(Peru, Neb.) – The Peru State football team was not able to overcome 21 straight points by the Evangel Crusaders Saturday night in Springfield, Mo.
 
After scoring the first touchdown, the Bobcats saw Evangel rattle off 21 points. Peru State made a gallant effort but fell short as a 47-yard field goal try was wide left with eight seconds on the clock.
 
The Crusaders held on for a 21-19 win to gain their first win of the year to improve to 1-2 while Peru State suffered its first loss to fall to 2-1.
 
First Quarter Action
 
The Bobcats actually had the first two series of action as after a three and out, Victor Hubbard (Corinth, Texas) recovered a fumble on the punt return by Evangel. Peru State took over in Crusader territory on the 41-yard line, but could not move the ball.
 
After forcing another three and out on the Crusaders, Peru State took over on their 26-yard line. After two short gains, James Sluka (Milligan) ran eight yards for the first first down of the ballgame. A play later, Sluka gained another seven yards for another first down. And yes, after a short gain, Sluka picked up the third first down for Peru State with another seven yards which put Peru State into Evangel territory at the 41-yard line. Three straight carries by Tajh Eaddy (Spencerport, N.Y.), the last one which was 13 yards moved the ball to Evangel's 20-yard line. After an encroachment call on Evangel, two short gains by Eaddy netted another first down for Peru State and the 'Cats were now on the ten-yard line. Colton Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) would go seven yards and on the next play Eaddy would take it into the end zone from three yards out for the first score of the game. The PAT by John Brady (Hickman) was good and Peru State led 7-0 at that point.

 
The drive went 14 plays and took 7:16 off the clock. Evangel would take over with 1:30 left in the first quarter.
 
Second Quarter Action
 
Evangel would run three plays to end the first quarter and would eventually move the ball to Peru State's 15-yard line where they were forced to try a field goal. The attempt was wide right and the 'Cats would take over on their 20-yard line with 11:35 left in the second period.
 
After the Crusaders forced a three and out on Peru State, Evangel returned the punt 33 yards to the Bobcats' 23-yard line. After a Peru State personal foul, it took the Crusaders just three plays to score. After the PAT was good, the game was tied at 7-7 with 10:11 left in the first half.
 
Each team would have three possessions each the rest of the second quarter with neither team being able to move the ball much.
 
The half ended in a tie at 7-7.
 
Third Quarter Action
 
The third quarter started in a similar fashion as to how the second quarter finished with the teams trading possessions. The Bobcats did avoid early disaster in the stanza as a lost fumble was not able to be capitalized on by Evangel.
 
Later, the 'Cats did put together an eight-play drive that went 46 yards down to the Evangel 22-yard line where Peru State had a fourth and two. Unfortunately, after a false start was called on the Bobcats, Peru State could not complete a pass on fourth and seven.
 
It only took Evangel one play as the Crusaders burnt Peru State with a 73-yard touchdown pass to score at the 2:49 mark. The PAT was good and Evangel took a 14-7 lead at that point.
 
After holding the Bobcats to a three and out, Evangel took over with 36 seconds left in the third period. After a holding call moved them back to their 47-yard line, Peru State was called for an encroachment. On the next play, the Crusaders threw for another touchdown, this time 48 yards as the quarter expired. The PAT was good and Evangel now had a two-touchdown lead at 21-7.
 
Fourth Quarter Action

 
Audsley took the kick off to start the fourth period back 30 yards and the 'Cats set up their offense on their 31-yard line. Facing a third and 13, Travis Carnahan (Wahoo) found Jake Coughlin (Omaha) for 37 yards and the Bobcats found themselves in Evangel territory at the 35-yard line. After two short gains, Carnahan found Coughlin again, this time for just three yards, but it was enough for a first down on the Crusader 25-yard line. Carnahan then took it for 15 yards and Peru State was now on the Crusader ten-yard line. After two one yard gains, Carnahan scampered eight yards into the end zone for a Peru State score. The PAT was blocked and Evangel still led 21-13 with 9:43 left in the game.
 
The Bobcat defense stepped up and forced an Evangel three and out. The punt went into the end zone for a touchback and Peru State started on their 20-yard line. A nine-yard gain by Sluka, was followed by an incomplete pass. Eaddy then went 25 yards down to Evangel's 46-yard line. After a short gain, Eaddy then went 13 yards for a first down. Two more consecutive runs by Eaddy – the first of 13 and second of 11 – both for first downs – moved the 'Cats to the Crusaders' red zone at the four-yard line. It took Peru State four plays, but Carnahan punched it in with 3:59 left on the clock. The Bobcats went for two, but the pass attempt was intercepted. Evangel led 21-19 at that point.
 
Again, Peru State's defense rose to the occasion and forced Evangel to punt. The Bobcats took over on their 37-yard line with 1:41 left on the clock. Sluka gained 11 yards on the first play of the drive to move it to the Bobcats' 48-yard line. Carnahan went eight yards into Evangel territory with Eaddy gaining a first down on the next play with seven yards down to the Crusader 37-yard line. After two short gains and time running short, the Bobcats were forced to attempt a 47-yard field goal which went wide left.
 
Evangel went into the victory formation with eight seconds left and kneeled down to preserve the 21-19 win.

EVANGEL GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
If you look at first downs and time of possession, a casual fan would assume the Bobcats won the game. Peru State had 18 first downs while Evangel only had seven. The 'Cats also had the ball for nearly two-thirds of the game as they had the ball for 39:56.
 
Peru State outgained Evangel 307 to 242 with 270 of the Bobcats yards coming on the ground. The Crusaders gained 200 of their yards through the air.
 
Both teams lost one fumble in the contest. Neither teams were penalized much in the game as Peru State had its fewest penalties in the first three games as they had three flags for 22 yards. The Crusaders were flagged six times for 71 yards.

 
Offensive Statistics
 
Eaddy had a game-high and career-high 171 yards on 29 carries with one touchdown to lead Peru State. Sluka added 50 yards while Carnahan finished with 34 yards.
 
Carnahan went four of 13 for 37 yards passing. Coughlin caught two of those passes for 40 yards while AJ Flodman (Hickman) had one for two yards. One caught pass went for a negative five yards.
 
Special Team Statistics
 
Alec McClendon (Pampa, Texas) punted eight times averaging 33.6 yards. Darius Finley (Roanoke, Ala.) had one punt return for three yards while Audsley had three kickoff returns for 63 yards.
 
Defensive Statistics
 
Stephen Bowers (Papillion) led the Bobcat defense with five solo tackles and three sacks for losses of 25 yards. Michael Bullard (Nassau, Bahamas), Uriah Carroll (Weston), and Gunnar Orcutt (Omaha) each had five total tackles and each had four solo tackles. Bullard was credited with one tackle for a loss of one yard while Carroll had one tackle for a loss of four yards and also forced a fumble.
 
Upcoming Game
 
Peru State will be on the road this coming week in Marshall, Mo. They will take on the preseason #12 Missouri Valley Vikings at 11 a.m. as this will be an ESPN3 game. The Vikings won their first game of the season on Saturday as they hammered Graceland (Iowa) 45-13 after losing to Benedictine (Kan.) and William Penn (Iowa), both teams who were either ranked or receiving votes.