FAYETTE, IA – With rain in the forecast, NSIC football carried on into the month of November Saturday afternoon.
From Harms-Eischeid Stadium in Fayette, Iowa, Wayne State College played at Upper Iowa University.
Upper Iowa jumped out front 21-0 in the first half before WSC rattled off 42 straight and held on for the 42-35 win. Wayne State College improves to 3-7 (2-4 NSIC South) as the Peacocks are now 3-7 (1-5 South).
Wildcat first half touchdowns started when junior Aaron Wright returned a kickoff to the house from 84-yards with 14:03 left in the opening half. Junior quarterback Aaron Bleil then found senior Nate Rogers for two receiving touchdowns from three and four-yards out. Junior place kicker Ethan Knudson went 3-for-3 on PATs.
At the half, WSC and Upper Iowa were tied 21 all.
With 13:30 in the third quarter, freshman Nicholas Joynt blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone to put WSC up 28-21.
Other third quarter scores came from sophomore running back Marlon Warren from one-yard and five-yards out under nine minutes and three minutes left in the quarter. Knudson drove through three more second half PATs.
Scoring by quarter:
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final:
0 21 21 21 0 42 – WSC
14 7 21 0 14 35 – Upper Iowa
Bleil finished the first half 11-21 for 112 yards with two interceptions and two touchdowns before being sidelined with an injury. Freshman Alex Thramer finished off the second half 2-4 for 37 yards with an interception.
Rogers was the top receiver with four catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns as sophomore tight end Conner Paxton recorded three receptions for 35 yards. The rushing attack was led by sophomore Maliki Wilson with 28 carries for 63 yards.
Defensively, junior Tyler Thomsen finished with 15 tackles (seven solo) and an interception return of 49 yards as senior Emile Hope followed with 11 tackles (eight solo).
Junior Kolbie Foster, junior Jacob Protzman (one solo/1.5 sack each) and junior Alain DeVoe as well as sophomore Josh Tayler (.5 sack each) combined for four total sacks.
The Wayne State College football team will next visit Sioux Falls at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 10 to cap off their season.
NSIC Saturday scores:
#1 Minnesota State-Mankato (10-0) defeated Sioux Falls (6-4), 31-21
MSU Moorhead (6-3) at Bemidji State (6-3) at 1 p.m.
Concordia-St. Paul (4-5) at Southwest Minnesota State (4-5) at 1 p.m.
Minnesota Crookston (1-8) at Northern State (3-6) at 1 p.m.
Winona State (6-3) at Augustana (6-3) at 1 p.m.
St. Cloud State (6-3) at Minot State (1-8) at 1 p.m.
University of Mary (0-9 at #5 Minnesota Duluth (9-0) at 1:05 p.m.
