Saturday, October 25, 2008
Wayne State 28 Augustana 7
The Wayne State College defense forced four turnovers and held Augustana College to just 266 yards of total offense as the Wildcats won their fifth straight game Saturday with a 28-7 triumph over the Vikings at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. WSC improved to 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the NSIC with the win while snapping Augustana’s four game win streak, dropping the Vikings to 6-3 overall and 6-2 in the NSIC.
Wayne State turned three of the four Augustana turnovers into touchdowns while Augustana scored a meaningless touchdown with two seconds remaining on the Wildcats’ second string defense to avoid the shutout as Wayne State improved to 12-2 in NSIC road games under fourth-year head coach Dan McLaughlin.
The Wildcat defense set the tone early in the game as senior linebacker Reno Blomquist intercepted Augustana quarterback Luke Butler on the Vikings’ first series at the Augustana 44 yard line and raced 40 yards to set up WSC on a first and goal at the Viking four yard line. On the next play, senior running back Travis Rhone scampered four yards for a touchdown to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead with 14:04 remaining in the first quarter.
Later in the first quarter, WSC junior wide receiver Logan Masters made school history by becoming the all-time receptions leader after hauling in an 18 yard pass from Silas Fluellen with just under 4:00 to play in the first quarter. That reception moved Masters past former NFL All-Pro tight end Byron Chamberlain, who recorded 161 catches in his two seasons with the Wildcats in 1993 and 94.
Midway through the second quarter, Augustana appeared to be driving for a score as the Vikings had the ball first and goal at the WSC two yard line. But the WSC defense forced their second turnover of the game when Viking running back Joe Clark fumbled the ball and Wayne State’s Robert Manuel recovered at the three yard line to stop the scoring drive with 6:10 to play in the second quarter. From their own three yard line, WSC then drove 97 yards on 11 plays late in the first half to take a 14-0 lead heading into halftime as Wildcat quarterback Silas Fluellen connected with wide receiver Brian Chapman on a four yard scoring pass with 50 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Wildcat defense forced their third turnover midway through the third quarter when Wildcat senior defensive end Tyler Krueger sacked Augustana quarterback Luke Butler, forcing a fumble at the Viking 15 yard line that was recovered by Wayne State’s Troy Pribnow. The opportunistic Wildcat offense turned the turnover into points moments later as Rhone scored his second touchdown of the day on a one-yard run to culminate a four play, 16 yard drive giving Wayne State a 21-0 lead with 6:04 to play in the third quarter.
Rhone clinched the win late in the fourth quarter breaking loose on a 65 yard run with 2:00 left in the game to make the score 28-0 in favor of Wayne State. Augustana was determined to avoid the shutout in the final 2:00 as Butler scored on a one yard run with two seconds to play, capping a 10-play, 65 yard drive, to make the final score 28-7.
Wayne State outgained Augustana in the contest 413-266 as the Wildcats rushed for 264 yards while throwing for 149. The Vikings had 178 yards rushing and just 88 passing. The Wildcats were penalized 11 times for 72 yards compared to just three penalties against the Vikings for 31 yards. Augustana had four turnovers in the game to just one for WSC.
Individually, Rhone finished the game with 112 yards rushing on just 14 carries and three scores while Silas Fluellen finished with 110 yards rushing on 17 attempts. Fluellen was 15 of 25 passing for 149 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The top receiver for WSC was junior Logan Masters, who finished with five catches for 40 yards while becoming the all-time receptions leader in WSC history. Frederick Bruno added four catches for 47 yards.
Defensively, junior linebacker Ryan Reeves was credited with a game-high 16 tackles followed by senior linebacker Luke Hoffman with 14 stops. Reno Blomquist and Robert Manuel each recorded interceptions while Manuel and Troy Pribnow were each credited with fumble recoveries to pace the Wildcat defense.
Wayne State will be at home next weekend, hosting Concordia University, St. Paul in the final home game of the season in the 20th annual Egg Bowl with kickoff slated for 1:00 p.m. at Cunningham Field in Wayne.