(Peru, Neb.) – The third-ranked Missouri Valley College Vikings showed the Peru State College Bobcat football team why they are the top team in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) and among the best in the NAIA. 
 
The Vikings ran past Peru State on Saturday 67-13 to improve to 8-0 overall and 7-0 in the HAAC.  The loss dropped the Bobcats below .500 at 4-5 and 2-5 in the conference.
 
Game Action
 
Mo Valley forced the Bobcats into a three and out and forced PSC to punt.  Peru State's punt only went 27 yards and the Vikings started on the Bobcats' 46-yard line.  Six plays later, which included a Bobcat penalty, MVC scored and took a 7-0 lead with 10:01 left in the first quarter.
 
On the next Bobcat series, PSC did manage to get a first down and then went for it on the ensuing fourth down.  The Vikings stopped the Bobcat try and took over again on PSC's 46-yard line.  This time it took the Vikings seven plays to score and MVC ran for the conversion giving them a 15-0 lead with 4:04 remaining in the first period.
 
The Bobcats did get a better starting position of the game as Taylor McAllister (Plattsmouth) took the return 28 yards to PSC's 32-yard line.  After another three and out, the Vikings blocked the Peru State punt and took over again in the Bobcats' territory on their 40-yard line.  Another six plays resulted in a Viking touchdown pass.  The PAT was good and MVC led 22-0 at the 14:53 mark in the second quarter.
 
Another good return by McAllister of 22 yards gave the Bobcats their starting field position for their fourth possession at the 25-yard line.  After some good defensive plays by MVC, the Bobcats had to punt again.  Jacob Grobe (Oakland, Iowa) did get off a 36-yard punt that forced the Vikings to start their fourth possession in their own territory at their 41-yard line. 
 
The Bobcats did stop the Vikings and forced them to punt for the first time in the game.  J.D. Faxon (Odell) returned the punt 13 yards giving the Bobcats the ball on their own 37-yard line.  After two incomplete passes, Brandon Dinslage (Clarkson) grabbed a pass from Bo Shepard (Gretna) for five yards, but it was not enough for a first down, forcing PSC to punt again.
 
After it appeared the Bobcats were going to again stop MVC, on third and seven, the Vikings connected for a 45-yard touchdown pass.  The point after was good and the Bobcats trailed 29-0 with 8:27 left in the first half.
 
On the 'Cats next possession, Shepard was intercepted and Mo Valley took over on PSC's 23-yard line.  Another Viking touchdown would become the result and with 6:53 left in the half, MVC led 36-0.
 
Another good kickoff return by McAllister gave PSC a starting position on their 28-yard line.  Tyler Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) had carries of nine and five to give the Bobcats their second first down of the game.  Following a Viking penalty, Shepard carried for a first down into Mo Valley territory at their 44-yard line – the first time of the game.  Shepard had his site on his receiver on the next play, but MVC picked off their second interception at the four-yard line.  The Vikings marched the ball down the field and eventually scored on a one-yard touchdown pass making it 43-0 with 43 ticks left in the first half.
 
In the second half, MVC took the opening kickoff and marched the ball down the field for another score.  The Vikings took six minutes off the clock and led 50-0 with 8:59 left in the third.
 
On PSC's first possession of the second half, after a couple of plays, Shepard was sacked inside the five-yard line and the ball popped out.  Mo Valley grabbed the fumble and the Bobcats did stop the Vikings from scoring a touchdown, forcing a field goal.  With 6:28 left in the third, MVC led 53-0.
 
McAllister took the next kickoff out 24 yards for the Bobcats to start their next possession on their own 28-yard line.  Following a short gain by Shepard, Nate Tromblee (Lincoln) gained ten yards on the next play moving it to the 42-yard line.  Following a penalty, Ryan Ludlow (Plattsmouth) carried for six yards and then grabbed a pass from Shepard that was good for eight yards and a PSC first down.  A short gain was followed by a great catch by Lance Steffen (Murdock) which was good for eight yards giving PSC a third and one.  Tromblee then rambled for 20 yards down to the Vikings' 17-yard line.  A loss rushing was followed by a short gain by Ludlow.
 
