CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Coe College football team rushed for 307 yards and six touchdowns in its American Rivers Conference opener against Simpson on Saturday, defeating the Storm 42-22. After a scoreless first quarter, the Kohawks struck first but the Storm answered immediately with a touchdown just four minutes later. Coe then took control of the game, scoring two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the half including an 11-yard score for Alphonso Soko, which gave it a 21-9 lead at the break. The Kohawks extended the lead after the half as Soko punched in his second and third scores of the game to stretch the advantage to 35-9 with 5:31 to play in the third quarter. Coe's defense then stepped up and helped clinch the game while keeping Simpson scoreless in the second half until a touchdown at 9:57 of the fourth quarter. The victory moves the Kohawks to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the A-R-C while Simpson drops to 0-3 on the year and 0-1 in the league play. 
 
Coe had another impressive rushing performance on the backs of an experienced offensive line as the team posted 307 yards on 50 carries for a 5.8 average. Soko led the team with 137 yards and three touchdowns while Ray Seidel chipped in with 68 yards and one touchdown. Chance Newton and Luke Lenoch also received five carries each, as Newton posted 30 yards and one score. Quarterback Carter Maske guided the offensive attack, going 18-of-34 while posting 228 passing yards, 48 rushing yards and one touchdown. Dominic Shepardson led the receiving attack, catching eight passes for 80 yards with Joshua Bishop adding two catches for 63 yards. Defensively, the Kohawks had 10 pass breakups, three sacks and three interceptions as Trevor Eckols, Jon Bell and Manny Lopez all came up with takeaways. Jay Oostendorp and Heath Henderson finished with nine and eight tackles respectively to lead the team with Chase Kruse adding seven stops.  
 
COE 42 - SIMPSON 22
GAME FACTS

• It was a slow start to the game for both offenses as the squads combined for eight empty possessions in the opening quarter including one turnover for the Coe defense. 
• The Kohawks finally struck at the 9:23 mark of the second, using a nine-play, 69-yard scoring drive which was capped off with a one-yard Seidel score. On the drive, Maske hooked up with Amel Saric for 21-yards and Trey Walker for 20. 
• Simpson answered on the ensuing possession, marching 75-yards over 16 plays to pull within an extra point. Out of a swinging gate formation, the Storm attempted to go for two on the PAT but failed as Coe led 7-6. 
• Coe took over with 5:11 left in the half and quickly stretched the lead with a four-play 50-yard touchdown drive which featured an 18-yard dash and a seven-yard TD scamper from Maske.
• The Storm managed to respond on the next drive, getting a 45-yard completion to Joe McNally which set up a 22-yard field goal for Parker Hansen with 2:33 left in the period. 
• The Kohawks opened the following drive with a penalty but on the next play, Maske connected with Bishop on a 26-yard strike to move into Storm territory. Soko then ripped off a 21-yard sprint before Maske put Coe into the red zone with a 12-yard strike to Walker. The nation's fourth-leading rusher entering the game then scored from 11-yards out as Soko hit pay dirt to put Coe up 21-9. 
• Both teams went three-and-out to open the second half but the Kohawks scored on their second drive of the game. Coe used a 10-play, 89-yard drive to push the lead to 28-9 as Soko ended the drive with a 19-yard rush and a two-yard score. 
• The Kohawks defense continued to dominate on the ensuing series as Lopez intercepted Brett Bobinet's pass at the Simpson 42 to give the offense excellent starting field position. Just five plays later Soko made it three scores on the day as the junior punched it in from yards out as Coe led 35-9 with 5:31 to play.
• Neither team scored again until the 9:57 mark of the second quarter as the Storm managed to score from 37-yards out, making it 35-15. Two drives later, Coe made it 42-15 as Newton capped off a run-dominant drive with an eight-yard score to bring the team's total to six rushing TDs.
• Simpson scored the final touchdown of the game on its final possession, striking with 52 seconds left on the clock on a 13-yard TD pass from Bobinet to McNally. 

Up next: The Kohawks will continue A-R-C play next week as they travel to Waverly for a matchup with Wartburg College on Saturday, September 25 at 1 p.m. 
 
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