(Peru, Neb.) – The Baker football team won the "Battle of the 'Cats" on Saturday as they toppled Peru State 65-42 in an offensive battle.
 
The second-ranked Wildcats improved to 6-0 overall while the #23^rd-ranked Peru State football team fell to 4-2 on the year.
 
After the game was tied at 7-7, Baker ran off 21 straight points to make Peru State play from behind and change their normal offense.

 
First Quarter Action
 
There were 35 points scored in the first quarter with Baker getting 28 of those.
 
It only took the Wildcats two plays to score after getting the opening kickoff. After an incomplete pass, Baker scored from 70 yards out and with the PAT, the Wildcats led 7-0 with 14:31 left in the first quarter.
 
Peru State came back and started their first drive on their 48-yard line after Luis Constantino (Varzea Grande, Brazil) returned the kickoff for 17 yards.
 
After an incomplete pass, quarterback Travis Carnahan (Wahoo) carried the ball for 27 yards down to the Wildcat 27-yard line. After three short rushing attempts, Carnahan found Sean Van Briesen (Papillion) caught a pass and moved it to the Baker 16-yard line for a first down. Ki'Jana Owens (North Platte) went six yards with Carnahan adding two more and the Bobcats faced a third and two. Van Briesen picked up four yards for the first down on the Wildcat four-yard line. Carnahan carried for three yards and then Van Briesen punched it in for the score. John Brady's (Hickman) point after was good and the game was tied at 7-7 with 8:32 left in the first stanza.
 
It would only take Baker 2:40 to score their second touchdown to go up 14-7 with 5:52 left in the first period.
 
On Peru State's next series, a fumble on the play gave Baker good field position at the Bobcats' 23-yard line. Three plays later, Baker scored again and it was suddenly 21-7.
 
The Bobcats would get a first down on their next series and eventually moved into Baker territory at the 49-yard line before being forced to punt. A bad snap on the punt went way over the punter's head and the Wildcats downed the ball at Peru State's 11-yard line. Two plays later, Baker scored again to go up 28-7 which was the final score of the period.
 
Second Quarter Action
 
Peru State started a drive with 56 seconds left in the first period on their 34-yard line. The Bobcats got a first down with a Baker penalty which moved the ball to their 38-yard line. After a short gain, Carnahan then went nine yards for a first down. Peru State would run the ball seven more times and with third and one on the Baker 20-yard line, Carnahan would keep the ball and run it into the end zone for the score. Brady's kick was good and Peru State was now trailing 28-14.
 
The teams would trade possessions without scoring. With 8:54 left in the half, Baker took over and in three plays went 60 yards for another score. The PAT was good and the Wildcats led 35-14 at that point.

 
The 35-14 score would stand at halftime.
 
Third Quarter Action
 
Peru State was moving the ball to start the third quarter and was down to the Baker 20-yard line before the Bobcats fumbled the ball. Baker returned the ball 80 yards for the score and after the PAT, the Wildcats were up 42-14.
 
The teams traded a couple of different possessions as the defenses stepped up. On Baker's second possession, on third and six, Bobcat Michael Bullard (Nassau, Bahamas) intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. Brady's kick was good and it was now 42-21.
 
Before the quarter ended, Baker would add another touchdown to lead 49-21 after 45 minutes.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
The Bobcats had started a drive late in the third quarter. A 33-yard pass from Carnahan to Justin Haystrand (New Port Richey, Fla.) was the big play which put the ball on Baker's two-yard line. The Wildcat defense was put to the test and held Peru State out of the end zone on four attempts. On Baker's first play on their one-yard line, the Wildcats scored on a 99-yard touchdown pass. With the PAT, the Wildcats now led 56-21.
 
But, Peru State did not give up. After a touchback, the Bobcats started on their 25-yard line. With eight consecutive pass plays, something every unconventional for Peru State, Carnahan and Haystrand would hook up for a 29-yard touchdown pass. Brady's kick was good and with 12:08 left in the game, Peru State trailed 56-28.
 
