MANKATO, Minn. --- The No. 3 Minnesota State football team continued its dominance en route to a 62-7 win over Wayne State Saturday afternoon at Blakeslee Stadium.
With the win, the Mavericks improve to 9-0 on the season while Wayne State falls to 3-6. The Mavericks have won their last 33 NSIC games. The Mavericks have now claimed at least a share of the NSIC Championship with two regular season games remaining. This marks the seventh time in the last nine seasons that the Mavericks have won the NSIC Championship
In total, the Mavericks produced 556 yards of offense, while holding the Wildcats to 214 total yards. The MSU offense featured a balanced attack of 271 rushing yards and 285 receiving yards. WSC managed to recorded 126 passing yards.
Senior quarterback
Ryan Schlichte completed 10-of-12 passes for 151 yards passing and two touchdowns. He also carried the ball four times for 30 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore
Brevin Kaiser added 89 passing yards and a touchdown, to go along with 50 rushing yards.
Senior
Shane Zylstra finished with a team-high nine catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. Freshman
Blake Ver Mulm and sophomore
Jalen Sample each caught a touchdown pass also.
Senior
Nate Gunn added to the rushing attack with 13 carries for 48 yards and two touchdowns. Senior
Justin Arnold and freshman
Kaleb Sleezer both recorded touchdown runs in the game.
Senior
Zach Robertson, who tallied six tackles, including one tackle for loss, anchored the defense. He also intercepted a pass, which included a 15-yard return. Both freshmen
James Williams and Grant Nagel recorded four tackles as well.
Minnesota State wasted no time in the first quarter as it reached the scoring column four times to go up 24-0. Sample notched the game's first score after he caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Schlichte. Arnold and Gunn then notched a pair of rushing touchdowns, before sophomore
Ashton Garner connected on a 22-yard field goal.
MSU added three more scores in the second quarter as the Mavericks carried a 45-0 lead into halftime. Schlichte and Gunn both recorded a rushing touchdown, before Zylstra caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Schlichte.
The third quarter saw Ver Mulm catch a 30-yard touchdown pass from Kaiser, before Sleezer ran in a touchdown from five yards out. Wayne State managed to get on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter as Lorenzo Logwood forced his way into the end zone from one yard out. Garner then finished the scoring with a 24-yard field goal.
The Mavericks will now travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., to face the Sioux Falls Cougars on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kick-off is slated for 1:00 p.m.
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