sporting clays (411), third in trap (493) and fourth in trap doubles (462). For additional details on the event, click HERE. Head Coach Scott Moniot’s squad will be back in action this Friday through Sunday at the Midland Warrior Open at Lincoln Trap & Skeet Club.
Tennis squads compete at Bethany College Invitational: Cam Long presided over his first event as head coach of Concordia Tennis in last week’s first action of the 2021-22 season. The women’s team entered eight competitors into the Bethany College Invitational. The results included several place finishes and four consolation championships. The tournament featured four singles flights and two doubles flights. For a recap of the event, click HERE. The fall season will continue this Friday and Saturday with the GPAC Individual Tournament at Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln, Neb.
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.
Football
· What a difference a week can make. After struggling at No. 3 Morningside in week one, the Bulldogs responded with a 61-21 throttling of Briar Cliff last week while earning win No. 1 of the 2021 season. Concordia outgained the Chargers, 520-155, and was plus-three in turnover margin. Off the bench, freshman quarterback DJ McGarvie fired four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad now stands at 1-1 overall. For more information on Concordia Football, click HERE.
· Not since 2001 had a Bulldog football team racked up 61 or more points as it did last week. The 2001 squad pounded Mount Senario College (Wis.), 62-6. However, the 61 points represented a Concordia program single game record in a GPAC conference contest. The program’s previous best scoring outputs in GPAC games occurred in the 56-0 win over Briar Cliff in 2016, the 55-13 win over Dakota Wesleyan in 2004 and the 52-12 win over Briar Cliff in 2012.
· Eight different Bulldogs found the end zone last week. In order, the touchdowns were scored by Devin Zeigler (one-yard run), Garrett Schardt (72-yard reception), Qyalan Clay (one-yard run), Shayne Campbell (49-yard fumble return), Korrell Koehlmoos (22-yard reception), Wyatt Cast (21-yard reception), Cayden Beran (26-yard reception) and Cole Schaedel (six-yard reception). Clay has a particularly interesting story in that he played at Concordia for one season in 2015 and has now made his return. Zeigler got the start at running back due to Jonah Weyand being sidelined.
· McGarvie was on the throwing end of the final four touchdowns – all in the fourth quarter. A native of Valparaiso, Neb., and a Lincoln North Star High School graduate, McGarvie has been near perfect in his playing time so far. In action in two games, McGarvie has gone 10-for-11 for 183 yards and five touchdowns. Half of McGarvie’s attempts versus Briar Cliff went for touchdowns. His passer efficiency in a small sample is an eye-popping 380.7. He showed good touch in hitting on throws downfield to Beran and Koehlmoos on touchdowns on both sidelines.
· The defense cured what ailed it a week earlier in a ferocious performance versus Briar Cliff. Linebacker Caydren Cox’s big day featured six tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. In addition, Gabe Knisely stepped in at safety and made a nifty one-handed interception and linebacker Shayne Campbell scooped up a fumbled snap and raced 49 yards for a touchdown. Briar Cliff finished with only 10 net rushing yards on 28 attempts. That number was affected by five Concordia sacks.
· It was another fine day for Koehlmoos, who moved past 100 career receptions in the victory. His career totals now stand at 103 catches for 1,548 yards and nine touchdowns. Six other Bulldogs in program history have notched 100 or more catches: Ross Wurdeman (168), Jared Garcia (161), Eric Pralle (147), Dan Danielczyk (140), Clarence Woods (125) and Travis Soukup (115). Koehlmoos has a chance to join Garcia (2,495), Wurdeman (2,458) and Woods (2,011) as receivers in school history with 2,000 receiving yards.
· The Bulldogs will be headed to No. 14 Dordt (1-1, 1-1 GPAC) on Saturday for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff from Sioux Center, Iowa. The Defenders were one of three GPAC squads to qualify for the NAIA playoffs last season. Concordia has won nine of 13 all-time matchups with Dordt, but the Defenders own a series win streak of three. Dordt handed the Bulldogs a 41-14 drubbing in Seward last season.
Golf
· It’s been an especially busy stretch for the men’s team, which co-hosted last week’s Blue River Classic (Sept. 8-9) and returned to action at the Siouxland Invite this Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 13-14). Led by Drew D’Ercole, Concordia’s ‘A’ grouping placed sixth out of 19 teams at the Blue River Classic. After round one at the Siouxland Invite (hosted by Dordt and Northwestern), the Bulldogs were sitting in fifth place out of 15 squads. Meanwhile, the women’s team has been idle since opening the season at the Mount Marty Invite (Sept. 2-3). For more information on Concordia Golf: Men | Women.
