Wayne Hits Walk Off Field Goal, 21-20

Kearney, Neb. – Senior Boston Hensley hit a 33-yard walk off field goal to help Wayne State down Nebraska Kearney, 21-20, Thursday night at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.

This was the season opener for both teams with the 'Cats avenging a 28-21 loss to the Lopers last season.

In that game, UNK scored with 1:03 left and recorded a last second interception to win. That scenario almost happened again as sophomore Kaden Kiernan (Kansas City) booted a 52-yard field goal at the 1:10 mark. Kiernan's second field goal on the night could've come later, but the Lopers were called for a false start on third and two right before the two-minute warning.

"You got to give Wayne State credit. They came in here and punched us in the mouth and did a really nice job early," said Loper head coach Ryan Held. "We kind of settled down but it's hard getting down 12-0. Throughout all what happened, it was crazy we had the lead and a chance to win it."

Backup quarterback Brady McGill completed passes of 21, seven and 37 yards to move WSC down the field. Each was a contested catch with senior receiver Malaki Sik having two of the grabs. Two runs to the middle of the field set up Hensely, who started the scoring with a 47-yarder at the eight-minute mark of the opening quarter.

In place of an injured Bennett Dannenbring, McGill guided an offense that out gained UNK by a 379-236-yard margin. WSC ran three more plays and finished 5 of 12 on third down. Meanwhile, the Lopers converted only 2 of 13 of its third downs and saw a 32-yard field goal blocked by linebacker Clyde Hinton late in the third. Kiernan then just missed a 50-yarder midway through the fourth. He is the first Loper kicker to make a 50-yarder in a decade (51, Brendan Wentling, at Central Oklahoma; 10/15/16).

"We were 2 of 13 on third down and that just can't happen. We didn't finish, we were sloppy at times and didn't play well enough to win," said Held. "On the last drive, they hit us with a couple of back shoulder fade balls. They just made plays."

Preseason All-American back Dawson Forgy ran 18 times for 122 yards and two touchdown (five and seven yards) with a long gallop of 54. Next, McGill was 13 of 21 for 185 yards and completed passes to eight teammates. That included preseason three to preseason AA tight end Dane Petersen. Finally, senior end Jackson Bos had 1.5 of WSC's four sacks.

North Platte redshirt junior defensive end Caleb Kinkaid (North Platte) got UNK back into the game thank to an 88-yard "pick six" early in the second quarter. That cut the lead to 12-7; WSC used an errant snap on a punt attempt to grab that cushion. The 'Cats returned the favor by muffing a kickoff after Kiernan's first field goal early in the second half. That allowed UNK to set up shop at the 15-yard line. Three plays later junior QB Devin Tate (Oxnard, Calif.) ran for a four-yard score.

"We were down and needed a momentum play (Kinkaid's pick six). We got a tremendous kick to take the lead but had issues with other field goals. We left points on the table and the thing about it is, when it was 17-12, you got to get it to 20-12 to put pressure on them. We had the momentum but let them hang around."

Tate was 10 of 17 for an even 100 yards with four different Lopers have two catches apiece. That included sophomores Alex Parks (Overland Park, Kan.) and Ryker Evans (Elwood). Next, Chadron State transfer Quincey Ryker (Sargent) got going in the second half and tallied 61 yards on 15 attempts with junior Marty Mormino (Omaha Westside) posting a 44.2 punt average. Finally on defense, tackle Cole Luedtke (Lincoln SW) and safety Kyler Lauridsen (Columbus) had seven tackles apiece.

UNK heads to Chadron next Thursday (Sept. 3) night. The Eagles fell tonight at Northern State, 42-17.