BEMIDJI, MN – Week two of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football schedule showcased an early season battle between a pair of 1-0 teams.
From Chet Anderson Stadium in Bemidji, Minnesota, Wayne State College visited Bemidji State University in a cross division match-up as the South visited the North.
After leading by a touchdown in the half, Bemidji State scored back-to-back touchdowns early in the third quarter and held on for the 38-28 home victory. BSU improves to 2-0 while the ‘Cats fell to 1-1.
Scoring opened when sophomore Brandon Alt found freshman Brice Peters on an eight-yard score to lead 7-0. with 7:55 remaining in the opening quarter.
WSC answered when freshman running back Jacob Keiser ran in from 37-yards. Junior Alex Powders knocked through the PAT with 6:30 left in the opening half to tie the game at 7-7.
Bemidji State scored twice more in the second quarter when Alt connected with Peters on a 16-yard score (14:12 left) and then junior Bryce Duffy from six-yards out with nine seconds left until half.
The ‘Cats scored in-between when sophomore Tavian Willis found Keiser on an 11-yard passing touchdown with 8:11 to play in the opening half. Powders made the PAT.
Score at the half saw Bemidji State lead WSC, 21-14.
Wayne State College then opened the second half with a pair of third quarter fumbles from Keiser and Willis. BSU capitalized with Alt passing strikes to Duffy from 40-yards (13:23 left in third) and to Peters from 14-yards (10:05 left in third) to lead 35-14.
Junior Mason Hoffer drove through a 27-yard field goal with 10:25 left in the fourth which put the Beaves up 38-14.
The ‘Cats never gave up and used a pair of Willis passing scores to senior wideout Trystn Ducker from seven-yards with 8:31 and again from six-yards with 1:39 left in the game. Senior wide receiver Taurean Grady converted the first two-point score but WSC failed the second.
Final favored Bemidji State University over Wayne State College, 38-28.
Willi finished 16-29 for 203 yards, three touchdown passes and one interception as redshirt freshman Nick Bohn was 0-3. Willis also had 13 rushes for 68 yards and was sacked three times.
Keiser carried the ball 15 times for 77 yards with one score on the ground and had two receptions for 17 yards and a TD. Senior Anthony Watkins left the game in the first half with a head injury after three carries for 32 yards.
Junior Mason Lee finished with five receptions for 96 yards (55 yards after contact) as Ducker caught six passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, junior linebacker Nicholas Joynt paced WSC in tackles with 14 (six solo) followed by freshman linebacker Alex Kowalczyk with 11 tackles (one solo). Junior defensive back J’Von France had eight tackles (four solo) as junior lineman Ryan Parker had eight tackles (three solo).
Junior linebacker Jaylan Scott recorded an interception as senior free safety CJ Burress recovered a fumble.
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final:
7 7 14 0 14 28 – WSC
7 14 21 14 3 38 – BSU
Wayne State College will next host Minot State University on Saturday, September 18 at 6 p.m. during Family Weekend.
Week two results:
Winona State defeated MSU Moorhead, 27-13
Concordia-St. Paul defeated Upper Iowa, 24-6
Sioux Falls defeated Minot State, 49-10
(RV) Augustana defeated University of Mary, 43-20
Northern State defeated Southwest Minnesota State, 30-13.
#20 Minnesota Duluth defeated #3 Minnesota State-Mankato, 30-10
