(Peru, Neb.) – The football prognosticators predicted a close one between 16^th-ranked William Penn (WPU) and Peru State, who was receiving votes, on Saturday. The two teams had beaten the same four teams by similar scores and had lost to the same two teams heading in the ESPN3 matchup. And the prognosticators were right.
 
The Statesman controlled the clock for almost ten minutes more than Peru State and came away with a 34-31 victory. With the win, William Penn improves to 5-2 and 1-0 in the Heart North while the 'Cats fell to 4-3 and 0-1.
 
First Quarter Action
 
The Bobcats took advantage of a Statesmen fumble which was forced by Elijah Lavalais-Hawkins (Omaha) and recovered by Jon Draeger (Dunbar) on WPU's 37-yard line. After three short rushing plays, the 'Cats decided to go for it on fourth and one. On the play, quarterback Tyler Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) ran a keeper up the middle for a 28-yard touchdown run. Greg Conry's (Harlan, Iowa) kick was good and Peru State led 7-0 at the 11:36 mark in the first quarter.
 
On William Penn's next possession, the Statesmen ran 11 consecutive running plays and went 82 yards to score taking 4:49 off the clock. The PAT was good and with 6:47 left in the first, the game was tied 7-7. 
Second Quarter Action
 
WPU forced Peru State to punt after six plays on their next possession with nearly four minutes left in the first quarter. The Statesmen took over on their 31-yard line. Again, William Penn put together a complete rushing drive and eventually scored 13 plays later taking over six minutes off the clock. After the PAT, the Statesmen led 14-7 with 12:45 left in the first half.
 
The teams traded possessions which included Peru State recovering a WPU fumble to start one of their drives which eventually resulted in a punt. The Statesmen were driving and had a first down at Peru State's 22–yard line nullified with a holding penalty which forced a punt with 3:13 remaining in the half.
 
Peru State took over on their 45-yard line after a 23-yard punt return by Logan Paben (Columbus). The Bobcats managed to get one first down to move into WPU's side of the ball to the 43-yard. After a Peru State timeout, a pass attempt was broken up. With one second left on the clock, Conry connected on a 51-yard field goal to close the gap to 14-10. Conry's kick is one of the longest in Bobcat history, but not the record. 
Third Quarter Action
 
The Statesmen held Peru State to three-and-out to start the second half and then blocked the punt, recovering the ball on the Bobcats' 13-yard line. WPU was called for a holding penalty, but on the next play, went 23 yards for a score. With 12:42 left in the third, WPU led 21-10.
 
After an excellent kick-off return by Colton Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) of 37 yards to Peru State's 48-yard line, on the next play, the Statesmen sacked the Bobcat quarterback. A fumble was forced with WPU recovering it and taking it in for a touchdown. Their PAT attempt was blocked by Nolan Siemonsma (Plattsmouth), but WPU led 27-10 with 12:12 remaining in the third.
 
But, the Bobcats would not give up.
 
Colton Audsley set the 'Cats up in good field position after taking the kickoff back 70 yards to WPU's 12-yard line. The first play resulted in a loss of two yards before the next play got those two yards back. On third down and ten, pass interference was called on the Statesmen putting Peru State on the two-yard line. On the next play, Nate Tromblee (Lincoln) took the ball into the end zone for the touchdown. After Conry put the kick through the uprights, the score was now 27-17 Statesmen with 10:27 left in the third.
 
William Penn came back on their next possession and went 72 yards in 17 plays to score while taking 8:32 off the clock. With 1:55 remaining in the third, the Statesmen again led by 17 at 34-17.
 
While that would be the score at the end of third quarter, Peru State started their next drive in the third stanza. After a five-yard run by Tyler Audsley, Tromblee gained six on the next play for a first down. Another short carry was followed by an Audsley pass to James Sluka (Milligan) which resulted in 39 yards and put Peru State in the red zone at WPU's 11-yard line.
 
That is where the third quarter ended. 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Tromblee gained five yards and then went the rest of the distance on the next play for his second touchdown of the game. Conry's kick was good and with 14:22 left in the game, Peru State was back within ten at 34-24.
 
The Bobcat defense did force the Statesmen to punt on their next possession as they stopped WPU at the Peru State 40-yard line. A good punt was downed at Peru State's five-yard line.
 
With 10:23 on the clock, the Bobcats started their drive deep in their own territory. On the first play, Peru State caught the Statesmen on their heels as Audsley completed a 40-yard pass to A.J. Flodman (Hickman). After three rush plays resulted in a fourth and five, the 'Cats went for it and it was Tyler Audsley to Colton Audsley for 15 yards putting the Bobcats into WPU's territory at the 35-yard line. On the next play, WPU stopped the runner for a six-yard loss. But the Audsley brothers hooked up again on second down, this time good for 25 yards. Peru State was again in the red zone at WPU's 16-yard line. On the next play, Audsley found Ricardo Williams (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) for a 16-yard passing touchdown. After Conry kicked the PAT, the 'Cats were back within three at 34-31 with 6:13 left on the clock.
 
The Statesmen took over at that point and put together enough first downs to run the time off the clock to preserve the win.

WILLIAM PENN GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
What could be one of the biggest differences in the game was the number of plays run by the Statesmen, as well as, the time of possession. WPU ran 81 plays compared to Peru State's 46 and the Statesmen had the ball 11 minutes longer the 'Cats.
 
WPU had 27 first downs compared to the Bobcats' 12 and out-gained Peru State 375 to 262. The Statesmen did most of their damage on the ground as they rushed for 358 yards and only completed one pass for 17 yards. The Bobcats actually went to the air successfully as they were 8 of 12 for 166 yards and added 96 on the ground.
 
Peru State won the turnover battle as they recovered two Statesmen fumbles while the Bobcats lost one.
 
The game was pretty clean from flags as the 'Cats were only flagged once for 15 yards while WPU had five penalties for 45 yards.
 
Offensive Statistics
 
Tyler Audsley was eight of 12 passing for 166 yards with one touchdown. He also was the team's leading rusher with 49 net yards on 18 attempts and one touchdown. Tromblee had 35 yards on nine carriers and two touchdowns.
 
Colton Audsley was the leading receiver with three catches good for 47 yards. Jake Coughlin (Omaha) had two receptions, while Flodman, Sluka, and Williams each had one catch with Williams having the touchdown reception.
 
Special Team Statistics
 
Colton Audsley had four kick-off returns for 134 yards with his 70-yard return setting up Peru State's second touchdown. Paben had the lone punt return for 23 yards.
 
Conry was perfect in his place-kicking making all four PATs and his 51-yard field goal – one of the longest in Bobcat history.
 
Defensive Statistics
 
Briar Burr (Wood River) came up big again defensively with 16 total tackles – four solo. Lavalais-Hawkins finished with 13 tackles – four solo with one tackle for a loss of three yards and one forced fumble. Tom Martig (Omaha) had a career-high 12 total tackles – five solo. Paben also had five solo tackles and finished the game with eight total. Darius Finley (Roanoke, Ala.) had two pass break-ups to go with his six tackles. Besides Draeger, Matt O'Neill (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) also had a fumble recovery.
 
Upcoming Game
 
Peru State will face its fifth-ranked foe in a row next week when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on Grand View University. The Vikings were ranked fifth in the NAIA last week, but were challenged yesterday on the road before defeating Graceland 19-13 to improve to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the Heart North Division. Grand View has won six straight after starting the season with a loss to Baker which is also 6-1 and currently ranked fourth in the NAIA.