Peru State College Athletic Media Release
For Immediate Release Contact: Dave Walker
Sports Information Director
402.872.2344 or
dwalker@oakmail.peru.edu
Northwestern Oklahoma Edges
Bobcats 30-20
The Peru
State Bobcats battled CSFL nemesis Northwestern
Oklahoma State for sixty minutes, however, the
visiting Rangers used a big-play offense to edge the
‘Cats 30-20 to dampen Homecoming festivities on a
cool, windy, wet afternoon at the Oak Bowl. Both
teams are now 4-4 on the season. NWOK is 2-0 in the
CSFL, the Bobcats drop to 0-2.
Senior return specialist Jared Gerdes (Auburn)
jumpstarted the Bobcats before the crowd had settled
in their seats by returning the opening kickoff 92
yards for a touchdown. Bryan Miller (Nebraska City)
added the PAT and the ‘Cats had a 7-0 lead with only
seconds elapsed on the clock.
NWOK scored on a 50 yard pass and run and added a 24
yard field goal for a narrow 10-7 lead at the half.
The big play capabilities of the Rangers led to
their next two touchdowns as running backs Rod Gray
and Thez Robinson scored on runs of 61 and 59 yards,
both on the first play of a drive which offset a
Mike Mertens (Hastings) touchdown for the Bobcats
giving NWOK a 23-14 lead heading into an exciting
final period. The ‘Cats moved 84 yards in only 7
plays capped by a one-yard plunge from Mertens
cutting the margin to 23-20 with 4:37 remaining.
Once again, however, the Rangers responded as Gray
sprinted in from 48 yards out with 1:56 left to end
the scoring.
NWOK out gained the Bobcats 484-267 with 348 coming
on the ground. Robinson ran for 160 while Gray
added 157 in only 10 carries. Lynn Meyer (Johnson)
led the Bobcats with 64 yards on 15 attempts,
Mertens added 62 on 14 carries. QB Derek Falor
(Sioux Falls, SD) completed 7 of 16 tosses for 105
yards. Gerdes and Cody Smith (Ceresco) caught two
each for 26 and 21 yards respectively. Gerdes also
racked up 121 return yards to pace the special teams
effort.
Defensively the Bobcats were led by Shane Ryan
(Greeley) with 13 tackles, Tyler DeBuhr added 12 and
Dustin Sealey (Hastings) also reached double figures
with 10. In addition, Sealey returned an
interception 57 yards stopping a potential Ranger
scoring threat. An active ‘Cat defense also
recorded 11 tackles for negative yardage. DE Jeff
McQuinn had three.
The Bobcats return to the Oak Bowl next Saturday
when they host Haskell Indian Nations University in
a 1:00 contest.
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.
