(Peru, Neb.) – It was senior day for 12 Bobcat seniors on Saturday in the Oak Bowl in one of the best days ever in November. It was a perfect setting to send those 12 seniors out in a good way and the Peru State football team did just that. And the 12 seniors all had a big hand in the 60-21 win over the visiting Culver-Stockton (C-SC) (Mo.) Wildcats.
 
With the win, which did see some injuries, Peru State improved to 5-5 on the season and 1-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) North Division. The Wildcats fell to 1-9 overall and are winless in the Heart North with four losses.
 
First Quarter Action
 
The Bobcats forced a three-and-out on the Wildcats' first possession forcing a punt. Trey Carr (Omaha) returned the punt 35 yards to the Culver-Stockton 26-yard line to start Peru State's first drive. After no gain on the first play, senior Eric Morrison-Smith (San Diego) ran for four yards. With a third and 6, Travis Carnahan (Wahoo) connected with Jacob Coughlin (Omaha) for a 22-yard touchdown pass. The point after attempt by senior Gabe Hoins (Papillion) was good and the 'Cats led 7-0 at the 11:26 mark in the first quarter.  
C-SC moved the ball down the field on their next possession, but the defense kept the Wildcats out of the end zone. Culver-Stockton was forced to attempt a 40-yard field goal which missed wide right.
 
Peru State took over on their 23-yard line after the missed field goal. After two unsuccessful running plays, Carnahan found Coughlin again for 24 yards and a first down at the Bobcats' 47-yard line. After an illegal procedure, Carnahan had a quarterback keeper that was good for 31 yards to the Wildcat 27-yard line. Unfortunately, Carnahan was injured on the play and came out of the game. Warren Johnson Jr. (Severn, Md.) came in to replace Carnahan and on the first play, hit Coughlin for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Hoins' PAT was good and Peru State now led 14-0 with 5:55 left in the first 15 minutes.
 
The Wildcats had a good kickoff return and started on their own 44-yard line. However, after one first down, C-SC decided to go for it, but senior Rashad Baker (Tempe, Ariz.) stopped the fourth down attempt with a sack.
 
Peru State would take over on the Wildcat 48-yard line. A good run was nullified by an illegal procedure on the Bobcats. This was followed by two Culver-Stockton offside penalties making it second and 15 for Peru State on their 47-yard line. On the next play, Johnson Jr. found David Bond (New Port Richey, Fla.) on the outside and threw a great pass which Bond took into the end zone for 53 yards. Another PAT by Hoins was good and Peru State led 21-0 with 1:53 left in the first quarter.  
Second Quarter Action
 
The Wildcats started their next possession in the first quarter. On the first play in the second quarter, C-SC was forced to punt and it was fair caught by Carr in Wildcat territory at the 28-yard line.
 
James Sluka (Milligan) carried the ball for four yards and then Morrison-Smith went for 16 yards for a first down to the Wildcats' 12-yard line. Morrison-Smith went five yards which was followed by a two-yard gain by Sluka. Morrison-Smith again carried for two-yards to set up a fourth and one at the Wildcat three-yard line. On the next play, Morrison-Smith took it into the end zone for the touchdown. Hoins nailed his PAT and it was now Peru State 28-0 at the 11:57 point in the second quarter.
 
Culver-Stockton was looking to score on their next possession, but Mardarius Adams (Lakeland, Fla.) intercepted a pass on Peru State's three-yard line. After two short carries, Peru State was facing a third and four and on the play, the Bobcats fumbled and the Wildcats took it in from nine yards out to get on the scoreboard. After the PAT was good, Culver-Stockton now trailed 28-7 with 9:23 left in the half.
 
Peru State started their next possession on their 20-yard line. After two rushing losses which brought up a third and 17, it appeared the Bobcats had completed a 20-yard pass for a first down. However, the play was brought back as there was a block in the back penalty. Again facing a third and 17 on their 13-yard line, new quarterback Dan Boshart (Wood River) found Bond who went the distance for an 87-yard passing touchdown. Hoins hit the PAT and Peru State was back up by 28 at 35-7 with 7:46 left in the second quarter.
 
The Wildcats were not quitting as on their next possession, they went 77 yards in 11 plays to score which came on a 33-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was good and now the Wildcats trailed 35-14 with 4:34 left in the half.
 
The Bobcats moved the ball down the field on their next possession, but had to attempt a 39-yard field goal which was blocked.
 
Culver-Stockton could not put anything together in their next drive and the half ended with the Bobcats leading 35-14.
 
Third Quarter Action
 
After Carr took the kickoff back 22 yards to set up the Bobcats on their 32-yard line, a sack by the Wildcats made it second and 17 for Peru State. A seven-yard gain by Justin Haystrand (New Port Richey, Fla.) made it third and ten. On the next play, Boshart found Coughlin for a 68-yard touchdown. The PAT was no good and Peru State led 41-14 with 13:39 left in the third quarter.
 
