Pass-Happy St. Ambrose Poses Challenging Finale for Bobcats
The Bobcats' final regular season foe will be the St. Ambrose Bees. St. Ambrose, of Davenport, Iowa, improved to 3-7 with a 50-22 win over 1-9 Clarke (IA) last Saturday.
 
Scoring by Quarters:
St. Ambrose 6-28-7-9—50
Clarke  2-6-0-14—22
Tommy Staples and Jalen Coleman added their names to the St. Ambrose record book in leading their team to victory over Clarke on Nov. 9. Staples completed 31 of 44 passes to achieve a new school mark with 452 passing yards.
That accomplishment broke the previous record of 438 yards set back in 1997 against Olivet Nazarene. Staples is only the fifth Bee quarterback to throw for 400 yards in a game. Staples' six touchdown passes against Clarke left him just one short of the school-record seven set in 2012 and 2022.
His 31 completions in a game are the eighth-most in program history. Coleman was the primary beneficiary hauling in 13 catches for 244 yards and four scores. Coleman's four TD grabs were just one short of tying the school mark. Kameron Bohnsack added six receptions for 103 yards. Jadyn Price led SAU with seven yards rushing.
Defensively for the Bees, Brock Mason intercepted two passes and Jamari Chaney forced a fumble which teammate Fikayo Afolarin recovered. Colin Gudella had a team-best seven tackles, one better than Jake Strater. Mason, Chaney and Joe Reinhart each had four stops.
St. Ambrose University has a 1-4 record in the Heart North Conference when it hosts the Bobcats for Senior Day.
 
Bobcats Battle #2 Grand View, Fall 26-7
            The Bobcats battled the mighty Grand View Vikings before falling 26-7 Saturday (Nov. 9) in the home finale. Grand View, rated #2 nationally, moved to 9-0 on the season and 5-0 in the Heart North, while Peru State fell to 6-3 and 4-2 in the league.
            It was the smallest margin of victory of the season thus far for Grand View.
 
Scoring by Quarters:
Grand View 0-16-10-0 = 26
Peru State 7– 0– 0– 0 = 7
            The Bobcats took an early 7-0 lead – only the second time this season Grand View has trailed – on senior Colin Shields' 18-yard pass to freshman Gio Contreras to cap a 52-yard drive. But Grand View limited the 'Cats to under 200 yards the rest of the way, as turnovers, special teams issues and bad field position plagued the hosts.       
            Two second-quarter touchdown passes by Grand View, the second coming off a short 27-yard drive after a Bobcat tipped-pass interception. A late Viking field goal had the visitors up 16-7 at the half.
            But the Peru State defense fought hard throughout, and Grand View's offense only managed a field goal in the last 30 minutes. A Viking 45-yard pick-six in the third were the last points of the game. Peru State drove to the Viking two in the final minute but were unable to score.
            The high-flying Viking offense, averaging more than 47 points per game, were limited to 251 total yards on the day – one more than Peru State. Grand View held a commanding advantage in time of possession, 36:18 to 23:42.
            With the running game riddled with injuries, Peru State managed just 54 rushing yards, 51 by senior Grant Gutschow on 21 carries. Gutschow also had three receptions for 20 yards. Senior Jordan Kempf, playing hurt, grabbed five passes for 53 yards in his Oak Bowl finale, Shields hit 17 of 40 passes with two interceptions and a touchdown for 196 yards.
            The youthful Peru State defense played lights out most of the afternoon. Freshman linebacker Ja-Quez Oliver had another outstanding day, recorded 12 tackles and half a quarterback sack. Sophomore Duke McClinton had eight stops, junior Aaron Thomas and sophomore Ashley Thompson had seven each, and freshman Jaylen Jean-Louis recorded six.
           
Fish Fry/Wild Game Feed, Powerlifting Meet, Golf Tourney Set
          While the 2024 season nears an end, the Football Boosters are busy planning several important upcoming events that we hope members will attend and support. These events, along with membership dues, provide most of the funds used to assist the Bobcat football program.
            More details will be sent as each event nears, but please mark your calendars for the following dates:
 
            Sunday, Feb. 2, Wild Game Feed and Fish Fry, Auburn
            Saturday, Feb. 15, Powerlifting Meet, Peru State College
            Friday, July 18, Football Boosters Golf Tournament, Shenandoah IA.
 
            Volunteers will be needed to assist at each activity, too. The Bobcat football program is on the rise, and the Boosters are determined to do our part!
 
Heart Results November 9
            Culver-Stockton 42, William Penn 31
            Baker 20, Mid-America 14
            Missouri Valley 35, William Woods 3
            St. Ambrose 50, Clarke 22
            Missouri Baptist 32, Graceland 20
            Benedictine 49, Central Methodist 10
 
Heart North Standings                           Heart South Standings
            Grand View 9-0 (5-0)                                      Baker 8-1 (4-1)
            Graceland 7-3 (5-0)                                         Mid-America 8-1 (4-1)
            Peru State 6-3 (3-2)                                       Benedictine 8-2 (4-1)
          Culver-Stockton 2-8 (2-3)                               Missouri Baptist 6-3 (3-2)
            William Penn 3-6 (2-4)                                   Missouri Valley 4-5 (2-4)
            St. Ambrose 3-7 (1-4)                                     Central Methodist 1-9 (1-4)
            Clarke 1-9 (0-5)                                              William Woods 1-9 (0-6)
           
Heart This Week – Regular Season Concludes, Titles On The Line
            Baker upset Mid-America to move into the lead in the Heart South. Graceland sustained a loss to Missouri Baptist in interleague play but remains 5-0 in the Heart North and will travel to Grand View Saturday to play for the North title.
            Peru State can secure third place in the Heart North with a win at St. Ambrose Saturday. In the South, Baker needs to defeat Missouri Baptist to clinch the crown; if MB wins, the South title will go to Mid-America, which holds the tiebreaker with an earlier win over Benedictine. Baker, Mid-Am and Benedictine all are 4-1 in the South.
 
            Graceland @ Grand View (N)
            Benedictine @ William Woods (S)
            Missouri Baptist @ Baker (S)
            Mid-America @ Central Methodist (S)
            William Penn @ Missouri Valley (IL)
            Clarke @ Culver-Stockton (N)
 
          N- Heart North   S- Heart South  IL – Interleague
         
2024 Bobcat Schedule, Results
Aug. 31 Bobcats 27, Hastings 21 (OT)
Sept. 7 Bobcats 35, Central Methodist 3
Sept. 14 MidAmerica Nazarene 53, Bobcats 6
Sept. 21 Missouri Baptist, cancelled
Sept. 28 Bobcats 34, Clarke 9*
Oct. 5 Graceland 43, Bobcats 35*
Oct. 19 Bobcats 28, William Penn 21*
Oct. 26 Bobcats 50, William Woods 7
Nov. 2 Bobcats 52, Culver-Stockton 21*
Nov. 9 Grand View 26, Bobcats 7*
Nov. 16 at St. Ambrose* (Davenport IA.), 1 pm
 
            Home games in bold.  *Denotes Heart North games.
 
Newsletter compiled, written and edited by Kent Propst & Darrell Wellman.