Box Score Box ScoreThe Peacock football team was at the University of Sioux Falls for their week 10 matchup. The #17 Cougars raced out to a 38-0 lead midway through the third quarter en route to a 45-21 victory over Upper Iowa. Sioux Falls is now 9-1 on the season and 5-1 in the NSIC South Division, while Upper Iowa fell to 6-4 overall and 2-4 against its fellow south division foes.
Sioux Falls was the only team to mark the scoreboard in the first quarter taking a 3-0 lead on a 36-yard field goal. Following Upper Iowa's first of three interceptions on the day, which came just a few minutes into the second quarter, the Cougars scored touchdowns on five straight possessions. The run of five consecutive scoring drives spanned the second and third quarters and gave the home team a 38-0Â lead with 8 minutes to play in the third quarter.
Upper Iowa finally broke into the scoring column with two minutes remaining in the third. A Cole Jaeschke to Derek Giesking 5-yard touchdown pass capped off a 9-play, 80-yard drive. The drive was highlighted by a 44-yard connection from Jaescke to Trey MacTaggart.
After the Cougars scored their sixth and final touchdown, Upper Iowa put together back-to-back scoring drives in the final five minutes of the game. Jaeschke hit Shay Gutman with both scoring passes; one from 39 yards and one from 17. Both drives took less than one minute off the clock and included a big pass to tight end Lucas Hefty, who led the team in receiving yards on the day.
Sioux Falls held the Peacocks ground game to just 36 yards and limited the NSIC's leading rusher, Chris Smith, to 25 yards on 11 carries. The Cougars offense picked up 282 yards on the ground led by Nephi Garcia's 106 yards as the USF running back took over the conference lead in rushing. Quarterback Luke Papilion ran for 78 yards and a touchdown and threw for 287 yards and three scores for the home team.
Jaeschke completed 27 passes in 48 attempts for 362 yards and 3 touchdowns; although, the Peacock quarterback was intercepted twice. Hefty caught 7 passes for 135 yards, while Gutman and Giesking snared 6 passes for 91 and 52 yards, respectively. MacTaggart pulled in 5 balls while Smith added 4 catches out of the backfield.
Gieskng and Gutman entered the game as the #2 and #3 receivers all-time at UIU in career receptions. Dwayne Croker held the record with 194 from 2004-07, but with their 6 grabs apiece today both Cedar Rapids wideouts have moved up the list. Giesking is now the programs all-time leader in career receptions with 198, while Gutman is just behind tied for second with 194 heading into next week's final game in an Upper Iowa uniform for both young men.
Upper Iowa will head to Mankato, Minn. next Saturday, Nov. 15, for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the #1 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato.
