STORM LAKE - Central built a 10-0 lead after the first quarter and Buena Vista was just unable to inch any closer than that the rest of the way, as the Dutch hung on for a 44-27 victory inside of J. Leslie Rollins Stadium.  

Central got a 16-yard touchdown pass and a 38-yard field goal in the opening quarter before adding a second touchdown pass early in the second quarter made it a 17-0 cushion.  The Beavers got on the board a short time later when Stephen Grimm capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run, and Morris Aranda made the PAT to make it 17-7.  

The Dutch, who used a short field for their first three scores, had to go 75-yards in 13 plays late in the first half before quarterback Blaine Hawkins found the endzone from five yards out to push it back to a three-score game at 24-7.  

BVU was then forced to begin the ensuing drive at its own seven yard-line with 3:03 to play in the half, but calmly marched 93 yards down the field in just nine plays as Reyes Lara connected with freshman Isaia Morones on a five-yard touchdown pass with only 44 seconds left in the half to help the Beavers get back within 24-14.

The ensuing kick-off went out-of-bounds giving the Dutch the ball at their own 35-yard line, and on the very first play, Reed Kruse intercepted a Hawkins pass and had just one person to beat down the far sideline, but was forced out-of-bounds at the Central 22 with 35 seconds to.  BVU was looking to add points before the half and make it a one-score game, but Lara III was then intercepted on the first play, giving the Dutch the ball right back after the seven-yard return to their 12.  Central would run one play and then take a 24-14 lead to the locker room.

BVU held Central to just a pair of field goals in the third quarter, and again used a strong defensive effort to try and get itself back into the game.  It forced a Dutch fumble deep in its own terriroty before RJ Rojas scooped up the ball and returned it two yards for a touchdown as the Beavers got back within 30-20 with 11:24 still to play.  Central, however, then quickly went down the field on a 75-yard drive that took only 1:31 off the clock to regain a 17-point lead at 37-20.

Junior Eric Pacheco kept the Beavers within striking distance midway through the final stanza as he hauled in his 18th career touchdown pass (third this season) from six yards out on fourth-and-goal.  The ball was initially tipped up in the air at about the one-yard line before Pacheco snagged it and then was just able to cross the plain of the goal-line for the score.  Still trailing by 10 with just over 7:00 to play, the Beavers attempted an on-side kick, but the ball was recovered just in time by the Dutch, and they would later put the game out of reach with a six-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper on fourth-and-one with 3:23 left.

"I know that the scoreboard shows that we gave up 44 points, but I thought our defense played hard and showed improvement," said BVU head coach Grant Mollring.  "Central has a dynamic offense, and we forced them into being one-dimensional through the air. Our secondary improved and played better today as well. Unfortunately, the defense was placed in short field situations as three of Central's scoring drives were 50 yards or less. Gary Weaver, Reed Kruse and LaVell Harris all played at a high level today."

The Beavers ran one more play than the Dutch in the contest and outgained them 477-389.  Most of that offensive production came through the air as Lara III completed 16-of-28 attempts for 220 yards and one score while Laughlin passed for 140 and one TD.  Pacheco caught a team-high eight passes for 87 yards and is tied now tied with Gunner Gilland for fourth on the program's all-time touchdown reception list.  He trails TJ Lint by two touchdown grabs for third-place and is seven behind Jalen Henningsen for second.

Morones finished with three catches for a career-high 90 yards, including one grab for 47 yards.  A total of seven different receivers caught at least two passes on the day.  Bryland Menicucci had a team-leading 37 yards rushing on just eight carries as BVU tallied 111 yards on the ground.

"Offensively we took a step forward against a very good Central defense," Mollring added.  "We moved the ball up and down the field but didn't capitalize twice in the red zone. Our offensive line is banged up, and we are playing new faces in there, but they are improving week to week. Isaia Morones and Eric Pacheco both played well today."

Hawkins finished with 276 yards and three scores through the air for the Dutch (5-1, 3-1 A-R-C), who came in ranked second in the A-R-C in passing yards per contest at 290.  Hunter Robinson hauled in 11 catches for 118 yards and a pair of TD's.  Central was held to only 97 yards on the ground and only 2.7 yards per carry.

Kruse finished with a team-high eight tackles for the Beavers, including six solo, to go along with his first interception of the year.  Harris was second with 7.5 total stops as well as a team-high five pass breakups.  Gary Weaver had 6.5 tackles and had a pair of sacks on the game's opening series, while finishing with 3.5 tackles for a loss.

"Central played with more discipline today and we made more mistakes than they did, that was the difference in the game," said Mollring.  "We stood toe-to-toe with one of the league's best programs and gave it all we had. We are proud of this resilient group of young men." 

Buena Vista falls to 2-5 overall and 0-5 in conference play and will look to notch that first A-R-C victory next Saturday when it travels to Loras College for a 1 p.m. kickoff.  The Duhawks (2-4, 1-3 A-R-C) fell at inner-city rival Dubuque on Saturday, 38-31.