Peru State College Athletics

(Peru, Ne.)- A first quarter lightning delay could not stall the Peru State College football team as the Bobcats took down the visiting Westgate Christian University 54-14 on Saturday afternoon.
 
The victory is also marked as win number one for Sean Wilkerson in his first season as the Bobcats Head Coach.
 
After a 4^th and 4 stop by Devon Byrd (West Palm Beach, Florida. / Cardinal Newman High School) to stall the Ravens opening drive, Peru State would convert two third downs in a 10-play, 47-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard rushing touchdown from Chandler Cotton (Omaha, Nebraska. Papillion LaVista South High School) a good point after would bring the lead to 7-0 and a botched handoff from Westgate Christian would be fallen on by Tate Hug (Auburn, Nebraska. / Auburn High School) to reclaim Bobcat possession. Facing 3^rd and 12 on the next drive, CJ Dixon (Loganville, Georgia. / Grayson High School) threw a 20-yard strike to convert and followed up with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jazir Francois (New City, New York. / Saint Joseph Regional High School) and another good PAT would extend the lead to 14-0.
 
The Ravens would convert three third downs after returning from the delay until facing 4^th and 6 in the Peru State redzone, Jeremy Porter (Laurel, Mississippi. / Laurel High School) would snatch a tipped pass out of the air for an interception on the Bobcat eight-yard line. Peru State would go into the second quarter with a nine play 92-yard march that was capped off by a 16-yard touchdown pass to John Holcombe II (Houston, Texas. / Summer Creek High School) then a kick down the middle would take the score to 21-0. Two more fourth down stops would allow Peru State to rip off two more passing touchdowns and after missing the following PATs were no good, the Bobcats would roll into halftime with a 33-0 lead.
 
A successful onside kick to open the second half would give Westgate Christian the opening drive where the Ravens would hit a receiver for a 13-yard touchdown and a failed conversion set the score at 33-6, Then a recovered onside kick attempt by Peru State would start the drive in Raven territory and the Bobcats would respond with a five play, 45-yard drive with four carries by Cotton who found the endzone through a four-yard plunge and a successful PAT would bring the score to 40-6.
 
Westgate Christian would take the following drive 13 plays and 68-yards for a three-yard rushing score and a two-point rush put the score at 40-14. Gianni Dorsey (Alpharetta, Georgia. / Milton High School) would cap off the following Bobcat series with a one-yard touchdown punch and after Alex "AJ" Flowers (San Antonio, Texas. / Robert G Cole High School) would force, then recover a Raven fumble in Bobcat territory Peru State would find the endzone one last time through a 12-yard rushing score and with Westgate Christian facing 3^rd and seven on their final drive, Walter Taylor IV (Kansas City, Missouri. / Central High School) would end the drive by recovering a Raven fumble. The Bobcats would run out the clock on the following possession to win the game 54-14.
 
The Offense fired on all cylinders as Dixon completed 17 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns as Cotton marked 74 yards on 14 carries for two scores and a 5.3 yard per rush average, Dorsey and Vinny Smith (Junction City, Kansas. / Manhattan High School) both found touchdowns on the ground as well. Francois led a balanced receiving effort that saw six Bobcats that had multiple receptions with three catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns, Holcombe would snag four passes for 36 yards and a score while Blake Durham (Birmingham, Alabama. / Pike Road High School) saw two catches for 33 yards and a touchdown.
 
Hug would lead the Peru State defense with five solo stops, a forced fumble and a recovery while Taylor IV totaled four tackles with three solo, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble as well as a recovery. Damien Malachias (Central City, Nebraska. / Central City High School) posted two solo tackles which were both for loss and a sack while Oluseye "AK" Akeredolu (Austin, Texas. / Henderickson High School) totaled three solo stops with one sack.
 
The Bobcats are on the road next as they gear up to take on Missouri Valley on Saturday at 1:00 P.M.