Wayne State held MSU Moorhead to just 193 yards of total offense as the Wildcats defeated MSU Moorhead 10-7 Saturday in the 33rd annual Egg Bowl Game at Bob Cunningham Field in Wayne.
The win gives the 9-2 Wildcats a share of the NSIC overall conference title for the first time in school history after WSC was Co-NSIC South Division champions in 2008. It also marks the fourth time in school history a Wayne State football team has won nine games in a season, joining the 1949 (9-0), 1993 (9-1) and 2008 (9-3) teams.
Both teams had a sloppy start to the contest as four of the game’s first five series ended in turnovers. Wayne State had two lost fumbles while the visiting Dragons had a lost fumble and interception in the first five minutes of the contest.
The second turnover created by the Wildcat defense turned into points for Wayne State as sophomore linebacker Alex Kowalczyk intercepted an MSU-M pass at the Dragon 49 and returned the ball 21 yards to the Moorhead 28.
Senior running back Anthony Watkins found the end zone on a six-yard run and gave Wayne State a 7-0 lead with 5:15 to play in the first quarter.
The lone score of the second quarter saw senior Alex Powders boot a 23-yard field goal giving the Wildcats a 10-0 lead at the half. WSC held MSU Moorhead to just 55 yards of total offense on 30 plays in the first half while the Wildcats produced 102 yards on 37 plays.
MSU Moorhead created a turnover late in the third quarter that resulted in their lone score of the game. Cody Sorenson intercepted a Nick Bohn pass, giving the Dragons the ball at the WSC 27. Sophomore running back Luke Imdieke scored on a four-yard rush as Moorhead cut the Wayne State lead to 10-7 with 1:56 to play third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, Moorhead had a chance to tie the game but the Dragons’ field goal attempt came up short. The Dragons marched 70 yards on 15 plays from their own 10 to the WSC 20 but came up short on a 37-yard field goal attempt with 3:51 to play.
Neither team gained a first down the rest of the game as WSC stopped the Dragons on downs at the Dragon 20-yard line with a sack by Gunner Schoeps to seal the win.
Wayne State had 230 yards of offense while MSU Moorhead finished with 193. The ‘Cats gained 143 yards on the ground and just 87 passing while the Dragons had 57 rushing and 136 through the air.
Watkins was the top Wayne State rusher with 68 yards on 23 carries followed by sophomore Jacob Keiser with 43 yards on 14 attempts.
Bohn completed 10-of-17 passes with one interception for 87 yards. Jadon Johnson had three catches for 47 yards with sophomore tight end Gage Dengel adding two for 20.
Defensively, linebacker Alex Kowalczyk had 10 tackles and one interception for 21 yards. Defensive lineman Luke Sims was named Egg Bowl Most Valuable Player for Wayne State, recording eight tackles, three sacks for 22 yards and four quarterback hurries. Tanner Cooper and Jaxon Johnson each added seven tackles.
The Egg Bowl Most Valuable Player for MSU Moorhead was sophomore running back Jack Imdieke, who gained 58 yards on 14 carries with one TD to go with three catches for nine yards.
Wayne State now awaits word on a possible NCAA Div. II playoff spot with the NCAA Selection Show set for 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats entered this weekend ranked sixth in Super Region 4 with seven teams from the region advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