The teams traded two different possessions and on the Wildcats' third possession of the quarter, they had gained a couple of first downs and were out to their 40-yard line. On third and 12, Baker forced a fumble and senior defensive lineman Matt O'Neill (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) recovered it and returned it five yards to the Wildcat 25-yard line. O'Neill left the field with the ball in hand and on the very next play, Johnson Jr. found Sluka in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown pass. The PAT by Hoins was good and Peru State now led 48-14 with 1:35 left in the third period.
 
After a good kickoff return by the Wildcats, it only took them three plays to find the end zone. The PAT was good and Peru State now led 48-21 with 21 seconds left in the quarter.
Fourth Quarter Action
 
In Peru State's second possession of the third quarter, after one first down rushing by Boshart, he found Jacob Merrill (Elkhorn) for a 27-yard touchdown pass. The PAT attempt was blocked, but Peru State now led 54-21 with 10:37 left in the game.
 
Later in the quarter, the Wildcats did put together an extended drive which stalled on the Peru State 17-yard line. On the Bobcats' first play, Hoins, a former running back, went 62 yards into Culver-Stockton territory to the 21-yard line. After two short rushing attempts, Boshart took the quarterback keeper into the end zone from 20 yards out for what would be the final score of the game. The PAT was no good and Peru State led 60-21.

CULVER-STOCKTON GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The Bobcats amassed 610 total yards compared to 349 for the Wildcats. Peru State had 238 yards on the ground and a season-high 372 yards through the air. The Bobcats held Culver-Stockton to just 33 yards on the ground. The Wildcats did have more first downs – 22 to 18.
 
The 610 yards of total offense was the most of the season as was the 372 yards passing. Peru State had only had two previous games where they had thrown for more than 100 yards.
 
Both teams lost a fumble, but Peru State won the turnover battle as they had one interception.
 
Peru State was penalized 13 times for 113 yards while the Wildcats had eight penalties for 63 yards. A big difference in the game was that the Bobcat defense had seven sacks for 52 yards while Culver-Stockton only got one sack for seven yards.  
Offensive Statistics
 
Eleven Bobcats carried the ball. Boshart was the game's leading rusher with 64 yards on eight carries and one touchdown. Hoins had 62 yards on just one carry. Morrison-Smith added 36 yards and one touchdown.
 
Boshart was also Peru State's top passer making 3 of 5 attempts for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson Jr. also had three touchdown passes and went 6 of 7 for 144 yards. Carnahan was 2 of 2 before leaving the game for 46 yards and one touchdown.
 
Coughlin caught four passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Bond caught two passes, both for touchdowns, and 140 yards. Merrill's first catch of the year went for 27 yards and a touchdown. Sluka also had one catch for a touchdown and 25 yards. Morrison-Smith added one for 17 yards and senior Chance Bauman (Beatrice) caught his first pass of the year for 17 yards. Ethen Christensen (Carter Lake, Iowa) also caught his first pass of the year which went for five yards.
 
Special Teams Statistics
 
Hoins punted three times for 33.7 yards and put two within the 20-yard line.
 
Carr returned three punts of a total of 66 yards and had one kickoff return of 22 yards. Bond had two kick-off returns for 30 yards.
 
Defensive Statistics
 
Baker and Carr led the Bobcat defense with eight total tackles – five solo each. Baker added four sacks for losses of 32.5 yards. He also forced a fumble. Carr added a pass break-up.
 
Senior Ryan Zuhlke (Sterling) finished with seven tackles – five solo and also broke up a pass. Adams finished with six tackles – three solo, had a tackle for a loss of two yards, one interception, and broke up one pass. Senior Brandon Fletcher (Maxwell) also finished with six tackles – three solo. Fletcher also broke up a pass.
 
Luke Hoesing (Fremont), Collin Weingaertner (Omaha), and senior Deven Moore (Oakland, Iowa) each finished with five tackles – Hoesing and Weingaertner with three solo and Moore with one solo. Hoesing added one tackle for a loss of two yards and forced a fumble.
 
Stephen Bowers (Papillion) had two sacks for losses of 15 yards while Uriah Carroll (Weston) and Myles Hicks (Independence, Mo.) combined the other sack for a loss of 1.5 yards.
 
O'Neill had the fumble recovery and returned it for five yards.
 
Final Game
 
The Bobcats will finish their season on the road against Benedictine in Atchison, Kan., next Saturday. Game time with the Ravens is 1 p.m. Benedictine pulled an upset on the road Saturday when they defeated the sixth-ranked Grand View Vikings 7-3. The Ravens, who were receiving votes in the most recent coaches' poll, are 6-4 overall and 2-2 in the Heart North.