With the only 1998 loss coming from the Dutch and being denied a playoff berth, the sour taste still lingered as the Knights came ready and inspired to play. The Knights kicked off and an energized Wartburg defense limited Central to six plays on the first driving, forcing Central to punt.

Wartburg then marched the ball 78 yards down the field with the drive ending on a Justin Beatty touchdown from two yards out. Central then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Knights recovered the fumble scored two plays later when quarterback Matt Wheeler connected with receiver Ryan Rausch for a 27-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-0 lead.

Central got back into the game on a 75-yard touchdown strike to put the visitors on the scoreboard. Wartburg answered back when Rausch caught his second touchdown pass of the day. Central used a big second quarter to tie the ballgame at 21 going into the locker room at halftime.

The second half was all Knights. Wartburg lived up to its billing of being a second-half team.

Senior defensive end Anthony Souhrada summed it up for the defense when he said, "In the first half we got beat on some big plays, but in the second half we tried to cut back on our mistakes and we got it going. I think we've been a second-half team all year, and we showed it today."

Souhrada and the under-rated defense were a huge factor in the second half. They limited Central to only four first downs and 64 yards. They got key interceptions from defensive back Dave Devine and linebacker Jeremy Rummel. Central, who had the second best rushing offense in the conference coming into Saturday's game, only managed 66 yards on 32 carries.

While the Knights pitched a second half shutout except for a safety when a punt snap went out of the end zone, the Wartburg offense put up big numbers against a defense ranked first in the nation in pass defense efficiency. Wheeler continued his fine season and career, leading the Knights in racking up 512 total yards, the most ever allowed by a Central defense. Wheeler completed 18 of 32 passes for 316 yards and four touchdown passes. One of the touchdown passes was a 37-yard strike to Tim Flynn, who outraced the Dutch defense to the end zone, putting the Knights up 33-23.

The overshadowed Knight offensive line had a great day in the trenches, protecting Wheeler while he picked apart the Central defense. Dave Rewerts, Joel Demro, Joel Rochford, Justin Galbraith and Pete Knoebel also paved the way for running backs.

It was a great day for Knight football, winning one of the biggest games in school history. The Knights are guaranteed at least a share of the Iowa Conference title and a playoff berth as they take on Upper Iowa Saturday in Fayette.