Wayne State used a 24-point second quarter and a potent rushing attack to post a rare win at Bemidji State in Northern Sun Conference football Saturday afternoon by a score of 45-13 at Chet Anderson Stadium in Bemidji, Minnesota. The Wildcat victory snapped a six-game losing skid to the Beavers dating back to 2014 and is just the third WSC win in Bemidji in nine tries and first dating back to 2012 (20-17). Wayne State is now 6-1 on the season and 5-1 in the NSIC while Bemidji State drops to 2-5 and 2-4 in conference play.
The Wildcats scored on the opening possession of the game, driving 75 yards on seven plays with junior quarterback
Brady McGill delivering a 24-yard scoring strike to
Corbin Reed putting the 'Cats ahead 7-0 at the 12:11 mark of the first quarter.
Bemidji State evened the score late in the first quarter when quarterback Mack Molander hit Zavery Guerra on a quick slant pass and raced 68 yards to the end zone to knot the score at 7-7 with 1:22 to play in the first quarter.
WSC wasted little time in regaining the lead as junior running back
Brennan Hayes broke loose for a 54-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter giving the 'Cats a 14-7 lead.
Later in the quarter, the 'Cats increased their lead as fifth-year running back
Dawson Forgy, back in the WSC lineup after missing two games with an injury, caught an 18-yard screen pass from McGill and found the end zone giving Wayne State a 21-7 lead with 6:48 to play before halftime.
Following a three-and-out, Bemidji State's punt was fielded by senior
Brayden Chaney at the WSC 30 and the speedster rambled 70 yards to paydirt for another Wayne State score in the quarter putting the 'Cats in front 28-7.
Wayne State capped their 24-point second quarter just before halftime with a
Boston Hensley 49-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining giving the 'Cats a 31-7 advantage at intermission.
Bemidji State opened the second half with a touchdown as Molander tossed a four-yard scoring strike to Antonio Brown with 10:55 to go in the third quarter making the score 31-13.
The Wildcats followed with a methodical scoring drive, covering 77 yards on 14 plays using 6:06 of the clock with Forgy finding the end zone on a three-yard score pushing the Wayne State lead to 38-13 with 4:32 to go in the quarter.
The final score of the game came early in the fourth quarter following a Bemidji State turnover when the Beavers muffed a punt at their own five-yard line and recovered on special teams by
Kaleb Panowicz. Hayes found the end zone for the second time in the game on a three-yard plunge at the 13:19 mark to make the final score 45-13.
Wayne State ended the game with 457 yards of total offense compared to 290 for BSU. The 'Cats gained 271 yards on the ground and 186 passing in the win.
Forgy and Hayes led a balanced rushing attack each with 84 yards. Forgy rushed 17 times and had one score while Hayes had 10 carries and had two TD runs.
Akeem Knox added 63 yards on nine attempts in the win.
McGill completed 15 of 23 passes for 186 yards with two touchdowns. Nine different Wildcats caught passes led by
Tanner Houck's three receptions for 42 yards. Senior wide receiver
Keaten Bonderson added two grabs for 44 yards, Reed hauled in two receptions for 34 yards and one score while
Alex Phelps chipped in two catches for 32 yards.
Linebacker
Clyde Hinton had a team-high six tackles for the Wildcat defense with junior linebacker
Wyatt Hatcher adding five. Defensive back
Mitchell Andersen accounted for four tackles and one interception.
The Wildcats are on a bye week next week and return to play Saturday, October 24 with a road game at #5 Minnesota State in Mankato, Minnesota at 1 p.m.
