DULUTH, MN – With the wind blowing and precipitation falling through the game, Wayne State College continued their cross-division schedule Saturday afternoon.
From James S. Malosky Stadium in Duluth, Minnesota, the 23rd ranked Bulldogs hosted Wayne State.
After scoring late in the first half to tie the game at 7-7, the Wayne State College offense stalled out which allowed Minnesota Duluth to score 14 points in the final quarter to win 21-7. UMD improves to 5-1 while WSC fell to 2-4.
Following a scoreless opening quarter, UMD scored early in the second when sophomore running back Wade Sullivan rushed in from four yards out. Following the PAT from senior place kicker Dan Branger, the Bulldogs led 7-0 with 10:06 left till half.
The Wildcat defense then forced a turnover on downs late in the second quarter before the offense drove the ball down the field on a five play, 72-yard drive capped off by a rushing touchdown from redshirt freshman quarterback Tavian Willis. Following the extra point from senior place kicker Ethan Knudson, WSC tied the game at 7-7.
Both teams couldn’t do much in the third quarter until UMD scored twice. Sophomore quarterback Garrett Olson found redshirt freshman Byron Bynum on a nine-yard score before Sullivan walked in from five yards out to make the final 21-7.
Minnesota Duluth outgained WSC 291-106 as the ‘Cats were held to net -5 yards in the second half.
Willis finished 4-11 for 71 yards with one interception and had a rushing touchdown but was sacked seven times while Alex Thramer went 1-2 for five yards. Redshirt freshman running back Devin Merkuris had nine carries for 40 yards followed by junior Deshawn Massey on five carries for 13 yards. Sophomore wideout Mason Lee recorded two catches for 48 yards as redshirt freshman wideout Jason Hawkins added a 19-yard reception.
For the second straight week sophomore linebacker Nick Joynt led the Wildcat defense with 11 solo tackles followed by junior defensive back Zaiden Hernandez (four solo) and senior linebacker Ian Ailts (five solo) with six each. Senior lineman Jacob Protzman recorded a sack as senior defensive lineman MJ Blankenfeld picked up two TFLs. Blankenfeld and junior linebacker Jalen Burgess recorded fumbles.
The Wayne State College football team will next host Northern State on Saturday, October 19 at 1 p.m.