(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State football team won a whacky game over William Penn Saturday afternoon featuring three safeties. Peru State won the game 27-25, as the Bobcats improve to 4-4 overall and 2-0 in Heart North play, while the Statesmen fall to 2-5 and 0-2 in conference play.
 
Below is a breakdown of how the game went…
 
William Penn's first possession had the Statesmen driving all the way down to the Peru State 37-yard line. Clayton Thrasher (Mandeville, La.) and Devin Adams (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) ganged up for the first negative play of the day to make it third-and-14, Thrasher then had another tackle for loss that would result in William Penn having to punt.
 
Stacian Livingston (St. Louis, Mo.) had the first big play for the Bobcat offense as a 15-yard rush on third-and-one would keep the Peru State drive alive. Both running backs contributed early and often as Gianni Dorsey (Roswell, Ga.) burst through the hole for a five-yard gain on a fourth-and-one play.
 
Quarterback Will Mueller (Springdale, Ark.) then threw a 25-yard touchdown strike to Tyreese Schieffer (Omaha) as the Bobcats would take an early 7-0 lead. William Penn then would only convert one first down on their ensuing possession before having to punt the ball.
 
The Bobcats did not fare much better as they went three-and-out on their next possession. After completions of 15 and 12 yards by the Statesmen they were down to the Peru State 28-yard line.
 
Peru State stopped William Penn short two yards on an eight-yard pass play, which would have made it fourth down but a penalty by Peru State gave William Penn first and goal at the ten-yard line.
 
William Penn punched in a five-yard rushing touchdown to start the second quarter but the Statesmen missed the extra point as the Bobcats held on to a one-point lead.
 
Peru State next offensive possession had Mueller hit Tim Jones (Brandon, Fla.) for a 12-yard completion on third down to keep the drive alive. Mueller then hit one of his favorite targets Schieffer for a 32-yard gain down the left sideline.
 
Unfortunately, the Bobcats would be stopped on downs and would not get any points out of the possession. William Penn could only muster one first down on their next possession as they were forced to punt.
 
The Bobcats went backwards on their next possession as they went three-and-out and had to punt. Both teams would go three-and-out again on their next possessions. William Penn would have a drive going after a penalty on third-and-13 kept the drive alive. Kile Bentley (Cairo) came up big on a second down play as he sacked the William Penn quarterback making it third and long.
 
William Penn would be forced to punt but they pinned the Bobcats down at their own five-yard line. William Penn would get a safety to take an 8-7 lead with one minute to go before the half.
 
On the ensuing William Penn drive the Statesmen hit a 64-yard pass play for a touchdown to take a 15-7 lead with 48 seconds. The craziness did not end there as the Bobcats then fumbled on the kickoff and the Statesmen recovered the fumble.
 
Luckily, a botched snap on a field goal try at the end of the half kept the game at one possession. The Statesmen led the Bobcats 15-7 at the half.
 
Peru State went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half but a fumbled punt in the end zone was recovered by Bentley for a touchdown. The two-point attempt was failed so the Bobcats trailed 15-13.
 
The Statesmen were able to convert one first down before having to punt the ball away again. After a ten-yard rush by Mueller and then a pass interference call on the Statesmen, the Bobcats were down to the William Penn 39-yard line.
 
Peru State then went backwards from there as it was fourth and long. Peru State almost went five-for-five on the year on fake punts but an illegal shift negated the 22-yard pass play.
 
Adams then booted a 42-yard punt that was downed at the one-yard line. Bentley continued his hot day as him and Carlos Thomas (Gulfport, Miss.) ganged up for a safety to tie the game at 15 all.
 
On the ensuing Peru State drive Dorsey had a 20-yard rush to get the Bobcats inside the Statesmen redzone. Mack Boekhout (Elkhorn) would connect on a 32-yard field goal to give Peru State an 18-15 lead.
 
William Penn on their next drive would get a cross the 50-yard line but their drive would stall out. A spectacular special teams play by Seth Leddy (Papillion) as he blocked the punt as Peru State started in William Penn territory.
 
Mueller would complete a huge fourth-and-four play to Lander Imbimbo (New Haven, U.K.) to keep the Peru State drive alive. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by William Penn had Peru State down to the 12.
 
Then Dorsey had a 12-yard rushing touchdown as the Bobcats took a 25-15 lead.
 
 On the Bobcats first drive of the fourth quarter they fumbled and the Statesmen recovered. William Penn made a 37-yard field goal as they would make it a one possession game down 25-18.
 
Peru State then went three-and-out on their next drive and a short punt set up William Penn in great field position. The Statesmen would score on a 24-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 25.

After a short kick, the Peru State offense would march down to the William Penn 37-yard line after a 15-yard completion to Jarrius Anderson (Cordova, Tenn.). Peru State would end IP having to punt but Adams pinned another punt inside the one-yard line.
 
The tenacious Bobcat defense came up big again, on third-and-ten, Adams, and Khalil Parker (Brusly, La.) combined for a safety to give Peru State a 27-25 lead. Peru State on their ensuing drive was trying to punch it in for the final blow after Mueller hit Buddy Belcher (Webb City, Mo.) for a 26-yard pass down to the one-yard line. A fumble with around three minutes left gave William Penn a final chance.
 
William Penn converted on a fourth-and-five and fourth-and-21 in their final drive. Peru State's secondary came up huge as Thomas intercepted the William Penn quarterback to seal the victory for the Bobcats.
 
Mueller was 10-of-15 for 152 yards and a touchdown. Dorsey led the way in rushing with 58 yards and a touchdown. Schieffer led in receiving with three receptions for 76 yards and one touchdown.
 
Thrasher led the way in tackles with 10,  four of which were solo, five tackles for loss and he also led the way in sacks with two. Thomas had the lone interception. Bentley had a touchdown and a safety. Adams, Parker and Thomas also contributed to the two safeties.
 
Peru State has a daunting task of facing No. 2 Grand View next Saturday, October 29, at 1:00 p.m., in the Oak Bowl.