Box Score

Max Martin of the Wayne State Wildcats had just enough leg to convert a 47-yard field goal with 2:13 to play in Fayette this afternoon to claim the first lead of the day for the visitors. Upper Iowa fell 17-14 on Senior Day in Fayette. The three-point loss marks the fourth time this season the Peacocks (2-8, 0-6 NSIC South) have lost a game decided by three points or less.

UIU's defense, which has been decimated by injury at linebacker and defensive back, held Wayne State’s offense at bay all afternoon allowing a new low point total for the season.  The Peacock defense was led by inspired play from a variety of players including Keaton Martin (12 tackles, 1 Int.), Jordan Andera (10 tackles, 1 Int.), senior Tony Leggett (13 tackles), Jeff Arends (9 tackles) and senior Eric Silva (8 tackles).

The Peacock defenders were on the field for over 41 minutes of the game, but didn’t surrender the lead until the final minutes of the game.  On the game winning drive, Wayne State took the ball after Evan Knowlton’s third big punt of the day.  The senior punter racked up 47 yard average on his three boots.  The Wildcats made one first down and pushed the ball into UIU territory to the 35-yard line.  Three plays later, the Peacock defense had forced a fourth and four at the 29.  Martin came out for the long attempt and hit the 47-yarder giving the visitors a three-point lead, 17-14.

Upper Iowa took the ensuing kick and made one first down to their own 32-yard line, but four straight incomplete passes spelled the end for the home team.  The Wildcats ran out the clock and handed the Peacocks their sixth straight loss.

Cole Jaeschke found Shay Gutman for a 10-yard touchdown throw on the Peacocks’ second possession to give UIU an early 7-0 lead.  The short (one play) scoring drive was set up by a thrilling 77-yard punt return by Keaton Hosch.

After Keaton Martin’s interception in Wildcat territory, the Peacocks attempted a 31-yard field goal, but the kick hit the right upright and bounced back into the endzone.

Wayne State took advantage of the misfire and drove 80 yards over eight-plus minutes of the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7.  Charlie Davidson capped off the drive with a 7-yard run.

The Peacocks looked like they had an immediate answer when redshirt freshman Caden Duncan busted through the line and sprinted to daylight.  Duncan had picked up 39 yards and was in a foot race to the pylon when the ball squirted away from him inside the 20-yard line.  In his attempt to recover the ball, Duncan was injured and the Wildcats pounced on the pigskin to extinguish the UIU threat.

Duncan’s injury came just moments after UIU’s leading tackler, Ethan Douglas, had to be helped to the sideline with an injury.  Neither player returned to the game.

Neither team was able to scratch the scoreboard in the third quarter, but UIU put together a 10-play drive that covered three-quarters of the field to pull ahead by seven, 14-7.  The long drive was highlighted by a pair of hook-ups between Jaeschke and Hosch and a six-yard bullet from Jaeschke to Gutman at the pylon.  The score came with just over thirteen and a half minutes to play.

Wayne State tied the game at 14-14 on their ensuing possession and kept the drive alive thanks to a pair of fourth down conversions.  The tying score came on a quarterback keeper by Brian Kent from the 10-yard line.

UIU was unable to make a first down after taking the kickoff and punted the ball to Wayne State for what turned out to be the winning drive.
Jaeschke, who threw for 179 yards on 17 completions and 35 attempts, broke two records and tied a third record on the day.  The Peacock quarterback now owns the record for most passing yards in a season with 2,882 and most attempts in a season with 395; Jaeschke has also tied the touchdown passes in a season record.  With his two scores today, the Moorland, Iowa native has 26 for the season.

Hosch also broke a record today becoming the owner of the single season mark for receiving yards in a season.  His 68 yards today give him 1,044 receiving yards in 2012.   With his 219 all-purpose yards this afternoon, Hosch is just 118 yards away from the 2,000 mark for the season.

Gutman grabbed six passes for 60 yards and the pair of touchdowns, while Derek Giesking hauled in five passes for 44 yards.

Thirteen seniors were honored prior to the game.  They included Mike Moser, Justin Montes, Steven Sandoval, Silva, Knowlton, Leggett, Sooner Skinner, Lucas Sharp, Matt Steffensmeier, Branden Owen, Justin Siefken, Anthony Church, and Myles Gorham.

Upper Iowa will close out their season on the road next Saturday.  The Peacocks will face the #6 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Mankato, Minn.