STORM LAKE, Iowa (Oct. 3, 2026) - The Buena Vista football team hosted Simpson College on Saturday for Homecoming, but the Beavers couldn't slow down the rushing attack by the Storm and dropped the American Rivers Conference opener for both teams, 51-20.
The Storm outgained BVU on the ground 263-62 on the day and rushed for four touchdowns. The air attack was much closer with Simpson holding a slight edge at 186-169.
Simpson took the opening kickoff and burned over five minutes off the clock before getting a 21-yard touchdown pass to Noah Cracraft and leading 7-0. The Beavers had a miscue on the ensuing kickoff which resulted in a fumble and giving the Storm a short field. Five plays later it became 14-0 with a two-yard plunge.
BVU got on the board and cut the deficit in half heading to the second when quarterback Brett Garcia found junior Johnny Messerly from 11 yards out. The Storm outscored the Beavers 17-0 in the second quarter and built a 31-7 lead at the half. The two teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter with BVU missing on its PAT. Simpson added two more rushing touchdowns in the fourth with Messerly hauling in his second touchdown of the game from 34 yards out to wrap up the scoring with 3:52 remaining.
