DUBUQUE, Iowa - The Coe College football team got back to winning ways on Saturday, winning 27-20 at Loras on Saturday afternoon. The Duhawks scored the game's first touchdown in the opening quarter, blocking a punt while returning it for a 25-yard touchdown. Coe responded after the special teams' score, outscoring Loras 27-6 through the third quarter. Loras scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to just seven points but a game-ending sack by Alex Aitchison secured the victory for the Kohawks. The win moves Coe to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the American Rivers Conference while Loras falls to 3-4 overall and 3-2 in the A-R-C. 
 
Alphonso Soko, who finished with 155 rushing yards and three touchdowns, led the Kohawks ground game that finished with 226 total yards. Chance Newton and Nick Casey also contributed on the ground, adding 63 and 18 yards each as Newton got Coe on the board early with a 63-yard score. Defensively, Trey Holub and Manny Lopez led Coe, registering 11 tackles each while Lopez chipped in with two tackles for loss, one fumble forced, one fumble recovery and one pass break up. Aitchison posted three total tackles for loss including two sacks while Cam Elam had 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Overall, the Kohawk defense had six sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles in the game as Anthony Bullard led the way with two picks. 
 
COE 27 - LORAS 20
GAME FACTS

• The Kohawks started the game on the offensive side of the ball but went three-and-out as the Duhawks forced an early punt. Evan Ellis had his punt blocked by the hosts as they returned it for the opening score of the afternoon. Coe was back in possession after the score but was unable to respond immediately as Loras forced another punt after just three plays. 
• The Kohawk defense stepped upon its first chance of the game, coming up with a third-down interception as Holub picked off Noah Sigwarth to set the offense up at its own 37-yard line. Coe got on the board immediately after the pick as Newton ripped off the 63-yard score to tie the game at seven which is how the opening quarter ended. 
• Coe began the second quarter with the ball in Loras territory as Nick Casey came up with a crucial third-down conversion before the end of the first. Soko scored his first touchdown of the day on the first play of the second period, ripping off a 39-yard scamper to give Coe its first lead of the day at 14-7. Neither team scored in the remainder of the half but Coe came up with a crucial interception late in the period as Bridger Aucutt picked off Sigwarth inside the endzone to eliminate the scoring chance for Loras. 
• The Duhawks started with the ball in the second half and marched into the red zone methodically, using 11 plays to set up first and 10 at Coe's 13. The Kohawk defense rose to the occasion and forced a field goal attempt from the Duhawks as they cut the lead to four with a 26-yard kick. The Loras defense was tough on the ensuing possession, forcing a three-and-out as the Kohawks were forced to punt back to the hosts. Again, Loras methodically marched the field, moving into field goal range before having to settle for another three points as it converted a 33-yard attempt to make it 14-13 Coe. 
• The Kohawk offense came to life on the next possession, putting together a seven-play, 65-yard scoring drive which was capped off by a Soko who scored from 27-yards out for his second of the day.
• Lopez and the defense forced another turnover on the following possession, as Lopez tackled Sigwarth on a scramble play, forcing him to fumble as Lopez pounced on the loose ball for the Kohawks who took over at their own 44. Just three plays later Soko made it three scores on the day, punching it in from 25-yards out. 
• Loras was driving to begin the fourth quarter as Sigwarth found Ty Bausch for a 23-yard strike to push the ball into Coe territory but an interception from Bullard on second down ended the drive as the defense came up with its third interception of the day. Coe managed to move the ball, picking up one first down before Ellis punted back to the Duhawks with 10:40 left in the game. Again, the Coe defense rose to the challenge as Bullard recorded his second pick of the quarter on a third-down pass from Sigwarth as the Kohawks took over at the Loras 39 but an interception by Casey just two plays later gave the Duhawks hope.
• The hosts regained control of the ball at the 9:25 mark of the final quarter and put together an 11-play, 93-yard touchdown drive that was finished off by Sigwarth who connected with Marty McGovern for a 27-yard score. The Duhawk defense forced yet another turnover on the ensuing possession, hopping on top of a fumble by Soko but the offense was stopped on fourth down thanks to a sack from Jay Oostendorp as the Kohawks took over with 2:54 to play. 
• Loras managed to quickly force a stop with just over 20 seconds having ticked off the game clock as it took back possession at its own 25-yard line with 2:31 to play. Sigwarth completed a first-down pass but came up empty on second and third down, providing an all-important fourth-down opportunity for both teams. Sigwarth was sacked on the play by Aitchison, who forced another fumble for the Kohawk defense as he helped Coe clinch the victory.  

Up next: The Kohawks return to Cedar Rapids next weekend for homecoming as they host Luther College on Saturday, October 23 at 1 PM. 
 
#KohawkNation
Visit https://kohawkathletics.com/ for complete coverage of Coe College Athletics
Like Coe College Athletics on Facebook
Follow @CoeAthletics on Twitter
Follow @CoeAthletics on Instagram
Coe Athletics Mobile App - Android | iPhone