MOORHEAD, MN – After ending their South Division record with a 3-3 mark, the Wayne State College football team took to the road on a blustery afternoon with snow flurries and all concluding their 2021 season with a North Division Opponent.
From SCHEELS Field at Nemzek Stadium in Moorhead, Minnesota, the Wildcats visited MSU Moorhead Saturday afternoon.
WSC scored 24 straight points and held off MSU Moorhead to win 24-21. The Wildcats finished the year at 7-4 (3-3 South Division) which marked their first time recording seven wins since 2011. The Dragons finished 5-6 (3-3 NSIC North Division).
The lone first quarter score came from sophomore linebacker Hayden Boll on a 29-yard run with 1:46 left.
WSC then answered with back-to-back second quarter scores.
On a double reverse pass play call, freshman wideout Ashten Schmaderer tossed the ball to redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Bohn after the Dragon defense blew up the play in the backfield. Bohn ran in from 23-yards out for the score. Junior placekicker Alex Powders knocked through the extra-point with 14:17 to play until half to tie the game at 7-7.
Then following a Wildcat offense fumble, the defense answered as junior lineman Luke Sims picked up the fumble and scored from 15-yards. Powders drove through the extra-point with 7:24 to play in the second quarter.
WSC led 14-7 at half.
The Wildcat defense forced an early three-and-out as the offence marched down the field. Powders knocked through the 20-yard field goal with 8:53 left in the third to lead 17-7.
WSC scored once more after freshman defensive back Jacob Byrd recorded an interception. WSC’s Bohn connected with senior wideout Trystn Ducker from nine-yards. Powders punched through the extra-point with 1:28 left in the quarter.
MSU Moorhead then began to mount a comeback. Following a two-yard Wildcat punt, the Dragons used a 10-yard passing touchdown from freshman Tommy Falk to freshman tight end Jordan Marty with 12:53 to play in the game.
One more score came off a passing TD from Falk to junior wideout Trent Marquart from nine-yards with 4:49 in the game.
After the Wildcats punted the ball back to MSU Moorhead, the Dragons began to march down the field. But, junior linebacker Jaylan Scott closed out the game with an INT for WSC.
Wayne State College held onto the 24-21 victory.
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final:
0 14 14 10 0 24 – WSC
7 0 7 0 14 21 – MSU Moorhead
Bohn finished 18-22 for 176 yards and a score along with 30 carries for 122 net yards and a score. Senior wideout Taurean Grady caught all six passes throw his direction for 108 yards as Ducker had six receptions for 35 yards and a score.
Defensively, freshman linebacker Alex Kowalczyk paced the team with seven tackles (six solo), one sack and two tackles for loss while senior safety CJ Burress added seven tackles (five solo). Scott had the interception along with five tackles (three solo) and senior lineman Josh Tayler had four tackles (three solo) and a sack.
Another sack came from freshman lineman Rex Becker.
Wayne State College ran 78 plays for 361 yards (185 rushing) compared to MSU Moorhead with 57 plays for 266 yards (41 yards rushing). WSC was 10-18 on third down conversions, MSU Moorhead was 6-14 as the ‘Cats were penalized 11 times for 100 yards with the Dragons called for nine penalties for 64 yards.
The 2021 season marked just the first winning season since 2017 when the ‘Cats went 6-5 and just the second time since 2012 as WSC recorded six straight winning seasons from 2007-2012.
Week 11 NSIC Football Schedule:
Minot State defeated Concordia-St. Paul, 28-20
Winona State defeated Minnesota State-Mankato, 18-16
#25 Augustana defeated Southwest Minnesota State, 55-0
#23 Minnesota Duluth leads Northern State, 49-35
(RV) Bemidji State leads University of Mary, 55-34
Sioux Falls defeated Upper Iowa, 42-21
