Wildcats win third straight game by overwhelming Vikings in every phase

MARSHALL, Mo. — The Culver-Stockton College football team forced three turnovers and limited Missouri Valley to 69 yards rushing in cruising to a 52-28 victory Saturday afternoon at Gregg-Mitchell Field.

The Wildcats (3-1) took the opening kickoff and drove 77 yards on 10 plays ending with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jordan Grant for a 7-0 lead. The C-SC defense set the tone after that, forcing the Vikings to punt on their first two possessions and then turning a little confusion into a two-touchdown lead.

MVC quarterback Darrion Cole threw a backwards pass out in the left flat to running back Kenneth Sanford, who thought it was an incomplete pass. However, C-SC cornerback Antonius Hurd picked up the live ball and scooted 48 yards for the first defensive touchdown of the year and a 14-0 lead.

Then the C-SC offense got rolling.

Connor Perrine scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 48-yard pass from Jace Orndorff to make it 21-0, and Grant culminated a nine-play, 70-yard drive with his second 1-yard TD run to make it 28-0 at halftime.

To start the second half, the Vikings faced third and 13 from their own 36-yard line when linebacker Pat Robinson sacked and stripped Cole for a fumble. Dalton Huffman picked up the loose ball and returned it to the MVC 17-yard line.

Grant bulled his way in from the 12-yard line for his third touchdown and a 35-0 lead. Perrine caught an 82-yard touchdown pass to make it 42-0, while an 8-yard scoring run by Curtis Blain III made it 49-0. C-SC’s Michael Velasco, who was a perfect 7-for-7 on extra points, drilled a 49-yard field goal in the fourth quarter

Jeremiah Fergerson led the C-SC defense with seven tackles while Robinson totaled six tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup. Huffman had five stops and the fumble recovery.

Offensively, Orndorff was economical with 12 completions on 18 attempts for 282 yards and two touchdowns. His main target was Perrine, who had five receptions for 164 yards and two scores.