By ERIC PRATT

Sports Editor

Iowa Central head coach Kevin Twait feels his team's margin for error in the final four weeks of the regular season is virtually zero.

His players responded with a performance worthy of such lofty standards here Sunday.

The Tritons (4-2 overall, 3-2 in the Midwest Football Conference) racked up over 400 ayards of total offense - including more than 300 on the ground - while ramping up their defense in a 42-7 rout of Harper (2-4, 2-4) inside a frosty Dodger Stadium.

Standout tailback Wilmot Wellington rushed for 162 more yards - right at his season average, which ranks among the best in the country - and quarterback Terrance Johnson scrambled for two of Iowa Central's five rushing touchdowns in the lopsided victory. Meanwhile, a defensive unit which was surrendering 29 points per game and had given up 49 in a loss at No. 8 Grand Rapids a week ago blanketed the Hawks all afternoon long.

''We needed this,'' Twait admitted afterward. ''Our backs are against the wall, so to speak. If we want to get into the (MFC West) playoff game (Nov. 7) and keep our bowl streak alive, we can't afford to slip up anymore.

''It all started up front. I thought we totally dominated both lines of scrimmage. Our red-zone offense was terrific, and defensively, we got back to our bend but don't break philosophy that has worked so well for us through the years.''

Each of the previous five contests between Iowa Central and Harper had been decided by five points or less, but that trend ended in a hurry yesterday. The Tritons pitched a first-half shutout in building a 14-0 halftime lead, then tacked on the final three touchdowns of the day for good measure after the Hawks finally got on the board and climbed within 20-7 early in the third quarter.

Harper had five drives stall in Iowa Central territory, including three in the red zone with a turnover on downs, a missed field goal and a fumble. Sophomore defensive tackle Levi Morris had three sacks and another tackle for loss, while freshman linebacker Dudley Bickham recovered a fumble and added a sack of his own. Sophomore Shane Pudenz chipped in an interception, and Cody Hudson brought down Hawk quarterback Pat Czerwiec for a loss as well.

''We had a lot of kids really step up and do a fine job defensively,'' Twait said. ''To beat a team, you usually have to make them one-dimensional. I thought our defense did that in the second half.''

Wellington, who has accumulated 928 yards in just six games, made an impressive 37-yard dash to paydirt early in the second period. He spun off of a defender and darted up the middle of the field for the Tritons' second TD.

Johnson, a freshman signal-caller from Patterson, La., hit Curtis Hubbell for a 24-yard touchdown strike to get the ball rolling with 4:06 left in the first quarter. He found Hubbell on a 42-yard bomb that eventually led to Wellington's second score from seven yards out as well.

Johnson also took a bootleg 22 yards to the end zone, and capped his day with a seven-yard TD in the early stages of the fourth period.

''Terrance makes good decisions, and he can hurt a team with his arm or his legs,'' Twait said. ''He has thrown only one interception and completed over 60 percent of his passes.

''As for (Wellington), we've had a lot of great backs here - All-Americans even - but I wouldn't necessarily rank any of them ahead of Wilmot.''

Darrelynn Dunn put the exclamation point on the triumph by rushing for 70 yards and a short touchdown burst on the squad's final drive.

Iowa Central visits DuPage (3-4, 2-4) Saturday, before hosting Rock Valley (1-6, 0-6) on Oct. 24.

Contact Eric Pratt at (515) 573-2141, or by e-mail at sports@messengernews.net