Box Score DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque football won their 13th consecutive Key City Clash on Saturday at the Rock Bowl over the Loras College Duhawks 49-42. The Spartans jumped out to an early lead only to watch the Duhawks battle back to keep it close. The Spartans never lost the lead in the game for first year head coach Ryan Maiuri.

Since the City of Dubuque played a key role in the early development of the state, Dubuque is often referred as "The Key City". The winner of the Key City Clash will proudly display the traveling trophy for the following year at their school. One side of the key is painted blue and white to represent the University of Dubuque while the other is painted purple and gold for Loras College. The winner of the annual game gains possession of the "Key to the City". The wooden key presented to the winner each year is six feet in length. The Spartans have won 13 consecutive and lead the Key City Clash series 13-3.

In the spirit of sportsmanship and mutual respect, and in a desire to give back to their local community the University of Dubuque and Loras College have in the past contributed a portion of proceeds from the Key City Clash event to a local non-profit organization. Organizations who have received donations from the game are: United Way (2008), Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Eastern Iowa (2009), the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dubuque (2010), Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque Flood Relief (2011), Riverview Center (2012), Opening Doors Maria House-Teresa Shelter (2013), the Gabriel Project (2014), and the Dubuque Dream Center (2015), the Gabriel Project (2016), the Red Cross Hurricane Relief (2017), and Childhood Cancer Awareness and with proceeds going to help UD assistant baseball coach Andrew Redman and his family, whose 18-month-old son Everett, was diagnosed with a baseball size tumor on June 28, 2023.

KEY CITY CLASH HISTORY
2008 – Loras College won 42-6 at Rock Bowl
2009 – Loras College won 43-14 at Chalmers Field
2010 – Loras College won 14-6 at Rock Bowl
2011 – University of Dubuque won 41-16 at Chalmers Field
2012 – University of Dubuque won 45-0 at Rock Bowl
2013 - University of Dubuque won 56-0 at Chalmers Field
2014 - University of Dubuque won 34-7 at Rock Bowl
2015 - University of Dubuque won 42-7 at Chalmers Field
2016 - University of Dubuque won 60-22 at Rock Bowl
2017 - University of Dubuque 27-24 at Chalmers Field
2018 - University of Dubuque won 49-42 at Rock Bowl
2019 - University of Dubuque 37-31 at Chalmers Field
2020 - No Game COVID-19
2021 - University of Dubuque 17-14 at Chalmers Field
2022 - University of Dubuque 27-20 in OT at Rock Bowl
2023 - University of Dubuque 35-23 at Chalmers Field
2024 - University of Dubuque 49-42 at Rock Bowl

Saturday's contest was an offensive shootout by both teams. UD jumped out to an early 14-0 lead after two touchdown passes from quarterback Ben Gultig. He found Za'Cameron Brice from two yards for the first score of the game at 11:05, a 10 plays, 72 yards drive in 3:51. His second touchdown was a seven yard pass to Jamari Jenkins at 6:58. Loras tied the game up in the second quarter 14-14. The Spartans responded with three consecutive touchdowns to extend UD's lead 34-14. Loras scored twice before halftime to slice into UD's lead 34-28.

The two teams played defense in the third with neither team scoring a point. UD scored first in the final period and would swap scoring possessions with each team scoring twice in the last quarter of play.  Those final four scores were all under 2:33, the Spartans scored in 1:58 of possession after five plays, 25 yards pass to Brice. Loras scored in 2:33 on seven plays 73 yards drive. UD scored in :51 after three plays, 75 yard drive on a 28 yard pass to Wade Sheets. Loras made it within a score after using just :10 on a one pass play drive from 61 yards. 

UD gained 71 yards on the ground and compiled 488 yards through the air for a total of 559 yards. The Duhawks pounded out 79 yards on the ground and passed for 359 yards for a total of 438 yards.  The host Duhawks edged out the Spartans in time of possession 31:21 to 28:39. UD scored on 4-7 red zone chances and forced three fumbles and three interceptions in the victory.

Ben Gultig completed 25-45 chances for 488 yards and six touchdowns with his longest completion being for 79 yards. His favorite target was Brice who caught 11 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Wade Sheets caught four passes for 124 yards and a touchdown and teammate Hunter Preston caught five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. UD's ground attack was led by Tyler Olejniczak who ran 16 times for 57 yards and Noah Roling who ran for nine yards and 32 yards. 

Channing Williams led the defensive unit with 11 tackles. Mike Westbrooks had eight, CJ Dean tackled seven times, and the duo of Etwood Williams and Jerome Wilson grabbed five tackles each. Dalton Wood highlighted the defense once again with a pick six from 30 yards. Wilson had one interception fo 10 yards and Sheik-Nuur Haji added a third interception. UD's defense ended the afternoon with three sacks for 17 yards and seven tackles for losses of 31 yards.

In special teams, Dean punted four times for 130 yards and Ben Gultig punted once for 37 yards and placed the ball inside the 20 yard line. Blake Heffron returned two kickoffs for 75 yards and Kali Freeman returned one kickoff for 12 yards. Joseph Xiya kicked off times for 465 yards, 5-6 in extra points, and missed a 30 yard field goal in the third quarter.

The Spartans (3-3 overall, 3-1 in A-R-C) will host the Central College Dutch (5-2 overall, 3-2 in A-R-C) next week, Oct. 26 at Chalmers Field at 1:00 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 19 scores:
UD-49 at Loras-42
Luther-3 at Central-56
Coe-50 at NWU-0
Simpson-21 at Wartburg-46
BVU bye week