(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State football team picked up their first conference win over the Clarke Pride in a gusty windy afternoon affair 16-9. The Bobcats improve to 3-4 overall and 1-0 in Heart North Conference play, while the Pride fall to 3-4 and 0-1 in Heart North Conference play.
Below is a breakdown of how the game went…
The Bobcat defense came out to play right away as
Clayton Thrasher (Mandeville, La.) and
Cedric Terrell (Florissant, Mo.) had a combined tackle on a third down stop as the Pride went three-and-out.
Peru State offense had some momentum going on their first drive after
Will Mueller (Springdale, Ark.) had a 13-yard run, but the drive would go backwards forcing the 'Cats to punt.
Devin Adams (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) with the wind at his back boomed a 65-yard punt flipping the field as the Pride were pinned inside the two-yard line. Clarke would get out to their 20-yard line but then on a third and long, Adams came in with the sack forcing Clarke to punt into the wind.
Unfortunately, the 'Cats offense could not take advantage of the good field position as they went three-and-out. Clarke's QB on the ensuing drive had runs of 22 yards and 20 yards to get the Pride in Bobcat territory.
The Bobcat defense then bowed up as they forced a turnover on downs, the 'Cats would go three-and-out and were unable to take advantage of the turnover on downs. Adams had another booming 58-yard punt with the wind flipping the field.
Peru State defense came up big again forcing a three-and-out with nine seconds to play in the first quarter. Head coach
Phil Ockinga smartly called a timeout as Clarke would have to punt into the wind.
The timeout worked to perfection as the Bobcats would start the second quarter on the Clarke 46-yard line. Mueller on a second down hit Jarrius Anderson
(Cordova, Tenn.) for a 13-yard completion and a roughing the passer penalty on Clarke had the 'Cats on the Clarke 14-yard line.
Mueller then used his feet on a third down to get into the end zone for a seven-yard rushing touchdown. The wind would play a factor on the extra point after a false start making the kick a 15-yard attempt,
Mack Boekhout (Elkhorn) would miss the extra point.
Both teams would trade three-and-outs but with Adams now kicking into the wind Clarke would take advantage of the field position starting on their own 40-yard line.
The Pride would march down the field and take advantage of a few offsides penalties committed by the Bobcats, but the play of the drive was the Clarke quarterback finding his receiver for an 18-yard gain on third-and-15. Then on third-and-goal the Clarke QB threw a back shoulder fade into the endzone for a Pride touchdown. Thrasher produced a big special teams play as he would block the extra point.
The Pride and the 'Cats would stay tied at six apiece. The Bobcat offense could not muster anything on their next drive. Adams would then have a short punt as this time it landed on the Peru 40, giving the Pride great field position.
The Bobcat defense once again came up big, on fourth-and-eight
Cameron Davis (Hoisington, Kan.) came screaming off the edge as he stripped sacked Clarke and recovered the fumble all in one play.
On the next Peru State drive Mueller found
Tyreese Schieffer (Omaha) for a 34-yard gain on third-and-nine. Unfortunately, Mueller threw an interception on first-and-goal and the first half would end in a 6-6 tie.
Peru State got the ball to open the third quarter and Mueller again found Schieffer on a third down play for a 29-yard gain. A roughing the passer penalty would add on 15 more yards as the Bobcats would be in Clarke territory.
Mueller made another huge play on fourth-and-five as he scrambled for a five-yard gain and a first down. Later in the drive Ockinga had to make a decision after a nine-yard run by Mueller made it fourth-and-one.
He decided to send out Boekhout, as he drilled a 26-yard field goal as the 'Cats would take the 9-6 lead in the third quarter. Davis came up big again on the first defensive possession for the 'Cats sacking the Clarke QB.
On fourth-and-19 the Clarke punter would boom a punt all the way down to the Peru State eight-yard line.
Peru State's drive stalled around the 24-yard line, but then on fourth-and-11 Adams took off on a fake punt running for 24-yards and the first down. The Bobcats are now a perfect four-of-four on fake punts this season.
Peru State would eventually have to punt, but the 'Cats defense forced yet another three-and-out. On the first play of the fourth quarter after the Bobcats got the ball on the Clarke 41-yard line, Mueller found Schieffer for a 41-yard touchdown strike to put the 'Cats up 16-6 in the fourth quarter.
Clarke and Peru would then trade punts back-and-forth. On the next Clarke possession, they got help from a roughing the passer penalty and then were all the way down to the Peru 39-yard line but fourth-and-12 was too much for the Pride to pickup as a
Ka'Von Lofton (Apopka, Fla.) sack on first down helped with the turnover on downs.
Peru State offense would go backwards and have to give the ball back to Clarke with 3:52 to play. . The Pride would then methodically march down the field getting all the way to the one-yard line, but then Adams blew up the first-and-goal play as the Pride ended up having to settle for a field goal making the score 16-9.
Peru State recovered the onside kick and survived the windy game in Dubuque, Iowa.
Mueller was 8-for-13 for 145 yards, one touchdown through the air and one on the ground and one interception.
Gianni Dorsey (Roswell, Ga.) led the way in rushing with 14 carries for 30 yards. Schieffer had three receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Adams led the way in tackles defensively with nine, five of which were solo and had 4.5 tackles for loss. He had one sack. Davis had two sacks for 14 yards, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Lofton had two sacks for nine yards.
Peru State returns to the Oak Bowl next Saturday, October 22, to face William Penn in the Hall of Fame Game. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
