Sam Thiel/Winonan

Winona State University’s Chichi Ojika and Vikings’ Adrian Peterson are similar in two ways: both are talented running backs and wear purple jerseys. Ojika did his best Peterson impersonation Saturday, rushing for 242 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Winona State football team a 49-14 victory over Minot State.

With that effort, the senior recorded the third-best rushing total in Winona State history. It was the second game in a row for Ojika with over 100 rushing yards and the first time since Rayon Simmons rushed for 200 yards against Southwest Minnesota State in 2011 that a Warrior posted 200 yards on the ground.

Ojika sparked a Warrior squad that gained 339 yards rushing and 558 yards on the game in total. The Warriors have now recorded over 500 yards of offense in consecutive games.

Winona State’s defense was impressive, allowing just 108 rushing yards while getting to Minot’s quarterback Zac Cunha eight times. Turrell Foster led the way defensively for the Warriors; recording three tackles while William Sherard had two.

The Warriors also forced eight fumbles, with Anthony Frisby collecting three. Morgan Weaver picked up a couple of fumbles, while Matt Splon and Mike Imperiale each got a fumble as well.

Ojika started his afternoon in an explosive fashion, bursting for an 82-yard score on just the second offensive play of the game. That touchdown was good enough to tie the fifth-longest scoring run in Winona State history.

With his performance, Ojika became just the 22nd player in school history to record 1,000 career yards rushing and has now netted 1,109 yards on the ground in his Warrior career.

Winona State raced to a 28-0 lead in the first half. After Ojika’s initial score, quarterback Jack Nelson added a run of his own to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead. The next two scores came through the air, with Nelson connecting with Alan May for a 21-yard strike late in the first quarter and connecting with Tony Mueller for an 84-yarder halfway through the second quarter.

Mueller’s touchdown was the first of his career and was the seventh-longest touchdown pass in school history.

After the Beavers were able to score just before the break, the Warriors answered, this time, with Ojika’s second score of the afternoon. Ojika had both plays on the Warriors’ 85-yard drive, including a 43-yard run.

Josh Mikes snagged a 32-yard pass from Nelson for a score in the third quarter to give Winona State a 42-14 lead. Nelson then took it himself for what would be the final touchdown of the game.

Nelson passed for 219 yards and three scores, which gives him eight touchdown passes in just three career games. Mikes led the receivers with a couple of grabs for 44 yards and has now received a touchdown pass in eight consecutive contests.

On the defensive end, Foster led the way, recording nine in total while Pat Lazzara added seven.

With the victory, Winona State is now 2-2 on the season and will begin divisional play next weekend when it faces Upper Iowa. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Verizon Wireless Stadium.

Contact Sam at [email protected]