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The Warriors never approached it that way. Good thing, too, because they
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Winona State running back Alex Wiese jumps over the tackle from the University of Mary’s Devon Jones during Saturday’s NSIC opener at Maxwell Field in Winona. (photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
needed everything they had Saturday afternoon to hold off Mary (N.D.).
WSU battled through ups and downs on both sides of the ball but managed to hold on for a 32-27 win over the Marauders in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener.
It was the 27th consecutive home conference win, but only 1,525 fans saw the game at Maxwell Field at Alltel Stadium.
Perhaps they figured the Warriors would roll over Mary, a conference newcomer playing its first NSIC game in its first full season at the NCAA Division II level.
“When we started our week, we said this is a team we couldn’t take lightly,” WSU senior receiver Scott Peters said. “They’re a good football team. We knew what we were coming up against.”
The Marauders played seven of the nine NSIC teams a year ago as they finished the transition from NAIA to Division II. They won six of the seven games, including a victory over Bemidji State.
The Beavers, of course, won their first NSIC title last season and, along the way, beat the Warriors 28-7.
“We approached it like they (Mary) were conference champions,” WSU coach Tom Sawyer said. “Our coaches and players understood the caliber that was coming in here.
“I don’t think the people (outside) the game knew what was going on. We didn’t have a great crowd here today, but if they were here they saw a good Division II football game.”
Mary (0-3, 0-1), which lost each of its first two games in the final minute, took advantage of an early miscue by the Warriors (2-1, 1-0).
A swing pass by Drew Aber on the first play from scrimmage was ruled a lateral and dropped by Carey Rottman.
The Marauders recovered the fumble and scored six plays later on a 1-yard run by Bayland Rippenkroger for a 7-0 lead.
The mistake was the first of many for the Warriors, who turned the ball over four times. Aber struggled from start to finish and was intercepted three times.
The senior left-hander finished just 9 of 29 but had 256 yards and three touchdown passes. It was his 44-yard pass to Peters that gave WSU a 12-7 lead late in the first quarter.
“Momentum is a big part of the game and (the turnovers) can be tough to overcome,” said running back Alex Wiese, who scored on a 1-yard run for WSU’s first touchdown. “You have to keep plugging away and not get down on yourself.
“Most teams would fall apart, but I don’t think we did by any means.”
Mary regained the lead early in the second half on a 2-yard scoring run by Rippenkroger. Like the Warriors, though, the Marauders made trouble hanging on to the ball, losing four fumbles.
Tyler Perkette recovered two fumbles, and Brent Yule and Shawn Cunningham each had one recovery.
WSU turned the second fumble into a 20-yard field goal by Ryan Abbott and turned the third fumble into a 34-yard touchdown pass from Aber to Tyrre Burks for a 22-14 lead late in the first half.
The Marauders pulled within 22-20 at halftime, getting a 52-yard touchdown pass from Blair Sandy to Mike Williams with 23 seconds remaining in the half.
“You have to approach it believing they’re a good football team,” WSU defensive end Dave Braun said. “They have a lot of good athletes and made some plays. You have to give them respect and realize they are a good team.”
Mary missed its second field goal try early in the second half and the Warriors scored their final touchdown with 6:15 to play in the third quarter.
Peters caught a slant pass from Aber on a third-and-2 two play and took it 72 yards for the score. It gave WSU a 29-20 lead.
Abbott added a 31-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter for a 32-20 lead.
“I caught it and saw some green and did everything I could to split them,” said Peters, who caught five passes for 179 yards. “They were giving it to us all day; that was a big play.”
WSU went three-and-out on its next two possessions, allowing the Marauders to climb within 32-27 on a 10-yard touchdown catch by Williams with 2:52 remaining.
When they needed a first down, however, the Warriors handed the ball to Wiese three times for 11 yards and a first down that sealed the win.
Wiese finished with 82 yards on 20 carries, while Burks had a pair of catches for 66 yards.
“This was a great win and a good team we beat,” Sawyer said. “If our team doesn’t play perfect they don’t think it’s good enough. It’s good enough any time you have more points at the end of the day.”
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