(Peru, Neb.) – If you take a look at the final stats, you would not expect to see the final score of the Peru State and MidAmerica Nazarene (MNU) football game on Saturday. The 23^rd-ranked Pioneers dominated the final stats, but it was the Bobcats who prevailed with a 21-17 Heart of America Athletic Conference win in Olathe, Kan.
 
With the win, the 'Cats, who were receiving votes in last week's NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 poll, are now 4-1 on the season while MNU fell to 3-2 with the loss – their second in a row.
 
First Quarter Action
 
At the beginning, it appeared it was definitely going to be a defensive battle as the teams traded drives. On Peru State's second possession, the Bobcats fumbled the ball and MNU took over on their 43-yard line. The Pioneers would move the ball down the field, but were stopped short of the end zone. MNU kicked a 25-yard field goal and with 39 seconds left in the first quarter, the Pioneers led 3-0.

 
Second Quarter Action
 
Peru State took the ball late in the first, but could not do anything with it. On the third play in the second quarter, the Bobcats were forced to punt. MNU started on their 31-yard line and nine plays later, the Pioneers scored on a five-yard run. With the point after attempt, MNU led 10-0 with 10:35 left in the second quarter.
 
The Bobcats did move the ball a little on the next possession, but again were eventually forced to punt. The Pioneers took over on their 11-yard line. After one first down, MNU was forced to punt. On the catch, the 'Cats fumbled it and the Pioneers took over on Peru State's 42-yard line. Nine plays later, MNU scored with a 17-yard pass play. With the PAT, the Pioneers now looked to have a commanding 17-0 lead with 2:06 left in the first half.
 
Peru State took over after a touchback on their 25-yard line. After a short rush, Travis Carnahan (Wahoo) went for 11 yards for a first down. After two short rushing plays, Warren Johnson Jr. (Severn, Md.) found Jacob Coughlin (Omaha) for 35 yards forcing an MNU timeout. The Pioneers were called for a pass interference on the next play moving the ball to the seven-yard line. On the next play, James Sluka (Milligan) took it in for the touchdown. For Sluka, this was his first game playing in 2016 having been injured in a pre-season scrimmage at Doane. Gabe Hoins' (Papillion) PAT was good and the 'Cats were on the board with nine seconds left.

 
MNU got the ball on their 49-yard line after a good kickoff return. On the last play of the half, Brandon Fletcher (Maxwell) intercepted a Pioneer pass and returned it for 39 yards.
 
The half ended with MNU leading 17-7.
 
Third Quarter Action
 
Peru State got the ball to start the second half. Trey Carr (Omaha) returned the kickoff 11 yards so the 'Cats started on their 30-yard line. After two short rushes, Sean Van Briesen (Papillion) went for ten yards for a first down. After another short gain, Eric Morrison-Smith (San Diego) went for 13 yards into MNU's territory at the 37-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Sluka went for nine yards which was then followed by Van Briesen going for ten yards moving the ball to the 18-yard line. Van Briesen had back-to-back carries of five and seven to move the ball to the Pioneer six-yard line. After Carnahan was sacked for a three-yard loss, he took it into the end zone on the next play. The PAT was good by Hoins and with 9:24 left in the third, the 'Cats only trailed by three at 17-14.
 
Hoins' kickoff went for a touchback and the Pioneers started on their 25-yard line. After a short rushing gain, Carr intercepted a pass and Peru State took over on MNU's 40-yard line.

 
The Bobcats could not capitalize on the good field position and were forced to punt. MNU would take over on their 20-yard line. A holding penalty moved the Pioneers back and MNU would not be able to move the ball. A bad punt would give Peru State the ball back on MNU's 38-yard line.
 
A five-yard run by Sluka moved the ball down to the 33-yard line. On the next play, Van Briesen went in from 33 yards out to put Peru State up 20-17. With Hoins' point after, the Bobcats led 21-17 with 3:40 left in the quarter.
 
A personal foul was called on the Bobcats forcing Hoins to kick from Peru State's 20-yard line. Hoins did get his foot into it and kicked it 75 yards with MNU returning it 30 yards to their 35-yard line. Several penalties helped negate the Pioneers' progress even though they had moved the ball.
 
