For the first time since the 2008 season, the Wayne State College football team won a NSIC South Division Title.
From Bob Cunningham Field, WSC closed their regular season with a 38-31 victory over #13 Augsutana University on Nov. 15 during the 36th annual Incredible Edible Egg Bowl game on Senior Day where 12 seniors were honored.
The Wildcats (7-4/7-3 NSIC/5-1 South Division) won their fourth straight. WSC clinched a share of the South Division title (Minnesota State-Mankato).
Sophomore running back Brennan Hayes scored back-to-back on the ground in the opening quarter from 43 yards (10:41 left) and a four-yard score (3:27 remaining) to go up 14-0.
Following back-to-back scores from Augie to tie the game up at 14 all, sophomore Bennett Dannenbring connected with sophomore and Wayne native Alex Phelps on a 56-yard strike with 33 seconds left in the first half.
WSC led 21-14 at the break.
The lone third quarter scoring came from junior placekicker Jake Pecina (Augie Egg Bowl MVP) on a 57-yard field goal with 12:41 remaining to cut the deficit to four points.
WSC then began to pull away in the fourth quarter starting with a 39-yard field goal from junior placekicker Boston Hensley (14:14 remaining), Hayes added a third score from two-yards (7:41) and junior defensive back Brayden Chaney recorded a 29-yard pick-six (7:32 left) to go up at-most 38-17.
The Vikings wouldn't let up and answered with less than six minutes left in the game and then recovered an onside kick to score with 3:11 left in the game to pull within, 38-31.
WSC was able to run out the clock converting their fifth fourth-down on six attempts to hold onto the 38-31 victory to end their season as co-NSIC South Division champions (Minnesota State-Mankato) and win their fourth straight.
Dawson Forgy left the game with an injury late in the fourth quarter after achieving a single-game school record of 1,400 yards during his redshirt junior season surpassing Elroy Brown (1999, 1,360) and tied Bob Barry (1978) with his seventh 100-yard game. He finished with 161 yards on 27 carries to collect the Egg Bowl MVP for WSC.
Forgy also closed the year with single-season school records totaling 126 points along with 19 rushing touchdowns (surpassing Brown from 1999 with 110 points and 18 rushing scores).
Hayes carried the ball 24 times for 134 yards and three scores.
Dannenbring finished 4-13 for 91 yards and one score. He also added six rushes for 12 yards. Redshirt freshman Brady McGill went 2-2 for eight yards and ran the ball twice for four yards.
Phelps hauled in three receptions for 76 yards and one score.
Other receptions came from junior Dane Petersen (15 yards) and senior Colton Andrews (eight yards, one rush for 23 yards).
True freshman punter Jacob Borrall dropped a snap with less than four minutes left in the third quarter and then proceeded to run for a first down of 11 yards. This led to the 'Cats later on that same drive early in the fourth quarter to go up 24-17.
Graduate Alex Kowalczyk finished with a team-high 16 tackles (10 solo), a sack and tackle for loss.
Redshirt freshman Kahmel Johnson and junior Clyde Hiinton both finished with five tackles (three solo). Junior Carter Siztman also recorded a sack and tackle for loss among his two tackles (one solo) along with senior Kaden Sutton with a tackle for loss during his three tackles (one solo).
Chaney recorded two interceptions totaling 32 yards including one for six points to go along with his one solo tackle and two additional pass break-ups.
Wayne State College ran 79 plays for 444 yards of total offense (345 rushing/99 passing). WSC finished 7-19 on third downs and owned the time of possession 36:55 to 23:05 scoring on all five of their trips in the redzone.
Augustana finished with 57 plays for 274 yards (56 rushing/218 passing. The Vikings went 5-13 on third downs and scored all four their trips in the redzone.
