Peru State College Athletics

(Marshall, Mo.)- The Peru State College football team traveled to face off against Missouri Valley University on Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats would tie the score with 1:07 remaining, but the Vikings would find a game-winning field goal with four seconds left 31-28.
 
The Bobcats fall to 1-4 overall while Missouri Valley rises to 2-2 on the season.
 
After Missouri Valley went three and out on the opening drive, Peru State would march 54-yards in 10 plays to punch in a four-yard rushing score from Chandler Cotton (Omaha, Nebraska. / Papillion LaVista South High School) and a good point after attempt would put the Bobcats up 7-0. After a Viking penalty in the following drive, Missouri Valley faced a 3^rd and 18 but would be able to convert after a roughing the passer penalty was called on Peru State, The Vikings would find the endzone three plays later through a 17-yard passing score and a good point after would tie the game 7-7. The Bobcats would face a 4^th and 10 at the Peru State 48-yard line on the ensuing drive and punter Cole Spahr (Dewitt, Nebraska. / Tri-County High School) would take a fake punt and dart 12-yards to convert, CJ Dixon (Loganville, Georgia. / Grayson High School) would find John Holcombe II (Houston, Texas. / Summer Creek High School) on a 39-yard catch and run into the endzone and a good kick after would give the Bobcats back the lead 14-7.
 
Missouri Valley kept their momentum into the second quarter with an eight play, 83-yard march that ended in a one-yard touchdown rush then a good PAT knotted the score at 14. Peru State would find three first downs to enter into Viking territory until a fumble would give Missouri Valley possession, a Bobcat sack would force the Vikings to go three and out but facing 3^rd and 13 on the next series, an interception would end the Peru State drive at their own 38-yard line. One play was all Missouri Valley needed as they opened their drive with a 38-yard passing touchdown and the point after gave the Vikings their first lead at 21-14. The Bobcats would drive into the Missouri Valley redzone on the next drive, but another interception halted the drive at the Viking 12-yard line. After a Missouri Valley punt, Peru State would get one last drive with 1:36 in the first half and after driving into Missouri Valley territory a 20-yard completion put the Bobcats on the Viking 25, but would not be able to spike the ball in time as the officials ruled the clock hit 0:00 and Peru State would be down 21-14 going into the second half.
 
A Bobcat penalty on the kickoff return would start their opening drive on the 15-yard line but Peru State would convert five first downs on an 85-yard drive that lasted 13 plays as Cotton punched in his second score of the day from seven yards out, another good PAT would even the score at 21. A 39-yard pass would set up Missouri Valley in Bobcat territory, but Austyn Cote (Ashland, Nebraska. / Ashland-Greenwood High School) would jump a Viking pass for an interception and return it to the Peru State 19.
 
After a Bobcat punt, Missouri Valley would take an 11-play series into the fourth quarter and facing 4^th and 11, a Viking field goal would go wide left to keep the score at 21-21. After a Peru State drive went three and out, Missouri Valley would march 11 plays and 63-yards to drive in a 2-yard rushing touchdown and the point after would pull the Viking lead to seven (28-21). After trading punts the Bobcats would drive into the Missouri Valley redzone and after three incompletions would set up 4^th and 10 at the Viking 18, Dixon would avoid traffic and deliver an 18-yard passing strike to Ahmad Bacon Jr. (Tampa, Florida. / Jefferson High School) in the back of the endzone, Brenden Bartholomew (Andalusia, Alabama. / Straughn High School) would split the uprights to tie the game at 28-28 with 1:07 remaining. Missouri Valley would start the next drive on their own 22-yard line and drive seven plays and 54 yards to set up a 41-yard field goal and after a timeout, the kick went good as Missouri Valley pulled out the win 31-28.
 
Dixon led the Peru State passing attack with 20 completions for 312 yards and two scores while Cotton notched 22 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Jazir Francois (New City, New York. / Saint Joseph Regional High School) paced the receiving efforts with five catches for 78-yards while Holcombe II hauled in three passes for 66-yards and a score, Bacon Jr. snagged four receptions for 63-yards and a score as well.
 
Robert Bennett (Richmond, Texas. / Randle High School) paced the defense with eight total tackles and six solo, Ja-Quez Oliver (Ocala, Florida. / Langston Hughes High School) recorded seven total tackles with four solo stops and one tackle for loss while Cote totaled four tackles and an interception.
 
The Bobcats are staying on the road as they face off against Conference foe St. Ambrose on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:00 P.M.