(Peru, Neb.) – The Missouri Valley College (MVC) Vikings football team found themselves in a dog-fight when taking on the Peru State College (PSC) Bobcats in the Oak Bowl on Saturday afternoon.  The Vikings, ranked seventh in the NAIA, eventually won the ballgame 13-0, but not before the Bobcats had put a scare in them.
 
With the win, the Vikings improved to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC), keeping them in a first-place tie with Benedictine College and MidAmerica Nazarene University for the league lead.  The Bobcats fell to 2-6 overall and 2-5 in the HAAC with two conference games remaining.
 
First Half
 
Missouri Valley scored on their first possession of the game as they went seven plays and had a 41-yard touchdown pass.  With the PAT, the Vikings led 7-0.
 
The Vikings did attempt a 44-yard field goal which went wide right later in the first quarter.
 
Peru State missed a prime scoring opportunity late in the first half when defensive back Preston Bruss (Bennet) forced a fumble and recovered it on the Vikings' 10-yard line.    However, the Bobcats were unable to capitalize as they fumbled and gave it back to Mo Valley. 
 
The Bobcats would have one final opportunity to score again in the half as they held the Vikings and got the ball back at the MVC 48-yard line.  'Cat quarterback Jacob Grobe (Oakland, Iowa) threw a Hail Mary pass which was caught by Cole Gottula (Franklin) on the Vikings' two-yard line as time expired in the half.
 
Second Half
 
The teams traded possessions to begin the second half, which was followed by a Viking drive that began on their own 29-yard line.  MVC drove down to the Bobcat one-yard and two chances to score, but the Bobcat defense stiffened and kept them out of the end zone.
 
Peru State gave the Vikings the ball back immediately as Grobe's pass out of the end zone was intercepted.  Again, the Bobcat defense forced the Vikings to punt.  Two plays later, a Bobcat fumble gave Mo Valley the ball on the 'Cats 30-yard line.  Another MVC touchdown pass followed, but the Bobcats blocked the point after keeping the score at 13-0.
 
The fourth quarter was scoreless, but the Bobcats did have one drive that it appeared they would score on, but the Vikings sacked the 'Cat quarterback on fourth down to squelch the threat.   Mo Valley then just ran out the clock and preserved the 13-0 win over Peru State.
 
Statistics
 
The final statistics showed that the game was close.  MVC finished with 15 first downs compared to PSC's 11.  The Vikings gained 204 yards on the ground and 118 through the air for 322 total yards.  PSC had 148 passing and 83 rushing for 231 total yards.
 
Missouri Valley won the turnover battle as they grabbed two Bobcat fumbles and one interception while only coughing up the ball once.
 
Ryan Ludlow  (Plattsmouth) and Grobe finished with 44 and 32 yards respectively on the ground.  Ludlow had the longest Bobcat rush of the day at 26 yards.
 
Grobe also had 46 yards through the air on one of two passing, but suffered the interception. Tyler Francis  (Lincoln) was 11 of 15 in the air for 102 yards.
Quentin Edelman (Sabetha, Kan.) had four receptions for 41 yards while Gottula and Joel Woodhead (North Platte) each had three grabs for 58 and 46 yards each.

Defensively, Bruss and Wade Halvorsen (Ravenna) led the Bobcats.   Besides his fumble recovery, Bruss had 13 total tackles, seven of which were solo.  Bruss also had two quarterback sacks for 21 yards.  Halvorsen had 11 total tackles, three solo, and a pass break-up.

Curtis Larsen (Plattsmouth) added nine tackles while Tony Bland  (Bellevue) and Sydney Shepler  (DeWitt) each finished with five.  Shepler was credited with a pass break-up.


Game Box Score


Next Game

The Bobcats will go on the road for the last time next Saturday as they take on another of teams tied at the top of the HAAC, MidAmerica Nazarene University.  The game, scheduled for 1 p.m., will be played in Olathe, Kan.