Sam Thiel/ Winonan

The Winona State University football team fell to Minnesota State University, Mankato 44-24 Thursday night. The rivalry game at Warrior Stadium was nationally broadcasted on CBS.

The Warriors kicked off the scoring on their opening drive in the first quarter when freshman kicker Carter McCauley drove through a field goal from 21 yards out—Winona State’s first field goal of the season—for a 3-0 advantage.

Mankato responded with a 62-yard drive ending with a rush by Connor Thomas to give the Mavericks a 7-3 lead.

Mankato answered again with under a minute remaining in the first half with a 53-yard strike from Ricky Lloyd to Dorian Buford to increase the lead 14-3.

A three-yard dash by Andy Pfeiffer halfway through the second quarter would make the score 21-3.

Mankato made it 28 straight points with 4:25 left in the half when Maverick backup quarterback Nick Pieruccini connected with Bryce Duncan for a seven-yard score to make it 28-3.

The Warriors found the painted grass with a little over a minute left before the break when Jack Nelson connected with Josh Mikes for a 17-yard touchdown to cut the deficit 28-10 before heading into the locker room.

Head coach Tom Sawyer said, “It’s gut-wrenching. We had opportunities at the beginning of the game that, even going into halftime, we had a chance. Here we’ve played two of the top-five teams in the country, and we’re three or four plays away from being in these ballgames.”

With nine minutes left in the third quarter Pfieffer scored his second touchdown of the night, this time a 13-yarder, and increased the Maverick advantage 35-10.

Winona State struck back when Mikes snagged his second score of the game, and NSIC-leading ninth of the season, to bring the Warriors deficit 35-17.

The Mavericks scored their final touchdown when Warrior Davonte Willcox-Ransom had the ball ricochet off his hands and into Mankato receiver Buford for a 56-yard connection to build their lead 42-17.

Cameron Johnson added to the Warrior effort 30 seconds later with a long touchdown of his own, this one 57 yards from Nelson to cut the lead 42-24. Mankato would tack on an insurance safety to cement the 44-24 final score and Maverick victory.

Nelson completed 23 of his 44 pass attempts for 292 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked a total of six times and also tossed an interception.

Nelson said, “Our attention to detail is not there right now. The coaches are drawing up good schemes for us right now, and we’re just trying to execute them. It comes down to our executions.”

Sophomore running back Paul Preston rushed more than 100 yards for the first time in his career, recording 101 yards on 17 carries for 5.9 yards per attempt.

Mikes ended the night with six grabs for 68 yards and a couple of touchdowns, while Preston snagged five passes for 29 yards.

Johnson led the receiving core with 78 yards while Alan May recorded four catches for 75 yards.

On defense, Collin Corcoran led the way in tackling, stopping 12 Mavericks while also posting a sack. Morgan Weaver and Andrew Spencer each posted eight tackles, while Tyler Kubler and Weaver each accounted for a full sack. Winona State posted five sacks in the game. Larry Mbayu and Davonte Willcox-Ransom also intercepted passes for the Warriors.

“I think we’re playing pretty well

defensively,” Weaver said. “Coming out early in the game: that’s when we make our crucial mistakes, but once we settle down, we play good football.”

Winona State (3-3) aims to break its three-game losing streak in Fayette,

Iowa on Oct. 18. They will go head-to-head at 6 p.m. against the currently unbeaten Upper Iowa University Peacocks.