· While D’Ercole led the way last week, Ivan Yabut stole the show on Monday by carding a program single-round record seven-under-par 65 while navigating The Ridge Golf Club in Sioux Center, Iowa. Previously, four Bulldogs shared the school record with a four-under-par: Nolan Zikas, Shawn Rodehorst, Reid Wiebe and Mike Kulzer. Most recently, Zikas shot a 68 (-4) on Sept. 20, 2017, at the Blue River Classic. An Omaha native, Yabut’s previous personal low was the 70 he shot in round two of the Blue River Classic last week.
· D’Ercole has separated himself as the top Dawg in the lineup to this point. After tying for third place at the Mount Marty Invite, D’Ercole shared seventh place at the Blue River Classic last week thanks to his two-round score of 71-71–142 (-1). The native of Papillion, Neb., now has the expectation of finishing in the top 10 of each tournament. D’Ercole entered this week with a season average of 72.3 and a career average of 77.4. He shot a 74 in Monday’s round in Sioux Center.
· The men’s team entered 16 competitors into the Blue River Classic (a school record for golfers in a single event). Jacob Woodmancy and Yabut sizzled with 70s on Sept. 9. In the team’s overall scoring, they placed just behind Justin Webert (73-73–146; T-19th) at the top of the pack. Yabut vaulted from 61st place after day one to 22nd (78-70–148) at the conclusion of the tournament. Woodmancy was one stroke (79-70–149) behind. Concordia was one of seven GPAC schools at the tournament. Among GPAC ‘A’ groups, the Bulldogs placed third.
· The women’s team placed seventh out of 14 teams at the Mount Marty Invite that took place two weeks ago. Individually, standout Kendra Placke claimed the 21st tournament top 10 finish of her career. She tied for seventh with her two-round total of 77-85–162. The performance was right in line with her career scoring average of 81.0. The team’s No. 2 golfer at Mount Marty was Mya Nurse, who placed 33rd (87-93–180). Her 87 represented a career low round.
· At the time this report was published, the men’s team was in the midst of round two at the Siouxland Invite (day two at Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa). Meanwhile, the women are ready to get back on the course on Friday and Saturday for the Lila Frommelt Invite hosted by Briar Cliff. Both rounds of the tournament will take place at Two Rivers Golf Course in Dakota Dunes, S.D. The GPAC Championships will be up next for the men. The fall portion of the conference meet will take place Sept. 27-28 in Elkhorn, Neb.
Volleyball
· It was a story of another challenging week of top-notch opponents for the Bulldogs. They went 2-2 while claiming victories over No. 18 Ottawa University (Kan.) and Missouri Valley College (both in straight sets). The losses came at the hands of No. 3 Midland and Columbia College (Mo.). Each of the nonconference matches took place at the Baker University Invite in Baldwin City, Kan., while the contest with Midland occurred inside Friedrich Arena. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad now stands at 6-5 overall (1-2 GPAC). For more information on Concordia Volleyball, click HERE.
· There’s been a bit of a feeling out process in the early portion of the schedule as the Bulldogs continue to form an identity in 2021. The match against Missouri Valley snapped a run of eight outings in a row against foes that were either nationally ranked or receiving votes. Concordia went 3-5 but wasn’t far off claiming several more victories. Losses to No. 12 Bellevue University, No. 23 College of Saint Mary and Columbia (receiving votes) were each decided in five sets. The Bulldogs enter the week having been ranked in each of the past 13 NAIA coaches’ polls.
· Concordia swept the two 2020 regular season matches from Midland (14-0, 3-0 GPAC), but the visitors got some measure of revenge last week. They had to earn it in a third set that hung in the balance when Erica Heinzerling and Kalee Wiltfong combined on a block to get Concordia within, 21-20. A Heinzerling kill later cut Midland’s lead back to one, 24-23. Brooke Fredrickson followed with a kill for match point. The Warriors outhit the Bulldogs on the night, .324 to .162. Camryn Opfer finished with a team high nine kills.
· Opfer embraced the mantra of ‘Be the Woman’ in her performance against Columbia that resulted in a career high 23 kills. Eight of those kills came during an impressive run in the fourth set that allowed Concordia to force a fifth. Opfer finished the week with 56 total kills and a .266 hitting percentage. She also added 40 digs and five blocks. Opfer is the team leader on the season with 135 kills (.228 hitting percentage). She’s a two-time second team All-GPAC honoree.
· Tara Callahan returned to being the primary setter last week and responded with 150 assists over 14 sets. The attacking numbers were solid over the past week as the Bulldogs averaged 13.79 kills per set while hitting .246. Opfer and Gabi Nordaker (47 kills on the week) were often the beneficiaries of Callahan’s passing. Nordaker was particularly efficient this past Saturday when she hit better than .500 in the wins over both Ottawa and Missouri Valley. Overall this season, the Bulldogs sport NAIA national ranks of 14th in kills per set (13.57) and 17th in hitting percentage (.249).
