Statesmen Win North Opener 34-31
William Penn University Statesmen Football
Peru, Neb.–The William Penn football squad performed well in front of a national audience Saturday as it got into the win column in the Heart of America Athletic Conference North Division with a 34-31 triumph over Peru State.
In a battle of two multiple-option attacks featured on ESPN3 and KSMO-TV, the 16th-ranked Statesmen (5-2, 1-0 North) outgained the Bobcats (unofficially #26) by a 375-262 tally. The visitors racked up 358 of their yards on the ground (76 carries out of 81 total plays), while limiting PSC (5-3, 0-1 North) to 96 rushing yards on 34 tries; Peru State entered Saturday averaging 271.0 rushing yards.
The Bobcats, who were celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 1990 team’s NAIA national title, got on the board first just 3:24 into the matchup.
WPU bounced right back with a pair of methodical drives, scoring on possessions of 82 yards (11 plays) and 69 yards (13 plays). On both occasions, quarterback Tyler Hafner (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Communications) plunged into the endzone from one yard out.
William Penn was in position to extend the advantage in the second quarter, but fumbled in PSC territory. Two drives later, the Bobcats finished the first half with a field goal to close the gap to four at 14-10.
A blocked punt by Zach Myers (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Physical Education) set the Statesmen up early on in the second half and Nathan Tvedt (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Business Management) made sure the effort did not go to waste as he scampered 23 yards on the very next play to make the score 21-10.
Special teams made the first big play and then the defense followed suit on the opening play of PSC’s next drive. Cameron Colbert (Sr., Jenks, Okla., Business Management) sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble. Taylan Ybarra (Sr., Wellington, Kan., Education) was in the perfect position as he scooped up the pigskin and took it 45 yards for the TD for a 27-10 lead.
A massive kickoff return set up the Bobcats to get a score back, but then the navy and gold produced its longest drive of the day, going 72 yards on 17 plays in over eight minutes of action. Surprise, surprise, but Hafner once again put the exclamation on the efforts with yet another one-yard plunge. WPU seemed to be in solid control with a 34-17 advantage going into the fourth period.
The home crew had other thoughts, however, cutting into the margin with a touchdown only two plays into the quarter and then recording the day’s final score with 6:13 still on the clock.
After being stopped on its first attempt of the quarter, WPU desperately needed to pick up some first downs to milk the remaining seconds off and it did that, converting on third down once and fourth down twice. Hafner, who rushed 22 times for 76 yards, collected all three first downs.
Nate Van Veldhuizen (Fr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Mechanical Engineering) actually paced the offense with 78 rushing yards, while Tvedt had 43 and Amos Johnson (So., Rock Island, Ill., Mechanical Engineering) and Tyler Goble (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa, Physical Education) both added 37 yards. A total of 13 different Statesmen carried the ball Saturday. Goble also pulled in Hafner’s lone completion, earning 17 yards on the grab.
William Penn overcame committing one more turnover (2-1) than Peru State. Jake Baptiste (So., Salt Lake City, Utah, Psychology) guided the defense with nine tackles; he also joined Colbert with a sack.
WPU’s successful running attack helped it own a 35:32-24:28 edge in time of possession; in both the first and fourth periods, the team had the ball for over 10 minutes.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Canton, Mo. next Saturday to face Culver-Stockton in North action at 2 p.m.
