Pride Face Yellowjackets Saturday Afternoon

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Seeking to snap a three-game skid, Clarke football welcomes in the Graceland University Yellowjackets on Saturday with kickoff set for 1 p.m. at Dalzell Field. Tickets start at eight dollars and can be purchased via the tickets link on the Clarke Athletics homepage. 

Saturday will serve as Senior Day for the Pride and 24 seniors will be recognized during a pregame on-field ceremony 40 minutes before kickoff. The seniors who will be recognized are as follows: Patrick Angelo, Shawn Buhr, Sean Ceasar, Jaydon Dennis, Aaron Fernandez, Joey Fragoso, Dejon Harris, Darius Hernandez, Anthony Hughes, Ron Jones, Anthony King, Kejuan Lankin, Jeremy Lennox, Courtney Mables, Alex Manuel, Derryl Meeks, Victor Moreno, Griffin Mulcahy, Kenneth Murray, Parker Ostrander, Logan Otting, Alex Schaad, Kenneth Spaight, and Drew Watters 

The Pride (3-5 overall, 0-2 Heart North) fell 41-21 last weekend to the Culver-Stockton Wildcats. Quarterback Brandon Mueller threw three first half touchdown passes and finished 15 of 25 for 163 yards. Defensively, Clarke was led by safety Kenneth Spaight with six total tackles. 

The Series

The Pride lead the all-time series at three games to none. The last meeting took place on Oct. 30, 2021, a 37-14 decision for the Pride. QB Kenyon Williams threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Craig Elmore rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Wideout Max Steffen caught both of Williams' touchdown throws, including a 55-yard bomb that put the Pride up 30-0 deep into the third quarter. Griffin Mulcahy led the defense with nine tackles, including one for a loss and a sack.

Graceland at a Glance

The Yellowjackets (2-6, 0-2) are in the midst of a four-game losing streak, with its latest loss coming at the hands of Grand View, 48-7, last weekend. Freshman QB Judd Roberts will get the starting nod and has passed for 347 yards and a touchdown on 29 of 57 passing. RB Adarius Thomas has rushed for 227 yards and two scores, while quarterback Cade Ross has four scores and 30 yards on 38 attempts. Freshman WR Gerald Monroe leads the NAIA with 75 receptions and 1,238 yards, while his 12 touchdowns are the second-most in the country. 

The biggest weakness for Graceland is their defensive play. Through eight games, Graceland's defense has given up the most points (42.4), total yards (475), passing yards (295.5) and rushing yards (179.5) per game in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Freshman linebacker Jacob Morales leads the team in total tackles with 46, followed by fellow freshman LB Gunner Hollis with 37. Freshman defensive lineman Cohen Fuller is the team leader in sacks with four, while sharing the lead in tackles for loss with Hollis at six. Defensive back John L'Heureux leads with two interceptions, while seven different Yellowjackets are tied for the team lead in forced fumbles at one apiece. 

Storylines to Follow

Next Man Up

Kenyon Williams will get the start on Saturday for the Pride, marking his first of the season. Last year, the junior out of San Diego, Calif., saw action in all 11 games with 10 starts, throwing for 1,344 yards and 10 touchdown passes over that span. On the season, Williams is 11 for 17 passing for 132 yards and two scores.   

Wyer's Day

Sophomore wideout Jayden Wyer had a career day last Saturday against Culver-Stockton. The Houston, Texas native tailed career bests of seven catches for 115 yards against the Wildcats, which included a career-long 42-yard reception. Wyer's performance is just the third instance of a Pride receiver eclipsing the 100-yard mark this season, with Gabe Deadwiler having two to his name earlier in the year. 

Gonzalez Island

Defensive back Johel Gonzalez has taken his game to new heights by recording back-to-back seasons with at least five interceptions. Through eight games this season, Gonzalez is tied for second in the nation with his five picks. 

Follow the Pride

For the latest information on Pride football, visit ClarkePride.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube