Peru State College Athletic Media Release
For Immediate Release Contact: Dave Walker
Sports Information Director
402.872.2344 or
dwalker@oakmail.peru.edu
Bobcats Top Haskell 27-6
The 2006 edition of the Peru State Bobcat football team opened the fall campaign with a convincing 27-6 victory over Haskell University in a game played under the lights at Haskell last Saturday evening. It was the season opener for both squads.
The Bobcats used a punishing ground game led by 103 yards from sophomore transfer Cody Smith (Ceresco) and some timely passing from quarterback Derek Falor (Sioux Falls, SD) to junior wide out Jared Gerdes (Auburn) to control the line of scrimmage throughout the contest. Smith got the Bobcats on the scoreboard at 7:37 of the first period with a 12 yard scamper. Kicker Bryan Miller (Nebraska City) added the PAT for a 7-0 lead that carried into halftime.
Smith's second TD run, this time a nifty 29 yard carry at 13:07 of the third period, and Miller's kick gave the 'Cats a 14-0 lead that was never threatened. Falor (6-10, 75 yds, 1 TD) connected with Gerdes on a 19 yard catch-run at 4:28 of the third and the lead expanded to 20-0. Gerdes hauled in all six of Falor's completions for a 75 yard evening.
Haskell closed the gap to 20-6 early in the final stanza after a seven yard touchdown pass, however, the advantage was restored when senior Lynn Meyer (Johnson) rambled in from two yards late in the contest. Miller's kick added the icing to the victory cake and the 27-6 final.
Smith finished his first game as a Bobcat with 20 carries for 103 yards and received ample help from junior Mike Mertens (Hastings) who added 70 yards on 21 carries. Meyer added 22 yards on nine carries from his fullback position. The Bobcat offensive line set the tempo for the game according to offensive coordinator Dick Ramsey. "The players executed the game plan as well as they could have for the first game. Our entire 'O' line including our tight ends really moved Haskell off the ball and opened some huge holes.
"We had a great effort from all three phases (offense, defense, special teams) and when you can get that type of effort in the first game you usually do win," said head coach Terry Clark. "Defensively we played an extremely solid game all around, added Clark. "We had several kids step up and make big plays that Haskell could not recover from. The big plays that Clark referred to included blocked field goals from senior Rusty Fuller (Cambridge) and Jeff McQuinn (Council Bluffs, IA). In addition, McQuinn and Joe Russo (Omaha) had a pair of sacks to lead an aggressive Bobcat defense.
The Bobcats travel to Jamestown, ND on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. contest with the veteran Jimmies. It will the season opener for Jamestown.
PSC's "Campus of a Thousand Oaks," an arboretum campus, is nestled in historic southeast Nebraska. The state's first and fastest-growing college, Peru State offers a unique mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management. PSC is a member institution of the Nebraska State College System. For more information, visit
www.peru.edu or call 1-800-742-4412.
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