Fireworks help the Wildcats celebrate
WSC has close call against Northern State but wins 34-27
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WSC players huddle around one another to practice their pre-game rituals before the game against Northern State University last Saturday.
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After the Wayne State College Wildcats won their game 34 – 27 against Northern State last Saturday, fireworks were lit as a part of the Family Day celebration. It is an event that happens every year and allows family members to come up and see their loved ones while they are away at college.
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September 23, 2015
The firework show that was to start after Wayne State’s contest against Northern State Saturday night came a little early.
The two teams alternated two touchdowns a piece in the final eight minutes of play in a thriller that came down to a fourth down stop in the final seconds by the Wildcats, who won a wild one at Bob Cunningham Field, 34-27.
Redshirt freshman Taylor Reedy made his first career start and did not disappoint, going 25-34 passing with 307 yards and four touchdowns.
“Taylor played really well. I was real happy for him and how he came through in the clutch,” coach Dan McLaughlin said.
An excited Reedy was quick to credit his supporting cast for his coming out party, saying that he “couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaches. They made my job easy.”
The teammate who helped Reedy most was sophomore receiver Marcel Dunson, who bounced back from a disappointing performance at Minnesota-Duluth to catch 11 balls for 145 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both of which came on double moves that left the Northern State cornerbacks in the dust.
“We were hitting (Dunson) in the flats with hitches and outs and noticed the corner was biting on the outs, so we ran an out-n-up in the first half and it worked, and in the second half went to the same thing,” Reedy said.
The Wildcats started off sluggish and trailed 10-0 after the first quarter, but McLaughlin noted the game changed with an electrifying kick return by former Wayne High standout Tayib Touissaint to the Northern State 44 yard line. Ryan Ludlow got the Cats on the board on the first play of the second quarter with a nine-yard scamper.
After a second Northern State field goal extended their lead to 13-7, Reedy threw two touchdowns in the final 2:26 of the half, the second being his first bomb to Dunson, putting WSC up 20-13 at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter from both sides, Northern State tied the game twice in the fourth quarter on two Kevin Lavand touchdown passes.
But with two minutes remaining in regulation, Reedy hit Dunson on the second double move, good for his fourth touchdown pass of the game, and put the Wildcats up 34-27.
Northern State got one last chance in the final two minutes and proceeded to carve up the conservative defense of WSC, making it to the 11 yard line with under a minute to play.
And that is when the defense stepped up, forcing two incompletions before a sack on third down by Randy Bryan. On fourth down, Lavand’s pass fluttered to the ground, sealing the victory for the Wildcats.
Zach Osborn played a key role for WSC though his season is over on the field, assisting Reedy through the game, standing with coaches and helping them relay plays to his backup.
Like any good coach, he hounded the officials for missing calls.
“He kind of thinks he’s a coach now,” McLaughlin joked. “He’s jumped right in and is real supportive of Taylor and has done a good job of staying connected and engaged in what we’re doing.”
McLaughlin also added that the different perspective for Osborn will only make him better down the road.
This week, the Wildcats will travel to Bismarck, N.D. to take on the University of Mary at 1 p.m. Saturday, a team whom they last played in 2013 in Wayne, losing 34-27.
Scoring Summary
1st 09:10 NSU Truen, N. 7 yd run (Krupka, A. kick) 12 plays, 63 yards, TOP 4:21 7 – 0
02:34 NSU Krupka, A. 26 yd field goal 12 plays, 56 yards, TOP 4:35 10 – 0
2nd 14:52 WSC Ludlow, Ryan 9 yd run (Simon, Sam kick) 7 plays, 44 yards, TOP 2:31 10 – 7
10:00 NSU Krupka, A. 20 yd field goal 13 plays, 67 yards, TOP 4:44 13 – 7
02:26 WSC Hjorth, Jacob 10 yd pass from Reedy, Taylor (Simon, Sam kick) 9 plays, 63 yards, TOP 4:08 13 – 14
00:42 WSC Dunson, Marcel 47 yd pass from Reedy, Taylor (Simon, Sam kick blockd) 5 plays, 63 yards, TOP 0:47 13 – 20
4th 08:32 NSU Houchin, T. 2 yd pass from Lavand, K. (Krupka, A. kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:57 20 – 20
06:05 WSC Ludlow, Ryan 44 yd pass from Reedy, Taylor (Simon, Sam kick) 6 plays, 60 yards, TOP 2:19 20 – 27
02:45 NSU Kraft, C. 56 yd pass from Lavand, K. (Krupka, A. kick) 8 plays, 79 yards, TOP 3:11 27 – 27
02:14 WSC Dunson, Marcel 54 yd pass from Reedy, Taylor (Simon, Sam kick) 2 plays, 66 yards, TOP 0:25 27 – 34
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