LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Wesleyan and Loras College put on an offensive show for the 2017 Homecoming crowd on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 30) at Abel Stadium, but the Prairie Wolves came up just short falling 49-42 to the Duhawks in IIAC football action.
Trailing 49-35 in the 4
th quarter the Prairie Wolves tried to mount a rally. Quarterback
Jonathan Curti hit
Derrick Curtis on a 27-yard touchdown pass play to cut the lead to 49-42 with 4:52 left. Loras picked up one first down trying to run out the clock but they faced a 4
th & 1 at the NWU 43-yard line with just under two minutes left. The Duhawks back ran into the line where he was met by linebacker
Eli Bricker for a loss of one yard to give the ball back to the Prairie Wolves.
NWU took over at their own 44-yard line needing a TD to tie the game. On 3
rd & 2,
Shaka Taylor busted up the middle for a 19-yard gainer that was nullified by a penalty. After a 7-yard completion, the Prairie Wolves faced 4
th & 5. Curti scrambled around and found a open receiver, but the pass sailed just over his head ending the game.
The two teams combined for 91 points and nearly 900 yards in the annual homecoming game. Loras led 21-7 after the 1
st quarter as they scored on each of their first three possessions. It was a bad start for NWU as they had a punt block on their opening possession that was recovered at the 1-yard line to allow Loras to score in only one play.
Nebraska Wesleyan did respond with a TD on their next drive going 75 yards in 12 plays with
Shaka Taylor running it in from 1-yard out. After Loras scored big in the 1
st quarter it was the Prairie Wolves that put up three touchdowns in the second quarter.
After a short punt and good return, NWU took over at the Duhawk 30-yard line. On the first play, Taylor connected on a 30-yard halfback pass to
Bradley Pelkey to pull the Prairie Wolves within one score. Freshman
Colby Ensz scored the next TD for NWU on a 5-yard TD run to make the score 21-20.
Loras running back Ike Cloward scored his third rushing touchdown of the half to give the Duhawks an eight point lead.
Eli Bricker made an interception for the Prairie Wolves inside Duhawk territory right before the halftime break. It took NWU only three plays to score as Curti found Taylor on a perfect 22-yard TD pass. Pelkey then made a tremendous catch on the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 28-28 at the break.
To start the second half, the Prairie Wolves forced a punt and NWU kept the momentum going. Pelkey caught his second TD pass of the game, this time from 16 yards out to put NWU ahead for the first time all game.
That lead didn't last as Loras scored three straight touchdowns to go up 49-35. NWU had several miscues in the second half including an interception, fumbled punt and a missed field goal.
NWU did have the late rally in the 4
th quarter and gave themselves a chance to win, but fell short to fall to 0-5 on the season.
Nebraska Wesleyan finished with 427 total yards, rushing for 139 and passing for 288. Loras had 444 yards, including 329 through the air.
Shaka Taylor had another huge game to lead the NWU offense. Taylor rushed for a TD, passed for a TD and caught a TD in the game. He carried the ball 29 times for 135 yards, had a team-high five receptions for 46 yards with a TD and was a perfect 1-1 passing for 30 yards and a score.
Curti was 21-38 through the air for 258 yards with three TDs and two interceptions. Pelkey caught four passes for 74 yards with two touchdowns and
Derrick Curtis had four receptions for 63 yards and a score.
The Duhawks were led by running back Ike Cloward who ran for 75 yards with four TDs and caught four passes. Quarterback Bob Kelly was 20-37 for 329 with a TD and one interception.
Nebraska Wesleyan defense was led by
Eli Bricker who had nine tackles, including 2.0 TFLs and an interception.
Travis Newgard also made nine stops with 1.5 TFLs.
NWU will look to get in the win column next week when they travel to Luther College.
