Kilat Fitzgerald/Winonan
The Winona State University football team achieved a key victory against Minnesota State, Mankato on Saturday, logging its first win over a top-five team in program history. Minnesota State, currently ranked No. 1, was defeated by a final score of 31-27 in front of 3,912 fans at Blakeslee Stadium in Mankato.
“It was a different atmosphere. This week we really focused on the basic fundamentals of working hard,” Winona’s head coach Tom Sawyer said.
Sawyer said the game was one of the top wins in program history and his team deserves accolades.
The victory ended a 40-game NSIC winning streak for the Mavericks going back to Nov. 12, 2011. The Warriors also earned their first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 23 Sioux Falls in 2012. It marked its first win over a top 10 team since beating No. 9 St. Cloud State in 2011.
“It was incredible,” wide receiver Justin Bergeron said. “The surreal experience is just settling in. The whole team played as one unit. Everyone focused on their job and trusted that everyone else was doing theirs correctly. There was no doubt in anyone on the team that we could do it.”
After neither team found the scoreboard during the first quarter, the Mavericks made the first score with a 3-0 lead on a 33-yard field goal by Alden Haffar at the beginning of the second quarter. Junior Jack Nelson responded with a 5-yard pass to Cameron Johnson to reclaim the lead for the Warriors at 7-3.
Winona State added to its lead with a 37-yard pass to Alan May, extending the score to 14-3 before Haffar nailed his second field goal of the game on the final play of the first half to cut the deficit to 14-6 by halftime.
In the third quarter, the Warriors way as Winona State were shutout in the period. Maverick wide receiver Brent Esser cut the lead 14-13 with a 20-yard pass from wide to fellow wideout Ty Dennis.
Two minutes later, running back Chad Zastrow ran in a 5-yard touchdown that allowed the Mavericks to take a 20-14 lead to end the third quarter.
However, the Warriors would respond in the fourth quarter. Down 20-14, Winona State claimed the lead with Nelson connecting to May for the 3-yard touchdown before a kick from Carter McCauley made a 44-yard field goal to increase the advantage to 24-20 with 8:24 left. The Mavericks used a 43-yard run from Zastrow to conclude a seven-play, 75-yard drive to put them ahead of the Warriors 27-24.
The Warriors found themselves against the wall on their comeback drive as they faced third down and 13 yards to go at their own 25. But a holding penalty made by the Mavericks gave the Warriors an automatic first down.
Nelson used the mistake to his advantage, making 17- and 20-yard passes to Josh Mikes, and capped the comeback with a 27-yard pass to Johnson to put the end score at 31-27.
The Mavericks had one last opportunity to stay undefeated, but senior defensive back Tamrick Atwood intercepted a pass from Maverick quarterback Nick Pieruccini to complete the upset.
Nelson recorded his second four score game of the season, finishing 23-of-38 for 238 yards passing and a couple of picks.
Collin Corcoran and Andrew Spencer led the way defensively for the Warriors, with Corcoran tying a career-high 16 tackles, including a tackle-for-loss and a half sack. Spencer made a career-high 15 tackles with a tackle-for-loss and a sack.
As a team, the Warriors reached the Mavericks quarterback three times, with Mike Imperiale and Jeff Brown picking up one and a half sacks, respectively, to add to their team-high 2.5 tackles-for-loss. The Maverick defense got to Nelson just once after dropping the junior nine times last season.
Eric Smith chipped in an interception to add to Atwood’s game-winner. Paul Preston recorded 80 rushing on 26 carries on the ground.
“I’d like to see a repeat of work level and intensity,” Sawyer said.
Winona State (4-4, 2-2 NSIC South) returns home to Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium this Saturday against Wayne State at 1 p.m.
