Already the top rushing quarterback in Central College football history, Nate Snead (senior, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) left his mark as a passer Saturday as the Dutch erupted for a 70-7 romp past Loras College Saturday.
In less than three quarters of action, Snead passed for a school-record 347 yards and four touchdowns, and also ran for a pair of scores. He completed 18 of 22 passes and narrowly eclipsed the passing mark of 346 yards set by Scott Koerselman against Wis.-La Crosse in 1999. His .818 completion percentage was the second-best in school history for quarterbacks with at least 20 pass attempts. Snead, who ran for 27 yards on seven carries, was just 3 yards shy of the school total offense record of 377 he set against Coe Oct. 1. Snead's previous passing yardage high was 291 yards against Wis.-Oshkosh Sept. 3 and again against Coe Oct. 1.
Snead's combined six TDs passing and rushing also set a single-game mark. And he was one passing touchdown short of Chris Nelson's 1972 record.
But Snead, who was lifted after Central's first possession of the third quarter, was far from the only player with a big day as the Dutch (5-2 overall, 4-1 Iowa Conference) displayed the execution and consistency coach Jeff McMartin has been seeking all season. Central rolled up 626 yards of offense, not far from the school record 667 yards compiled against William Penn in 1995. Seven Dutch ballcarriers combined to rush for 279 yards and five touchdowns on 53 carries. A pair of freshman running backs came off the bench to see extensive action. Josh Osborn (Burlington) had 68 yards on 10 carries with a 27-yard touchdown while De'Andre Currie (sophomore, Gilbert, Ariz., Mountain Pointe HS) had 67 yards on 15 carries with two scores.
Jeremy Snead (senior, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) had five receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns while Ben Lechtenberg (junior, Manchester, West Delaware HS) had four catches for 87 yards and Brett Wilkin (senior, Pleasant Hill, Southeast Polk HS) had three catches for 82 yards. Mike Furlong (senior, Davenport, Assumption HS) and S-back Preston West (senior, Swisher, Cedar Rapids Prairie HS) each had touchdown catches.
It was Central's highest point total since a 73-7 victory at Penn in 2000 and the most the Dutch have ever scored against Loras.
Meanwhile the Dutch defense limited Loras (1-5 overall, 0-4 conference) to just 130 yards, with 48 yards rushing and 82 yards passing as two Duhawk quarterbacks combined to complete 11 of 30 passes. Linebacker Keith Rush (junior, Griswold) had 11 tackles, including a sack, while linebacker Patrick Kelley (senior, Eagle Grove) had eight tackles with a sack.
Central scored touchdowns on its first five possessions before losing a fumble deep in Loras territory. But the Duhawks fumbled the ball back seven plays later and Central added another score for a 42-7 halftime lead.
Central, which also got a third-quarter TD on a blocked punt by senior defensive back Joey Toale (Spencer), took its foot off the gas after Snead's departure, passing just once in the final 25 minutes.
Next week the Dutch play their final 2011 home game, as Cornell College visits for a 1 p.m. contest at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium. Cornell (2-4 overall, 0-4 conference) was defeated at home by the University of Dubuque Saturday, 40-17.