· It will be conference play for the remainder of the regular season. Concordia will take on two in-state opponents this week. The Bulldogs are getting set to host Doane (12-3, 1-2 GPAC) at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday before heading to Hastings (11-4, 2-1 GPAC) for a 3 p.m. first serve on Saturday. Concordia has won six in a row over Doane and two of the last three versus Hastings.
Women’s Soccer
· For the first time this season, the Bulldogs played twice in one week. Concordia saw quality competition in a 3-0 home loss to No. 23 Benedictine College (Kan.) on Sept. 8. It then bounced back with a 2-1 come-from-behind win at Southwestern College (Kan.) on Sept. 11. The Bulldogs had also seen both opponents back in the spring (lost to both). Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad has evened up its record at 2-2 overall. For more information on Concordia Women’s Soccer, click HERE.
· The statistics didn’t necessarily show it, but the Bulldogs competed more closely in the second half last Wednesday. The attacking efforts of Benedictine were on full display in the middle of the first half. Concordia managed to survive many of them, with the exception of the corner kick from Madeline Stewart in the 29th minute. In a mass of bodies in the box, Kerry Devine emerged with a header goal. The Ravens never looked back and added a goal apiece in the 62nd and 90th minutes. Benedictine outshot the Bulldogs, 22-5.
· In the matchup at Southwestern, Concordia dug itself an early hole when the Moundbuilders found the back of the net in the sixth minute. The Bulldogs finally found the answer in the 56th minute when Mikeila Martinez banked her second goal of the season on a nice strike from just over 18 yards out. Then in the 63rd minute, freshman Anisa Lewis got on the board with her first career collegiate goal. From that point on, Southwestern (2-1-1) got little going in the form of an offensive attack. The final stat sheet showed a shots advantage of 13-7 in favor of the Moundbuilders.
· Michaela Twito (Ames, Iowa) will have a chance to break a program all-time record this week. Last week she appeared in the 82nd and 83rd games of her Concordia career. Currently, the school record for most career games played is 84, shared by Jeannelle Condame (2014-17) and Esther Soenksen (2014-17). Two other Bulldogs appeared in 80 or more games: Maria Deeter (81) and Jordan McCoy (80). Twito played a significant role for the 2017 GPAC regular season championship team and the 2020 GPAC tournament title squad.
· The two goals in the second half at Southwestern were encouraging for a squad still attempting to find an offensive identity. The Bulldogs have totaled four goals through four games. Two of those have come from Martinez while one apiece has been contributed by Lewis and Hannah Haas. A native of Fairfield, Calif., Martinez also led the team last season with seven goals and has put away 11 in her career (58 games). The 2020-21 team increased its season goal count to 39 after producing 19 in 2019.
· Concordia will also play twice this week. It will go up against Bellevue University (3-4) at 4:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday (at Bellevue). The Bulldogs opened last season with a 1-0 overtime home loss to the Bruins. On Saturday, Concordia will host Mount Marty (1-3, 0-0 GPAC) in the conference opener. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium.
Men’s Soccer
· The Bulldogs came up empty in their lone outing of last week, a 2-1 home defeat suffered at the hands of Benedictine College (Kan.) on Sept. 8. Concordia had hoped to avenge the 2-0 loss at Benedictine that occurred on March 20. Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad has begun the month of September with two losses (Grand View and Benedictine) and a tie (Kansas Wesleyan) and owns an overall record of 2-2-1. For more information on Concordia Men’s Soccer, click HERE.
· The battle with Benedictine got feisty in the second half on an evening when eight cards were issued. Benedictine played down a man for nearly the final 30 minutes. That circumstance put the Ravens on their back foot. In the 74th minute, Jarrod Henson found the back of the net for his first collegiate goal. The match picked up in intensity the rest of the way with Benedictine managing to hold onto its one-goal advantage. Concordia peppered Ravens keeper Carlos Flores with eight shots on goal, including two from Yessine Bessaies. The lone save registered by Bulldog keeper Federico Simonetti occurred in the 88th minute and provided some late hope. One final desperation shot was fired off by Caleb Goldsmith, who launched ball high over the goal.
· Henson’s goal last week means the Bulldogs have now had seven unique goal scorers so far this season. Max Bisinger, Garrett Perry and Isaiah Shaddick have each contributed two goals while Henson, Martin Herrera, Carlos Orquiz and Ryan Wokutch have recorded one apiece. Among active players, Perry owns the most career goals with 15 followed by Shaddick with 12. Balance has been typical for Concordia in recent seasons. The Bulldogs last had a double-digit goal scorer in 2017 when three individuals accomplished that feat.
· Simonetti got the start in goal last week (first start of the season). Both Simonetti and Callum Goldsmith are trusted keepers with plenty of collegiate experience. So far this season, Goldsmith has appeared in 326 minutes while Simonetti has played 135 minutes. Collectively, Concordia sports a goals against average of 1.34 and a save percentage of .741. Bulldog opponents have been limited to 27 combined shots on goal.
