CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Coe College football team fell 31-21 to Central College on Saturday afternoon in its final game of the 2019 season. Coe ends the regular season at 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the A-R-C while Central finishes 9-1 overall and 7-1 in the A-R-C, good enough to clinch the automatic bid to NCAA playoffs. Coe opened the game with a touchdown drive but the offense of the Dutch proved too strong to handle as Central scored 31 unanswered points to lock up the conference title. Max Ridenour led the Kohawks, going 18-of-35 for 190-yards and touchdown while rushing 16 times and gaining 97-yards. Tyler Dralle added 21 rushes for 62-yards while AJ Christensen led the team with seven tackles. 
 
Coe opened the game with a statement drive, taking the ball 68-yards on 12 plays and capping it off with a Dralle touchdown from two yards out. Dralle converted a fourth-and-one to keep the drive alive and Ridenour had a 20-yard rush to put the Kohawks into scoring position. Coe's defense continued its strong play despite the bye-week, forcing a three-and-out on Central's first offensive possession. 
 
The Kohawks kicked off the ensuing drive with another long run from Ridenour, this time for 21-yards. A high snap on the following play pushed Coe behind the original line of scrimmage and despite a 16-yard gain on third down, the Kohawks failed to convert a fourth-down play and gave it back to the Dutch. Central shook off the slow start and marched the field for a game-tying touchdown. The Dutch went 63-yards on eight plays and scored from 13-yards out as Blaine Hawkins found Tanner Schminke for the score. 
 
Coe took over at its own 25-yard line for the third possession of the game with just under two minutes to play in the quarter. Dralle picked up a first down with a nine-yard rush but the Kohawks had to punt it back to the Dutch just three plays later. Central got the ball back at its 20-yard line to start the second quarter and once again drove the field for a go-ahead touchdown. Hawkins connected with Schminke again to put the Dutch up 14-7, this time from 11-yards out to cap off a nine-play drive. 
 
The Kohawks regained possession at the 37-yard line after a 22-yard kick-off return by Mitch Stopko. Despite its best field possession of the game, Coe went three-and-out and punted back to the Dutch with just over nine minutes left in the half. The Dutch took over on their own 20 and a first-down sack from Alex Fernandez pushed Central behind the line and forced a punt. Coe took over and moved it easily down the field into Central territory but the drive stalled out at the Dutch 18, forcing a Coe field goal attempt which missed wide left. 
 
Central went three-and-out on the following drive but the Kohawks blocked the punt attempt and recovered at the Dutch 14-yard line with 1:10 left in the period. Coe ran three plays inside the red zone but failed to inch closer to the goal-line as the Kohawks settled for another field goal attempt which sailed wide left once again. The Dutch took over after the miss and ran one play prior to the end of the quarter as Central led 14-7 at the break. 

The Dutch controlled possession at its 25-yard line to open the second half and moved it down into Coe territory within five plays of the drive. Hawkins then slung his third touchdown pass of the game, this time for 38-yards to Jason Hopp who put Central ahead 21-7 just over two minutes into the final half. Coe took over on the ensuing drive but two incomplete passes and a rush for short yardage forced a punt back to Central with 11:45 left in the third.  
 
Again, Coe went three-and-out on its next drive, giving the Dutch the ball back with 11:45 left in the third period. Central then drove the field into Kohawk territory, but the drive stalled at the three-yard line and the Dutch were forced to kick a field goal, extending the lead to 24-7. The Kohawks picked up two first downs on the following drive but failed to convert a third-and-long, which forced a punt back to Central with 1:11 left in the third. 
 
Central's next possession carried over into the fourth quarter as the Dutch went 78-yards on nine plays, taking 4:51 seconds off the clock while scoring their fourth touchdown of the day. Central locked up the victory with a six-yard touchdown run from Cameron Banister. Coe would score two more touchdowns as Ridenour connected with Colton White for a score while Dralle hit pay dirt for the second time in the afternoon. Despite the comeback effort of the Kohawks, Central was able to kill the clock and secure the victory. 
 
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