WAVERLY, Iowa – The Coe College football team lost 21-7 at No. 9/12 Wartburg on Saturday afternoon. The loss snaps a three-game win streak for the Kohawks and drops them to 6-3 overall and 5-2 in the A-R-C. Coe dropped its third-straight game to the Knights despite a great defensive effort in which Coe held Wartburg to its lowest scoring total of the year. Coe also dealt with injuries as starting quarterback Quentin White was knocked out of the game early in the first quarter. In spite of the tough circumstances, the Kohawks trailed just 14-7 with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter but the Knight defense proved too tough to crack. 
 
Replacement quarterback Max Ridenour had a solid effort off the bench, going 11-32 passing for 124 yards while rushing for 83 yards on 10 carries. Manny Lopez led the defensive effort for Coe, totaling 10 tackles including seven solo stops. Hunter Semelroth also had seven solo tackles while adding two assists. 
 
Coe had the initial possession of the game but went three and out to give the Knights their first possession. Wartburg took advantage thanks to a seven-play, 59-yard touchdown drive which included a rushing score for quarterback Noah Dodd. The Kohawks and Knights traded scoreless possessions for the next few minutes but Wartburg struck again with 21 seconds left in the quarter. This time Dodd scored from one-yard out, capping off a 10-play, 43-yard drive to put the Knights up 14-0 in the first quarter. 
 
Following the touchdown, Coe took over at its own 23-yard line but the Wartburg defense stayed strong, forcing another punt. The Kohawk defense picked up the intensity in the second quarter and stopped the Knights on the ensuing possession, forcing a punt with just under 10 minutes left in the half. Coe took over on the 16-yard line and advanced the ball into Wartburg territory but had to punt after a failed third-down conversion. With 5:44 left in the second, both teams traded a pair of three and out possessions, running out the first-half clock. 
 
The Knights received the opening kick of the second half and moved the ball into Kohawk territory but a huge fourth-down stop gave the ball back to Coe. The Coe offense suddenly awoke and drove 71-yards down the field for a touchdown, which was capped off with a five-yard run from Ridenour. 
 
On its following possession, Wartburg marched the field and got inside the Coe 40-yard line. A sack from Brian Robertson on second down and a third down, open-field tackle from Semelroth stopped the Knights momentum and gave the ball back to the Kohawks with 3:21 left in the third. 
 
Coe was unable to capitalize on the following drive, going three and out but the defense stepped up and forced a Wartburg three and out as time expired in the third quarter. The Kohawks took over again in the fourth quarter but the offense sputtered again, running three plays before punting back to Wartburg. The Knights returned the kick down to the Coe 30-yard line and were in the redzone just three plays later. On second down, Dodd completed a pass to Goettsch who took it to the Coe one-yard line but a tackle from AJ Christensen forced a fumble which the Kohawks recovered. 
 
Coe took over at its own one-yard line after the fumble but gave it right back to the Knights as nine plays later Wartburg recovered a fumble. The Knights, who were in clock-killing mode, regained possession with 8:16 left in the game and controlled the tempo to secure the victory. 
 
Next up: Coe will be off this weekend and will return to action on November 16 when the Kohawks host Central College at 1 p.m. in the final game of the regular season. 
 
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