· Weides would like to see his team generate more attacking chances. Through five games, Concordia has generated 65 shots, including 42 on goal. Game by game, the Bulldogs have posted respective shot totals of 10, 18, 14, 12 and 11. In back-to-back games, Concordia has had the benefit of nine corner kicks. Individually, Bessaies has been most active offensively having attempted 13 shots.
· The Bulldogs will wrap up the nonconference slate on Wednesday when they travel to play No. 8 Bellevue University (5-1-1) at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Bruins are a regular on Concordia’s schedule from year-to-year. Last season, Bellevue got the upper hand, 3-1, in Seward. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will open conference play by hosting Mount Marty (2-1-1, 0-0 GPAC) at 3:30 p.m. The Lancers have already recorded three clean sheets this season.
Cross Country
· Head Coach Matt Beisel could not have asked for a much better start to the 2021 season. At the Augustana Twilight Meet held Sept. 3 at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., the Bulldogs turned in place finishes of eighth (out of 27 teams) on the women’s side and 12th (out of 31 teams) on the men’s side. Both Concordia squads defeated nationally ranked GPAC opponents as part of the thrilling opening meet that took place after dark. There were 329 runners in the women’s 5k race and 344 competitors in the men’s four-mile race. The Bulldogs had last week off from competition. For more information on Concordia Cross Country, click HERE.
· Just a couple of years removed from winning the GPAC title, the Bulldog women are showing they have the makings of a championship contender in 2021. The seven place finishers in front of Concordia at the Augustana Twilight were each affiliated with either NCAA Division I or II. With a team total of 256, the Bulldogs just barely held off reigning GPAC champion Dordt (264). Concordia defeated six other conference opponents: Hastings (10th), Morningside (13th), Doane (14th), Northwestern (16th), Midland (21st) and Mount Marty (25th). The Defenders entered the meet ranked sixth in the NAIA.
· This was also a confidence booster for the men’s team, which placed behind only Dordt (third) and Northwestern (10th) among GPAC foes. There was a gap of 20 points that separated Concordia (366) from the Red Raiders (346). The Bulldogs outran the following GPAC rivals: Doane (16th), Morningside (17th), Midland (20th), Mount Marty (23rd), Hastings (25th), Dakota Wesleyan (28th) and Briar Cliff (30th). Doane carried a national ranking of 21st into the meet. Impressively, GPAC frontrunner Dordt placed third and beat out the University of Nebraska.
· Individually, Grace Reiman and Camden Sesna emerged as the top Dawgs for their respective sides. Reiman appears ready to make a significant jump in her second season of collegiate running. At the GPAC Championships last season, Reiman finished the 5k race in 23:12.86. Last week, she completed the 5k at Yankton Trail Park in 19:26.89 (44th place). She was a part of an All-American distance medley relay team during indoor track. Meanwhile, Sesna starred as the top men’s runner nearly all of last season. A second place GPAC finisher in the steeplechase this past outdoor track season, Sesna placed 35th (20:44.53) at the Augustana Twilight.
· Sesna was followed in the men’s lineup by Calvin Rohde, who crossed the finish line in 21:19.90. The next five Bulldogs in line were all freshmen: Charlie Hayden (21:33.45; 83rd), Sam Plante (21:56.52; 105th), Thomas Gorline (22:29.88; 149th), Nathan Pennekamp (22:45.86; 166th) and Jack Ellis (23:01.71; 192nd). Past All-GPAC runner Wyatt Lehr placed eighth among Bulldogs (197th overall) in a time of 23:05.65. The ninth and 10th spots in Concordia’s lineup were held down by Ethan Pankow (23:06.68; 199th) and Owen Dawson (23:08.15; 204th).
· Also a track and field relay All-American, Rylee Haecker came in next in line behind Reiman by clocking a time of 19:46.71. In addition, the freshmen made an immediate impact with Kaia Richmond (19:52.43; 70th) and Rhaya Kaschinske (20:08.37; 89th) landing inside the team’s top five runners. Meanwhile, Amie Martin placed 72nd overall (19:52.69) while running a good portion of the race with just one shoe on. Freshmen Courtney Wright (20:43.98; 130th) and Katelyn Nix (20:47.34; 132nd) represented the team’s sixth and seventh competitors. Rounding out the top 10 were Keri Bauer (20:56.13; 141st), Jaiden Tweton (21:00.38; 146th) and Grace Oberg (21:02.24; 148th).
The season will pick back up on Friday when the Bulldogs will compete at the Morningside Invite. The race is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. CT from Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D. That same location will serve as the site of the Briar Cliff Invite on Oct. 1. Concordia will run in four meets prior to the GPAC Championships on Nov. 6.