(Peru, Neb.) – On one of the best days of the fall, the Peru State football team came through with their first win of the season. The Bobcats topped the visiting Missouri Valley Vikings 24-14 in front of a Hall of Fame crowd.
 
With the win, the 'Cats improved to 1-3 on the season while the Vikings fell to the same mark.
 
First Quarter Action
 
Peru State took the opening kickoff which saw Colton Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) take the opening kickoff back 12 yards to give the Bobcats a starting field position on their 39-yard line. A three-yard run on the opening play by Dan Boshart (Wood River) was followed by a personal foul on Mo Valley which moved the ball into Viking territory at the 43-yard line. Boshart then had another quarterback keeper and took it 25 yards down to the 18-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Audsley went for nine yards to make it third and one. Boshart gained three yards for a first down and then went for four more down to the two-yard line. Justin Pool (Holton, Kan.) took it in from two yards out to put the 'Cats on the board. John Brady's (Hickman) PAT was good and Peru State led 7-0 with 12:19 left in the first quarter.
 
The teams would move the ball on each other a little in the rest of the first quarter, but most of the time, each time punted.
 
At the end of the first quarter, it was Peru State 7-0 over Mo Valley.  
Second Quarter Action
 
On the first play of the second quarter, the Vikings punted and it was downed on the Bobcats' 17-yard line.
 
After two short carries in the Peru State possession, Tajh Eaddy (Spencerport, N.Y.) ran for five yards for a first down. Ki'Jana Owens (North Platte) carried for 17 yards on the next play moving the ball out to the Bobcats' 47-yard line. After a short carry by Eaddy, Boshart found Owens for 16 yards through the air moving the ball to the Vikings' 35-yard line. Two short rushing plays were followed by a four-yard run by Owens to give the 'Cats a first down at the 24-yard line of Missouri Valley. Boshart carried for nine yards and then after no gain on the next play, Owens scored a touchdown from 15 yards out to make the score 13-0. Brady nailed the kick and Peru State led 14-0 with 9:35 left in the first half.
 
Peru State forced a Viking punt on the next play and after a nine-yard return by Audsley, the 'Cats took over on their 16-yard line.
 
Facing third and two, the Bobcats had to call a timeout. After the timeout, Noah Kasbohm (Nebraska City) hit Pool with a short four-yard gain, but it was enough for a first down. Eaddy gained eight yards on the next play and another personal foul was then called on Mo Valley moving the ball into Viking territory at the 49-yard line. Kasbohm found Dwight Butler (Nassau, Bahamas) 18 yards for a first down. Kasbohm then carried the ball for 13 yards for another first down which forced a Viking timeout. The 'Cats were not able to move the ball much further which forced a field goal try by Brady who connected on a 35-yarder to put the Bobcats up 17-0 with 4:39 left in the first half.
 
Missouri Valley did get on the board on their next possession as they went 67 yards in eight plays to pull within ten at 17-7 with 1:40 left in the half.
 
The Bobcats tried to run the clock out, but could not and were forced to give the Vikings the ball with 46 seconds left in the half. On the first play by Mo Valley, Dylan King (Vancouver, Wash.) intercepted the pass to stop any thwart by Missouri Valley in the first half.
Third Quarter Action
 
The Vikings had the ball first and went nine plays and only 23 yards before being forced to punt.
 
Peru State could not do anything on their next possession and were forced to punt after three plays.
 
Missouri Valley did move the ball down to the Bobcats' 15-yard line before the Vikings were forced to try a 32-yard field goal which was blocked by Victor Hubbard (Corinth, Texas).
 
After forcing the Bobcats to punt, the Vikings started their next possession with 1:31 left in the third quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
On the third play in the final stanza, Missouri Valley was in the Bobcat red zone at the two-yard line. The Peru State defense held on the next play and then on the subsequent play, the Vikings were called for offensive pass interference and were penalized 15 yards. After a Mo Valley timeout, the Vikings tried two consecutive pass plays which failed and the Bobcats held.
 
The teams would trade two different possessions before the Bobcats took over with just 4:39 left on the clock. On one play, Boshart found Audsley for a 42-yard score and with Brady's PAT, the 'Cats led 21-7.
 
The Vikings would come back and score on their next possession, but it would be too little too late.
 
The Bobcats had to just run out the clock with a couple of first downs to secure their first win of the season.
MISSOURI VALLEY GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Just one yard separated the two teams in total offense as Missouri Valley finished with 367 yards while the Bobcats had 366. The teams were just opposite of each other in terms of how the yardage was gained. Peru State had 218 yards on the ground and 148 through the air while the Vikings had 121 yards rushing and 246 through the air. The Vikings finished with one more first down at 20.
 
The turnover battle was tied at one apiece as Peru State grabbed an interception, but coughed up one fumble which was recovered by Mo Valley.
 
Peru State had six penalties for 61 yards while the Vikings were flagged nine times for 90 yards. The Bobcats had a slight edge in time of possession as they had the ball of 31:24.
 
Offensive Statistics
 
Boshart led all rushers with 92 net yards on 17 carries. Eaddy added 49 yards while Owens finished with 38 and scored a touchdown. Pool had the other rushing touchdown.
 
Boshart was five of nine passing for 126 yards and one touchdown. Kasbohm finished two for four for 22 yards.
 
Audsley caught two passes for 62 yards and one touchdown. Jackson Beatty (Garland) caught one pass for 40 yards while Butler had one for 18. Owens had one grab for 16 yards while Joey Dominguez (Van Ormy, Texas) had one for eight yards. Pool caught the other pass which went for four yards.
 
Special Teams
 
Brady punted six times averaging 31 yards with one landing inside the 20-yard line. He added five kickoffs for 274 yards averaging 54.4 yards per kick. Brady had the game's lone field goal of 35 yards.
 
Audsley had one punt return for nine yards and one kickoff return for 27 yards. Anthony Luckett (Los Angeles) had one punt return of six yards.
 
Defensive Statistics
 
Langdon Douglas (Kansas City, Mo.) led the team with 11 total tackles – five of which were solo. He added one tackle for a loss of 1.5 yards. Zach Taylor (Gillette, Wyo.) finished with seven tackles – three of which were solo – and had one pass break-up.
 
Luis Constantino (Varzea Grande, Brazil) had six total tackles – three solo – and added one sack for a loss of six yards and had 1.5 tackles for losses of 6.5 yards. Nic Harris (Salt Lake City) and Hubbard each had six tackles – three solos. Harris had one tackle for a loss of one yard while Hubbard blocked a field goal attempt.
 
Tommy Hope (Ridgecrest, Calif.), King, and Myles Hicks (Independence, Mo.) each finished with five tackles. All of Hope's tackles were solo while King had two solo tackles. Hope had one pass break-up while King grabbed the interception. Stephen Bowers (La Vista) had the team's other sack which accounted for a loss of five yards.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will be on the road next Saturday when they face MidAmerica Nazarene in Olathe, Kan., at 1 p.m. The Pioneers are 2-3 having lost their last two contests, including a 49-19 loss to Benedictine (Kan.) on the road on Saturday.
 
The Bobcats will be at home on Saturday, Oct. 6, when they host Baker (Kan.) at 2 p.m. in its Homecoming game. The Wildcats are currently 3-1 having won their last two contests.