Wayne State rode the arm and legs of freshman quarterback Nick Bohn, who accounted for 347 yards of total offense and three scores to help the Wildcats beat Winona State on homecoming, 38-21, and post the Wildcats’ first 4-1 start since 2012.
Winona State got on the board first late in the first quarter on a short pass from Owen Burke to Ethan Wittenburg, but Wayne State responded by scoring 28 points in the second quarter for the second straight week.
Anthony Watkins scored just 15 seconds into the period to tie the game at 7-7. Winona State used a long kickoff return to retake the lead 23 seconds later, but the Wildcats responded with Bohn’s first touchdown, a 28-yard run to tie the game at 14-14.
A Winona State turnover allowed Wayne State to take the lead for good, as Bohn scored on a five-yard keeper with 8:47 to go in the first half. After a Warrior punt, Wayne State scored again on a two-yard run by Watkins to make it 28-14.
Winona State scored just before halftime to make it 28-21, but that’s as close as they would get as the Wildcat defense shut down the Warriors in the second half.
Wayne State added to the lead midway through the third on a 37-yard field goal by Alex Powders, and the Wildcats sealed the win by turning an Alex Kowalczyk interception into points, with Taureen Grady receiving a four-yard touchdown pass from Bohn with 13:10 to go.
Wayne State had 439 yards in total offense. Bohn led the team with 82 yards on 12 carries and was 25-of-36 passing for 265 yards. Watkins added 45 yards on 20 carries and Grady was the top receiver with 70 yards on six catches. Trystn Ducker had six grabs for 51 yards and Wayne native Mason Lee caught five balls for 48 yards.
Defensively, Tyler Leclair and CJ Burress led the team with six tackles each while Jaylan Scott added five tackles and an intercpetion. Jacob Byrd also picked off a pass as Wayne State’s defense picked off three Warrior passes.
The 4-1 Wildcats go on the road next week to face No. 17 Minnesota State in a 1 p.m. kickoff at Mankato, Minn.