The third quarter ended and the teams headed to the other end of the field.  Ludlow bulldozed his way down to the one-yard line on the first play of the last quarter.  A timeout was called and on the first down, Ludlow was stopped short.  On second down, Ludlow went in for Peru State's first score of the day with 13:59 left in the game.  Levi Cockle's (Lincoln) point after was good and the 'Cats trailed 53-7.
 
On the Vikings' next possession, after getting a good kickoff return, it took MVC ten plays to score a touchdown.  With the PAT, Mo Valley led 60-7 with 10:31 left in the game.
 
Peru State was forced to punt on their next possession and the punt was returned by Mo Valley for a 67-yard touchdown.  With 8:50 left in the game, the Bobcats trailed 67-7.
 
The Bobcats had their second string offense in and did get a first down on their next possession.  The Vikings did force the 'Cats to punt, but Cody Sullivan (Firth) recovered a Viking fumbled punt at MVC's 18-yard line.  On the first play following the fumble recovery, Marshall Klontz (Auburn, Wash.) found Brendan Whitted (St. Louis, Mo.) in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown.  For Klontz, it was his first touchdown pass as a Bobcat while it was also Whitted's first touchdown reception.  Back-to-back penalties forced the PAT to be wide.  With 4:36 left, PSC trailed 67-13.
 
Missouri Valley did have an opportunity to score on the final possession of the game, but went into the victory formation down near PSC's goal line as the game ended.
 
Game Statistics
 
MVC totally dominated the team statistics as they finished the game with 489 total yards compared to PSC's 147 yards.  The Vikings came into the game as the NAIA's second-best team in total defense per game allowing 238.1 yards per game so their average will improve after their dominating defensive effort.
 
The Vikings gained 297 yards in the air and 192 yards on the ground while PSC managed 103 rushing yards and had 44 yards passing.  MVC had 30 first downs compared to PSC's nine.  Both teams lost one fumble, but the Bobcats were intercepted twice.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Ludlow finished the day gaining just 46 yards, but had one touchdown.  With that touchdown, Ludlow became the Bobcats' single season leader for the most touchdowns scored with 21, breaking an 85-year old record set by Ray Fort in 1927.
 
Tromblee finished with 36 yards while Shepard added 31.
 
Shepard finished with 26 yards passing completing five of 13 attempts, but was intercepted twice.  Klontz was one for two for 18 yards with one touchdown.
 
Whitted, Ludlow, Steffen, Dinslage, Shane Lloyd (Ridge Crest, Calif.), and Audsley each had one reception.  Whitted's 18-yard reception was the longest and was for a touchdown.
 
With MVC's scoring, McAllister was able to rack up 222 yards on kick-off returns.
 
Defensively, Preston Bruss (Bennet) had ten total tackles to lead the 'Cats, including five solo.  Sullivan finished with seven – six solo and had one tackle for a loss of one yard, one fumble recovery, and one pass break-up. 
 
Zach Lempka (Sterling) also contributed seven tackles while Logan Paben (Columbus), Curtis Larsen (Plattsmouth), and Adrian Lawson (Lincoln) each adding five tackles.

MISSOURI VALLEY BOX SCORE
 
KNCY Player of the Game
 
Sullivan was named the KNCY Player of the Game for his defensive effort.    Sullivan said, “Missouri Valley was very fast.  Knowing I was playing today, I tried to learn from my mistakes made early in the year, so I was ready to step in to play today.”
 
Coach Schneider Comments
 
Bobcat head coach Steve Schneider gave props to the Missouri Valley team following the ballgame.  Schneider said, “Missouri Valley is a very good team.  We knew that going in.  However, we did not play up to our level.  Obviously, I did not have the team ready to go so the onus is on me for not having us ready.”
 
Discussing the game, Schneider added, “Mo Valley had a short field almost every time in the first half.  And, we did not do much offensively, so they kept getting good field position and kept scoring.”
 
When asked if MVC could go deep in the playoffs, Schneider noted they should be able to do so.  Schneider concluded, “They are a very good team and have the components necessary to do well this year in the playoffs.”
 
Upcoming Game
 
Next week, the Bobcats will be playing their “home” game at the Pioneer Field in Nebraska City, due to the renovation of the Oak Bowl.  The opponents will be the NAIA's 13^th-ranked team, the MidAmerica Nazarene University Pioneers.  The Pioneers are 6-2 overall and 6-1 in the HAAC and defeated Graceland on Saturday 55-0 for their Homecoming.
 
Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.