Baker would come back on their next possession and scored again to make it 62-28.
 
And back came the Bobcats. Forced to the passing game, Peru State made three first downs passing with a 28-yard pass reception by Owens putting the ball on Baker's five-yard line. On the next play, Haystrand ran it in and with Brady's kick, it was Baker 62-35.
 
Peru State tried an onside kick which was returned by Baker to the Bobcats' 25-yard line. The Peru State defense kept Baker from scoring a touchdown, but the Wildcats did kick a 39-yard field goal to make it 65-35 with 4:13 left in the contest.
 
After Jake Coughlin (Omaha) returned the kickoff 15 yards, Peru State started on their 20-yard line. A Wildcat penalty moved the balled out to the 40-yard line. New quarterback Daniel Boshart (Wood River) carried the ball for 19 yards and Peru State was in Baker territory at the 41-yard line. After two short gains, Tylor Watts (Ridgecrest, Calif.) went for 29 yards for a first down to the Wildcat six-yard line. Jackson Beatty (Garland) went in from six yards out for his first Peru State score. Brady's kick was good and Baker led 65-42 with 2:58 left in the game which would be the final score of the contest.

BAKER GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
If you looked at some of the statistics, you would think Peru State had won as they had 31 first downs compared to 19 for Baker and also had double the time of possession. The Bobcats had the ball of over 40 minutes in the game. But, it was the Wildcats' quick-strike offense that provided all the scoring they needed.

 
Peru State had more yards passing than rushing which gives an indication of how they had to change their game plan. The Bobcats finished with 241 yards in the air and had 237 on the ground. Conversely, Baker had 140 on the ground and 374 in the air.
 
The Bobcats had two fumbles and lost both while Baker lost one fumble. Peru State did pick off one Wildcat pass which went for a score.
 
Offensive Statistics
 
Carnahan led the team in both rushing and passing. He had 97 net yards on the ground and one score and went 15 of 26 through the air for 241 yards and one touchdown pass. Carnahan accounted for over 70% of the Bobcat offense.
 
Van Briesen added 69 yards and one score as he was the only other Bobcat with more than 50 yards on the ground.
 
David Bond (New Port Richey, Fla.) caught five passes for 72 yards. Coughlin also caught five passes for 53 yards. Haystrand and Van Briesen each had two receptions while Owens had the other catch.
 
Special Team Statistics
 
Alec McClendon (Pampa, Texas) punted twice for 32 yards while Brady had one punt for 18 yards.
 
Coughlin had one punt return for 22 yards and one kickoff return for 15 yards. Bond had five kickoff returns for 115 yards including one for 41 yards.
 
Brady kicked off seven times averaging 44.1 yards per kick.
 
Defensive Statistics
 
Bullard led the defense with seven tackles – four solo and had the interception of 40 yards for a pick six. Justin Barnes (Tallahassee, Fla.) added six tackles – five solo and had one pass break-up. Uriah Carroll (Malcolm), Warren Johnson, Jr., (Annapolis, Md.), and Desmond Stirgus (Raytown, Mo.) each had four total tackles. Carroll had three solo tackles while the other two had two solo tackles. Gunnar Orcutt (Omaha) finished with three solo tackles one of which was a tackle of a loss of five yards.
 
Brant Therkelsen (Omaha) had the lone sack of the game which was for seven yards. Andrew Shackelford (Parrish, Fla.) had two tackles for losses of three yards while JaMartae Brown (Portland, Ore.) also had a tackle for a loss.
 
Upcoming Games
 
This is the bye week for most of the teams in the Heart which comes before the teams begin division play.
 
Peru State will begin North Division action on the road when they travel on Oct. 14 to take on Grand View in Des Moines at 1 p.m. The Vikings, ranked seventh last week, are 5-1 on the year with their only loss coming at the hands of Baker in the second week.
 
Then, the Bobcats will host their ESPN3 game on Oct. 21 when the Statesmen of William Penn (Iowa) come to the Oak Bowl for an 11 a.m. match-up. William Penn is 4-2 on the year.