PERU, NE - The Peru State football team picked up its second win of the season with a win over Missouri Valley. The Bobcats improve to 2-4 overall while the Vikings fall to 3-2 overall.
 
Below is the breakdown of how the game went…
 
On Peru State's first drive of the game Keyon Henry-Brooks (Powder Springs, Ga.) had a 42-yard rush setting up a 37-yard field goal that Nathan Barnes (Clarinda, Iowa) knocked through the uprights as the Bobcats went up 3-0.
 
Later in the first quarter, after Missouri Valley's defense had an interception, its offense would score the first touchdown of the game on an 18-yard pass play as the Vikings took a 7-3 lead.
 
The Vikings would take a 7-3 lead going into the second quarter. Peru State was driving early in the second but another turnover this time via a fumble would set the Vikings up in good starting field position.
 
Missouri Valley would score its second touchdown of the game through the air this time for 20-yards as the Vikings took a 14-3 lead early in the second.
 
Quarterback Colin Shields (Wichita, Kan.) found one of his favorite targets Jordan Kempf (Arlington, Tex.) for a 53-yard touchdown pass as the Bobcats would close the Vikings lead to four trailing 14-10.
 
On the ensuing Viking possession they had a 52-yard pass to get into Bobcat territory then it was fourth-and-long and Ashley Thompson (Springfield, Ga.) had a pick six as the Bobcats took a 17-14 lead.
 
Missouri Valley then went three-and-out on its next possession and the Peru State special teams showed up as they blocked the punt and had Alex Dzingle (Grand Island) return it for a touchdown as Peru State now led 24-14.
 
The Vikings on their next offensive possession marched down the field and then scored on a four-yard rushing touchdown to make the score 24-21 Bobcats.
 
Henry-Brooks had a great running drive to end the half as he had big gains of 30 and 36-yards setting up a 29-yard field goal from Barnes as the Bobcats took a 27-21 lead into halftime.
 
To open up the second half the Bobcats marched down the field methodically even converting on a fourth down play but had to settle for 25-yard field goal to go up nine 30-21.
 
Missouri Valley hit a big pass play on its first offensive possession of the second half for 35-yards but they would also have to settle for a field goal making the score 30-24.
 
Both offensive possessions in the third quarter took a lot of time so it was a one possession game heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Early in the fourth quarter the Bobcats had the Shields to Kempf connection with a 34-yard touchdown pass but a failed two-point conversion had the score at 36-24.
 
The Bobcat defense struck gold once again as Duke McClinton (Warren Robbins, Ga.) found the end zone with a pick-six as they were now up 42-24.
 
Peru State's offense was stuffed on the goal line after Thompson had another interception. Missouri Valley had the ball on the four-yard line and then Thompson had another pick six to make the score 48-24.
 
Missouri Valley scored one more touchdown late in the fourth quarter to make the score 48-31. Peru State won its second game of the year with the final score 48-31.
 
Shields was 14-of-32 for 210 yards two touchdowns and one interception. Henry-Brooks had 20 rushes for 181 yards averaging 9.1 yards per carry. Kempf had four receptions for 99 yards with two touchdowns.
 
Thompson and Kile Bentley (Cairo) tied for the team lead in tackles with seven. Thompson had three interceptions and two for touchdowns. Cedric Terrell (Florissant, Mo.), Aaron Thomas (River Ridge, La.) and Shane Nelson (Collegeville, Pa.) each had a sack.
 
Peru State has a bye next week before they are home again for the Hall of Fame Game vs. Graceland as conference play opens. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.