Football Drops last minute heartbreaker to Luther on Senior Day

by Brock Borgeson

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Simpson fell to Luther College on a snowy senior day as the Norse came back to steal a 42-35 victory, as running back Christian Moore scored a game-winning touchdown with 21 seconds remaining to give Luther the win.

The Norse (5-5, 2-5 IIAC) used their triple option rushing attack to run for 372 yards on the ground as Luther ate up the clock, winning the time of possession column, 38 minutes to only 22 for Simpson.

Moore chipped in with 100 yards rushing as quarterback JJ Sirios did most of his work with his feet, rushing for 86 yards and one touchdown while only throwing five passes.

Senior running back Josh Vos ran for three touchdowns on 23 carries and 128 yards, racking his season rushing touchdown total to 14.

Vos scored Luther’s first three touchdowns as Luther and Simpson went into halftime with a 21-21 tie.

Senior running back, Ethan Calvert, ran for two touchdowns, bringing Simpson (3-7, 0-7 IIAC) within one score, making it 21-14 Luther after a four-yard touchdown run with 2:45 left in the 1st half.

Only a minute and fifteen seconds later, linebacker Brandon Abernathy tied up the ball game at 21-21 as he scooped up a Luther fumble and returned it 26 yards for the score.

Abernathy led Simpson with 15 tackles, two of which were for loss.

Returning Davey Jergens set up a pair of Simpson scores as he put together 153 kickoff return yards, the longest being for 74 yards.

After the break, Simpson continued to roll as freshman quarterback, Caleb Frye, found tight end Nathan Russell for a nine-yard touchdown pass to give the Storm a 28-21 lead.

Frye came into the game replacing starting quarterback Braedon Tovey who was carted off the field in the first half after suffering a lower body injury.

Once again, Simpson’s defense providing some scoring as it was senior linebacker Joe Gilson’s turn to return a fumble to house, running back a 25-yard fumble return to put extend Simpson’s lead to 35-21.

Luther, with the game in the fourth quarter, quickly marched down the field as JJ Sirios threw for his sixth touchdown of the season, this one being a 13-yard strike to Jon Cochrane.

After a costly Frye fumble near midfield, Luther took advantage and tied up the game as Sirios plunged over the goal-line on a fourth-and-goal touchdown run.

After quick three and out from Simpson, Luther put together another push into Storm territory on a drive that was extended by a 32-yard pass completion to Trevor Joiner.

Seconds later Christian Moore put what would be the game-winning score into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run.

Frye and the Storm offense put together one last push, converting on two consecutive passes to Walker Holland and Matt Burrell.

With five seconds left from the Luther fifteen, Frye put the ball up in the end zone but his pass sailed over the outstretched arms of Holland as time expired.

With the loss, Simpson finished last in the IIAC, having an opportunity to slide into the seventh spot if they had won on Saturday.

The Storm will lose 19 seniors from this year’s team as they look regroup and return strong in 2015, hoping to be healthy and injury free.