(Peru, Neb.) – Playing on the Pioneer Field at Nebraska City High School, the Peru State College (PSC) Bobcat football team gave the 12^th-ranked MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) Pioneers everything they could, but fell 38-28.
 
The game was played in Nebraska City due to the start of the $14.5 million dollar renovation of the historic Oak Bowl on PSC's campus.  With the win, MNU improved to 7-2 overall and 7-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC).   MNU solidified at least a share of second place in the HAAC.
 
The loss drops Peru State of 4-6 overall and 2-6 in the HAAC, good for a tie for seventh in the conference with Central Methodist University, a team PSC defeated earlier in the season.
 First Half Action
 
The 'Cats won the toss and decided to take the ball first.  MNU held PSC to a three and out and took over on their 43-yard line.  Nine plays and 3:20 later, the Pioneers were on the board after kicking a 25-yard field goal.  With 9:34 left in the first quarter, it was 3-0 MNU.
 
After another Bobcat three and out, MNU put together a seven-play drive resulting in a touchdown giving the Pioneers a 10-0 advantage with 6:15 to go in the first.
 
When it started to look a little bleak for PSC, the Bobcats put together an 11-play drive taking 5:35 off the clock with quarterback Bo Shepard (Gretna) tossing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Lance Steffen (Murdock).  Levi Cockle's (Lincoln) PAT was good and with 32 seconds to go in the first quarter, PSC now trailed 10-7. 
 MNU came right back to put another score on the board.  This ten-play drive went 67 yards and took 3:53 off the clock.  At the 11:39 mark in the second quarter, the Pioneers were on top 17-7.
 
Both teams' defenses stiffened as each team traded two different possessions.  On MNU's second possession, they decided to go for it on their 38-yard line.  The fourth and seven attempt resulted in a sack by Ivan Rosales (Doral, Fla.) for a loss of 13 yards. 
 
Shepard gained one first down with a 12-yard run taking it to MNU's 13-yard line.  Ryan Ludlow (Plattsmouth) then took the handoff from Shepard and went into the end zone from 13 yards out.  Cockle's PAT was good and the 'Cats were back within three at 17-14 with 2:52 to go in the first half.
 
The Pioneers' quick-strike offense struck again going 64 yards in six plays and taking less than two minutes off the clock to go back on top 24-14 with 54 seconds left in the half.
 
However, Peru State came right back and showed a quick-strike offense of its own.  Shepard found Steffen for a 53-yard gain down to the 22-yard line of MNU.  Following two short gains by Ludlow, Tyler Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) picked up 15 yards and a PSC first down to the Pioneers' four-yard line.  Following a timeout, Shepard found Shane Lloyd (Ridge Crest, Calif.) in the end zone for a four-yard touchdown pass.  Cockle's PAT was good at halftime, PSC trailed MNU 24-21.
 Second Half Action
 
MNU took the second half kickoff and in 2:20, the Pioneers went 72 yards in four plays to go back on top by ten at 31-21 with 12:40 left in the third quarter.
 
Again, the Bobcats were able to come back and add a score of their own.  A good mixture of passes and seven rushing attempts by Ludlow took nearly eight minutes off the clock that culminated by Shepard's three-yard scamper into the end zone.  Another PAT by Cockle made it 31-28 Pioneers with 4:41 left in the third.
 
On the Pioneers' next possession, it looked like they would get at least a field goal, but the attempt was blocked by Zach Lempka (Sterling) early in the fourth quarter.
 
The 'Cats took over on their ten-yard line and had a couple of first downs before being forced to punt. 
 
The Pioneers added one more score on their next possession, their longest drive in terms of time as they went 58 yards in 12 plays, taking nearly six minutes off the clock.  With 4:29 left in the game, MNU now led 38-28. 
 
Peru State took over after the kickoff on their 32-yard line.  The Bobcats were able to manage one first down and went for it on fourth and ten, but were unsuccessful.  MNU did move the ball down the field and attempted another field goal that was wide left.
 
An MNU interception stopped PSC's final attempt to score and the Pioneers kneeled down to preserve their 38-28 victory.
 
Team Statistics
  MNU had 25 first downs compared to PSC's 19.  The Pioneers held the advantage in both rushing and passing.  MNU finished with 241 net yards rushing while the 'Cats had 151.  In passing, the Pioneers gained 268 yards through the air as the Bobcats had 154.
 
Neither team had a fumble, but PSC gave up an interception at the end of the game.  MNU only punted once for 41 yards while Jacob Grobe (Oakland, Iowa) punted five times for PSC averaging 35.4 yards.
 
The time of possession was nearly even with Peru State holding a slight edge in time.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Ludlow carried the ball 22 times for 101 yards net and scored one touchdown.  Audsley and Shepard both gained 26 yards on the ground with Shepard scoring on touchdown rushing.
 
Shepard had one of his better days passing in terms of percentage as he made 14 of 20 attempts with two touchdowns.
 
Two Bobcats finished with three catches.  Brandon Dinslage (Clarkson) and Ryan Twehous (Central City) respectively gained 27 and 18 yards on their three grabs.  Steffen finished with 73 yards on two catches with one touchdown while Lloyd had two grabs for 13 yards and a touchdown reception.  Ludlow and Nate Tromblee (Lincoln) each had two catches coming out of the backfield.
 
Four Bobcats finished in double figures with tackles.  Preston Bruss (Bennet) led the team with 12 tackles – two solo.  Bruss had one tackle for a loss of three yards and had one pass breakup. 
 
Curtis Larsen (Plattsmouth) and Chase Bloomquist (Wausa) each had 11 tackles.  Larsen had four solo and added one-half sack and one-half tackle for a loss of one and one-half yards.  Bloomquist finished with two solo tackles.
 
Leading the team in solo tackles was Cody Sullivan (Firth).  Sullivan had five solo and five assisted tackles in the game.  
Lempka finished with nine tackles – two solo.   In addition, Lempka had one-half sack for a loss of one and one-half yards and had a tackle for a loss of one and one-half yards.  Also, Lempka had one pass break-up and blocked one of MNU's field goal attempts.
 
Neil Bowman (Cedar Bluffs) and Adrian Lawson (Lincoln) both finished with eight tackles.  Bowman had one solo tackle while Lawson was credited with a pass break-up.

MNU BOX SCORE
 
Record Update
 
With his 101 yards in the game, Ludlow now has 1,154 for the season that moves him into fourth on the individual single season top ten in rushing yards.  In addition, Ludlow added to his single season rushing touchdown record and now has 20 for the year. 
 
With his touchdown on Saturday, Ludlow broke the individual single season scoring mark of 127 points set by Ray Fort in 1927.  Ludlow has 132 points.  It should be noted that Fort scored his points in eight games while Ludlow has done his in ten.
 
Final Game
 
Peru State will be on the road for its final game of the 2012 campaign.  On Saturday, Nov. 10, the 'Cats will travel to Kansas City, Mo., to take on the Avila University Eagles.  Avila is 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the HAAC.  The Eagles' lone conference win was over Culver-Stockton and are on a three-game losing streak.  On Saturday, Nov. 3, Avila fell at Graceland 16-14.
 
Last season, Avila knocked off the Bobcats in the Oak Bowl by three, 26-23.