The Northwestern football team improved its record to 4-2 after a thorough battering of the Dordt Defenders on Saturday, Oct. 16. The 17th-ranked Raiders dropped Dordt to 0-7 with a score of 48-3.
Dordt couldn’t defend the Raider offense, as NW racked up almost 600 total yards. The rushing attack tallied 383 yards, led by sophomore Brandon Smith and senior Taylor Malm, who both gained more than 100 yards in the same game for the second time this season. Smith scored two touchdowns and had 20 carries for 170 yards. Malm carried the ball 15 times for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Junior Jayme Rozeboom completed 16 of 24 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Davis Bloemendaal got a chance at quarterback in the fourth quarter, completing four of six passes for 38 yards. He also threw the first touchdown pass of his college career.
Malm and sophomore Tyler Walker were the top targets, as Malm had six catches for 42 yards and Walker had five catches for 71 yards. Walker, senior Caleb Van Otterloo and junior Tim Vermeer each caught a touchdown pass.
Sophomore James Rodriguez made two field goals for the Raiders, one from 29 yards and one from 38 yards.
The defense held Dordt to 157 yards and only nine first downs. Senior Caleb Blauwet had five tackles and one sack, while Van Otterloo added four tackles. As a team, the Raiders had a season-high six sacks, including two by sophomore Stanley Fleming. Freshman Theo Bartman led the special teams with 4.5 tackles and two kickoff returns for 78 yards.
The Raiders will travel to Crete, Neb., on Saturday to take on the Doane Tigers at 1 p.m.