The third quarter would end with MNU at Peru State's 34-yard line with the Bobcats leading 21-17.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
After a short Pioneer rush, MNU was called for another penalty and then had an incomplete pass. The Pioneers were forced to punt.
 
Peru State took over on their 14-yard line after the fair catch by Carr. After a delay of game penalty, Johnson Jr. found David Bond (New Port Richey, Fla.) for a long pass which was good for 62 yards. Unfortunately, Bond could not hold onto the ball and the Pioneers recovered the fumble and took over on their 29-yard line.
 

The Pioneers methodically were moving the ball down the field and were into Peru State's territory at the 37-yard line. On the next play, Gunnar Orcutt (Omaha) intercepted a pass and ran it back for 27 yards.
 
The Bobcats could not capitalize on the turnover and were forced to punt. Hoins was able to get the punt to roll and was eventually downed at MNU's nine-yard line.
 
MNU would move the ball down the field with a combination of rushing and passing. With a third and 17, the Pioneers would get a completed pass for 16 yards to make it fourth and one at the Bobcats' 34-yard line. After MNU took a timeout, the Pioneer rushing play was stopped for a loss of four yards by Collin Weingaertner (Omaha).
 
With about 90 seconds left in the game, the Bobcats had held and started the drive on their 38-yard line. After a short-rushing loss, Van Briesen went ten yards, but it was not enough for first down. Carnahan was sacked for a loss of 12 yards which would force the Bobcats to punt.
 
On the punt return, the MNU returner fielded the ball, but dropped it and then covered it. With 46 seconds left, the Pioneers took over on their 30-yard line. MNU had two pass plays which made for a first down into Peru's territory at the 47-yard line. After three incomplete passes, the Pioneers were forced to go for it with 19.6 seconds left. Caleb Washington (Missouri City, Texas) sacked the MNU quarterback and Peru State took over with 15 seconds left on the clock.
 
The Bobcats took the victory formation as the Pioneers were out of time outs and sealed the win.

MIDAMERICA NAZARENE GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
MNU had 26 first downs and 366 total yards of offense while Peru State finished with 11 first downs and 261 total yards of offense. The Pioneers ran 84 plays while the 'Cats only had 47 which accounted for the big difference in time of possession as MidAmerica Nazarene had the ball of nearly 38 minutes.
 
Peru State gained their 261 yards with 164 yards on the ground and 97 yards through the air.
 
The turnover battle was even as the Bobcats lost three fumbles, but intercepted three Pioneer passes which thwarted their drives.
 
The Bobcats were penalized six times for 77 yards while MNU was whistled for 12 penalties for 103 yards.
 
Offensive Statistics
 
Van Briesen led the Bobcats with 106 yards rushing on 16 attempts and scored one touchdown. Sluka and Carnahan accounted for the other touchdowns for Peru State.
 
Johnson Jr. was two for five in passing for 97 yards with a long of 62. Bond and Coughlin caught the passes for 62 and 35 yards respectively.
 

Special Team Statistics
 
Hoins punted six times averaging 33.7 yards per punt with one touchback and two within the 20-yard line. He handled the kickoffs as well and averaged 60.8 yards with two touchbacks. Hoins made all of his PATs.
 
Carr returned two punts for nine yards and had two kickoff returns for a total of 58 yards.
 
Defensive Statistics
 
Weingaertner had his best game in a Bobcat uniform as he finished with a game-high 16 tackles – 11 of which were solo. In addition, he added two tackles for losses of six yards.
 
Michael Bullard (Rabun Gap, Ga.) added ten tackles – seven solo and had one pass break-up. Ismael Calvillo (Tucson) finished with eight tackles – seven solo and one tackle for a loss of one yard. Orcutt finished with eight tackles – two solo and had one interception which he returned for 27 yards.
 
Chris Johnson (Phoenix) had seven tackles – three solo while Dylan King (Vancouver, Wash.) finished with five tackles – two solo. Washington had four tackles and the big sack for 11 yards while Justin Barnes (Tallahassee, Fla.) had three solo tackles and one tackle for a loss of three yards.
 
Upcoming Game
 
It will be Homecoming next weekend the Bobcats and they have a tough opponent as the fourth-ranked Baker Wildcats from Baldwin City, Kan., come to the Oak Bowl. The Wildcats throttled Benedictine (Kan.) yesterday 60-7 and improve to 5-0 on the season. Game time is 2 p.m.