Peru State College Athletics

(Peru, Neb.)- The Peru State College football team defeated first-year program and Heart of America Athletic Conference member Mount Mercy in convincing fashion with a score of 59-10.
 
The win would see Peru State climb to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the Heart North Division while Mount Mercy falls to 1-6 overall and 1-2 within the North.
 
The victory will also be remembered as the first Conference win for Head Coach Sean Wilkerson.
 
After the Bobcat defense would force a Mustang punt, Makalyster Crittenden (Opp, Alabama / Opp High School) would take the ball and dart 43-yards to set up the Peru State offense on the visitor 35-yard line. The opening drive for the offense was all Chandler Cotton (Omaha, Nebraska / Papillion LaVista South High School) as he would take carries of nine-yards, two-yards, then a 24-yard burst into the endzone for the Bobcats first touchdown of the game, a good point after would make the score 7-0 with 11:19 remaining in the first quarter.
 
After a short return to the Mount Mercy 16-yard line, the Mustangs would march with a 9-play 76-yard drive that ended in a field goal from 26-yards out to bring the score to 7-3. A delay of game penalty would see Peru State face 1^st and 15 from the Home 20 and after an 11-yard strike and a rush stuffed at the line would see 3^rd and 4, Cotton would rumble 64-yards down to the Mustangs 2-yard line. The Mount Mercy defense would hold strong as Peru State would settle for a 20-yard field goal from Brenden Bartholomew (Andalusia, Alabama / Straughn High School) to bring the lead back to seven (10-3).
 
Both teams would trade punts to bring the game into the second quarter and with the Mustangs facing 3^rd down in their own territory, Kameron Slade (Atlanta, Georgia / Therrell High School) would jump a pass and return it 25-yards for a pick-6 and the good point after attempt to follow would bring the lead to 17-3. Mount Mercy looked to respond by driving the ball into Bobcat territory, until facing 4^th and 6 on the Peru State 36 the Mustang pass would fall incomplete to force a turnover on downs. The Bobcats aerial assault woke up this drive as CJ Dixon (Loganville, Georgia / Grayson High School) would see completions of nine-yards, 16-yards, and a 22-yard strike to Crittenden in the back right of the endzone and the kick after would split the uprights to extend the lead to 24-3.
 
The kickoff would fall out of bounds to set up Mount Mercy on the 35, but after a 2-yard loss Robert Bennett (Richmond, Texas / Randle High School) would snatch a pass and dart 30-yards for the second interception returned for a touchdown in the half for Peru State, the following PAT would be good to stretch the lead to 28 (31-3). A Mustang three and out would give the Bobcat offense the ball at midfield and they would only need four plays to march 49-yards which was highlighted by Dixon dodging defenders then finding Cotton on a 26-yard receiving touchdown then the point after would make the score 38-3 with 1:51 left in the second quarter. Mount Mercy would drive 42-yards to bring the ball into Peru State territory, but a long pass would be taken away by Jeffery Taylor (Atlanta, Georgia / Langston Hughes High School) to end the half.
 
The Mustangs would force a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half to take possession at the Bobcats 23-yard line and after driving into the redzone, Mount Mercy would find a 5-yard passing touchdown on 4^th and goal and the PAT would bring the score to 38-10. The Bobcats would respond with Cotton dashing 70-yards and diving into the endzone on the following drive, the defense would force a punt to bring the offense back out where they would proceed to gash the Mustang defense in a 4-play 59-yard drive that was capped off with a 37-yard passing touchdown to Ahmad Bacon Jr. (Tampa, Florida / Jefferson High School) and the point after would bring the score to 52-10 with 9:56 remaining in the third quarter.
 
The following drive for Mount Mercy would end in a punt to their own 48 where Crittenden would take it and scamper down the sideline 29-yards to the Mustang 19-yard line where after a one-yard rush, Dixon would find John Holcombe II (Houston, Texas / Summer Creek High School) in the endzone and the kick after would bring the lead to 59-10. Mount Mercy would march into the Peru State redzone on the following drive but facing 4^th and 10 on the 16-yard line, Gavin Dunkel (Scottsbluff, Nebraska / Morrill High School) would push through for a sack and a turnover on downs. The Bobcats would look to punt but a botched snap would give Mount Mercy possession on the Peru State 12-yard line, Mount Mercy would see 4^th and nine on the last play of the quarter but Tyrell McMillan (Mount Pleasant, Florida / Sneads High School) would step up to wrap up the receiver before the first down marker and force another turnover on downs.
 
The defense would hold strong through the fourth quarter as the first two Mustang Drives would end in turnovers, Slade would jump another pass and return it 67 yards for his second interception of the day while Bennett II would force a fumble which was recovered by Devon Byrd (West Palm Beach, Florida / Cardinal Newman High School). The final drive for Mount Mercy would have them face their sixth fourth down of the game before time expired.
 
Offensively Cotton had a career day with 13 carries for 177 rushing yards and two touchdowns while marking a 26-yard receiving touchdown for 203 all-purpose yards and three total scores, Dixon went 9-14 on the afternoon with 183 passing yards and four touchdowns which were all to four different receivers. Holcombe II led the receiving efforts with three grabs for 54-yards and a touchdown while Bacon Jr. followed with 2 receptions for 46-yards and a touchdown.
 
The defense was led by Roddy Mapps (Lucas, Texas / Lovejoy High School) and Amari Dawkins (Stockbridge, Georgia / Stockbridge High School) who each totaled six solo tackles while Colton Cerveny (Ashland, Nebraska / Ashland-Greenwood High School) paced the team with 1.5 tackles for loss. Slade notched two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown while Bennett II returned an interception for a touchdown and forced a fumble.
 
The Bobcats are back in the Oak Bowl on Saturday where Peru State will be celebrating Homecoming with a Conference matchup against Graceland.