LINCOLN, Neb. – What a way to finish!  Nebraska Wesleyan's 2018 football season ended in a flurry with the lead changing three times in the final two minutes but in the end it was the Prairie Wolves who came out on top earning a 32-25 victory over Buena Vista University in American Rivers Conference action Saturday (Nov. 3) at Abel Stadium.
 
After Buena Vista had taken a one point 25-24 lead on a touchdown run by Cole Miller with 1:40 left, the Prairie Wolves wasted little time to regain the lead.
 
Taking over at the 25-yard line, NWU needed only three plays to take the lead back.  Jonathan Curti hit Bradley Pelkey for a 13-yard reception, followed by a big 25-yard run up the middle by Shaka Taylor.  Curti then found a wide open James Skerjanec streaking down the hash marks and the two connected on a 37-yard TD pass.  Leading by five, NWU lined up for a PAT kick but BVU was offsides moving the ball to the 1-yard line.  The Prairie Wolves elected to go for two points and Curti hit Conway for the conversion.
 
With 1:14 still left on the clock, Buena Vista set up for the final drive at the 25-yard line.  Cole Miller threw five completions and got the Beavers all the way down to the 11-yard line with 11 seconds remaining.  On the final play of the game, Miller was flushed out of the pocket and forced to scramble.  He was stuffed at the 4-yard line by Alex Kruse and Nic Braaten and time expired allowing the Prairie Wolves sidelines to storm the field in jubilation.
 
Both offenses were held in check in the first half as NWU took a 7-6 lead into halftime.  Buena Vista got the scoring started in the 1^st quarter when Miller found his favorite target Eric Pacheco for a 10-yard touchdown with 9:09 left in the first quarter.  The PAT was no good making it 6-0.
 
That score remained until late in the 2^nd quarter when the Prairie Wolves finally got on the scoreboard.  Shaka Taylor caught a short pass from Curti and dove over the pylon for a 10-yard TD reception.  For Taylor, that was his 28^th of his career giving him more touchdowns than any other player in school history.
 
In the second half, the Prairie Wolves extended their lead to four with a 30-yard field goal by Jackson Hinze.  On the very next possession, BVU marched 75 yards in eight plays capped by a three-yard touchdown run.  Once again the PAT attempt failed making the score 12-10.
 
NWU answered right back on their next drive going 80 yards in seven plays.  Curti found Derrick Curtis on a 12-yard touchdown reception giving the Prairie Wolves a 17-12 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 
 
BVU didn't waste any time to get the lead as they went 75 yards in 11 plays.  Miller found Flickinger on a 12-yard TD.  The Beavers went for two and missed making it 18-17.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan made it five straight possessions with a team scoring a touchdown as they responded after the Beavers took the lead.  NWU needed 10 plays, including two key conversions on their drive.  On a 4^th and five play, Curti hit Curtis on a 14-yard connection.  Then inside in the 10-yard line, Tate Schmaderer ran up the middle for four yards to convert a 3^rd & 2.  Taylor capped the drive with a 7-yard TD run making it 24-18.
 
That set up the wild finish where the lead would change twice.  Overall in the game, the lead changed eight times.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan finished with 455 yards of total offense, passing for 320 and rushing for 135.  Curti threw for 320 yards on 27-41 passing with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
 
Nine different players caught passes in the game, led by Derrick Curtis with nine catches for 106 yards with a TD.
 
Shaka Taylor concluded his standout career by rushing for 126 yards on 22 carries with a TD.  The school's all-time leading rusher, who also has school records for career all-purpose yards and touchdowns, caught six passes for 52 yards.
 
BVU was led by Cole Miller who passed for 189 yards with two TDs and rushed for 62 yards and a TD.
 
Hayden Penny had a huge day for the Prairie Wolves defense making seven tackles, including 2.5 quarterback sacks.  Leading tackler Jacob Garnas finished with eight solo tackles before he was ejected in the second half after a personal foul.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan must say goodbye to a large senior class of 23 players that concluded their career on Saturday.