Box Score MSU Moorhead 40 Wayne State 36

            MSU Moorhead stopped Wayne State on a fourth and goal at the nine yard line on the final play of the game to win a wild 40-36 Northern Sun Conference football game over the Wildcats Saturday afternoon at Bob Cunningham Field in Wayne.  The visiting Dragons improve to 1-2 overall and 1-2 in the NSIC while WSC is also 1-2 on the season and 1-2 in league play.
            The game featured a combined 1,254 yard between the two clubs with a combined six blocked or missed kicks that resulted in a pair of rare, two point PAT returns.
            Wayne State opened the scoring on their first series of the game as sophomore quarterback Zach Osborn threw a three yard pass to Cole McDaniel to cap a 14 play, 88 yard drive to put the 'Cats ahead early 7-0. 
            But MSU Moorhead scored on four of their next five possessions while holding WSC scoreless on four possessions with three punts and a fumble and took a 24-9 lead. 
            WSC pulled within 24-16 with 9:48 to go in the second quarter on a 28-yard scoring strike from Osborn to Adam Stark.  But the Dragons responded with another score just before halftime to take a 30-16 lead at intermission.  MSU Moorhead finished the first half with 412 yards of total offense compared to 285 by the Wildcats.
            Neither team scored in the third quarter despite Wayne State having the ball for 10:29.  WSC took the second half kickoff and marched 61 yards before the drive resulted in a blocked field goal attempt of 28 yards.
            WSC scored midway through the fourth quarter on a 27 yard pass from Osborn to Cole McDaniel to make the score 30-23 with 6:21 remaining.
            On the ensuing kickoff, MSU Moorhead's Zayne Medhaug raced 98 yards for a score to put the Dragons back in front by two scores at 38-23 with 6:04 to play.
            Wayne State used a 13 yard pass play from Osborn to McDaniel with 4:50 to play, cutting the Dragon lead to 38-30.  After forcing a MSU Moorhead punt, the Wildcats used a big play strike of 65 yards from Osborn to Stark with 3:06 to play to pull within two at 38-36.  WSC went for two to tie the score, but the Osborn pass attempt was intercepted by Sheldon Jones and returned for a two point conversion to give the Dragons a 40-36 lead.
            WSC forced MSU Moorhead to punt and got the ball at their own 35 yard line with 41 seconds to play and no timeouts remaining.
            Osborn completed a nine yard pass to Stark followed by completions of 16, nine and 22 yards to McDaniel to give WSC a first and goal at the MSU Moorhead nine yard line. 
            But the Dragons were able to stop three straight pass attempts by the Wildcats, including a fourth and goal pass to Brian Kent at the near the goal line on the final play of the game as MSU Moorhead held on for the wild win.
            WSC gained 694 yards in the game, the fourth-most yards gained by a Wildcat football team in a single game.  The Wildcats had 251 yards rushing and 443 passing while MSU Moorhead finished with 560 yards.
            Junior Ryan Ludlow led WSC in rushing with 152 yards on 25 carries followed by Chad Koch and Lane Yates with 35 yards apiece.
            Sophomore quarterback Zach Osborn completed 31 of 52 passes for a career-high 443 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions.  The 443 yard passing by Osborn were the fifth-most in a single game by a Wildcat quarterback. 
            Senior wide receiver Cole McDaniel hauled in 14 receptions for 205 yards and three TD's, all career-highs.  He became the sixth player in school history to have 200 yards or more receiving in a single game.  Senior Adam Stark grabbed 10 receptions for 156 yards and two scores.
            Defensively, senior linebacker Nick Monzu paced WSC with eight tackles followed by Jeff Van Den Top and Nate Kroupa with seven stops each.
            Wayne State will be on the road next Saturday, visiting Minot State in a Northern Sun Conference game starting at 2:30 p.m. in Minot, North Dakota.