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SMSU's Jason Fernholz nearly sacks WSU's Drew Aber during Saturday's overtime game

Winona State Wins Double Overtime Thriller in Mattke Field Finale

Box Score

MARSHALL, MINN.: No. 24 ranked Winona State University's Alex Wiese scored a 3-yard touchdown in double overtime to earn a thrilling 49-46 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in the final collegiate football game at Mattke Field in Marshall.

The victory for Winona State is its eighth in a row and clinches at least a tie for the Northern Sun Conference championship.  WSU holds a one game lead over Wayne State in the NSIC standings.  The two teams meet up next Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Metrodome with Wayne State needing to win to earn a share of the title.

On Saturday, SMSU hooked up with the NSIC's best and gave them everything they had but in the end came up just short.  

In the overtime, Winona State started with the ball and in just three plays scored with Wiese running in from six yards out to give WSU a 43-36 lead.  On SMSU's first possession of overtime, Josh Shudlick scored from 1-yard out to cap the five-play drive and after Scott Talcott's extra point the game was tied at 43-43.

In the second overtime SMSU began with the ball but picked up just six yards and was forced to attempt a field goal.  Talcott came through from 37 yards out to put SMSU in the lead for the first time in the game at 46-43.  

WSU answered right back on its possession rushing six straight times capped by Wiese's 3-yard run to earn the three-point victory.

The game didn't start well for SMSU as WSU took the opening kickoff and drove 67 yards on just nine plays with Drew Aber connecting with Wiese for a 20-yard touchdown pass and WSU jumped to a 7-0 lead.  

On the ensuing kickoff, Ryan Abbott's kick was held up in the wind and SMSU wasn't able to recover and the Warriors jumped on the ball and took over with first down on the SMSU 21-yard line.  Just two plays later Wiese scored from 21 yards out to give the Warriors a 13-0 lead after Abbott missed the extra point.

Winona State then extended the lead early in the second quarter as Aber capped off a 99-yard, 12-play drive with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Scott Peters with 13:56 left in the second quarter, but Abbott missed another extra point and WSU held a 19-0 lead.

SMSU's Willie Sutton then came through with one of the game's biggest plays as he returned Abbott's ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and cutting the WSU lead to 19-7.  The kickoff return for a score was SMSU's first since Julius Johnson returned one 97 yards versus Concordia on Oct. 30, 2004.

After the SMSU defense forced WSU punt, SMSU took over at its own 2-yard line.  Facing third down and eight from its own 4-yard line, Shudlick was intercepted at the 11-yard line and WSU's Tony Hill returned it for a touchdown and after the two-point conversion WSU built a 27-7 lead with 12:25 left in the second quarter.

SMSU though wouldn't quit and promptly drove 80 yards on 13 plays with Shudlick tossing a 5-yard pass to Zach Wysong to cut the WSU lead to 27-14 with 7:39 left in the quarter.  Following another WSU punt, the Mustang offense cruised down the field again driving 80 yards on 13 plays with Shudlick tossing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Bret Ballatine to pull SMSU to within 27-21 with 2:14 left in the first half.

In the second half, Wiese scored on a 27-yard run with 7:38 left in the third quarter to push the lead to 33-21 and then the Warriors capped off a 62-yard drive with an Abbott field goal to make the score 36-21 with 2:38 remaining in the third quarter.

SMSU then responded in just six plays with Shudlick finishing off the scoring drive with an 8-yard pass to Wysong and following Talcott's extra point SMSU trailed just 36-28 with 59 seconds left in the third quarter.

Both teams then exchanged punts before the Mustang defense came through with its first turnover of the day.  With just over 11 minutes left in the game, SMSU's Michael Hagney intercepted Aber at the WSU 40-yard line and returned it 20 yards to set up SMSU deep in Warrior territory.  

Shudlick completed a 15-yard pass to Wysong down to the WSU 5-yard line and after an incomplete pass, Shudlick found Wysong again in the end zone for his third touchdown reception of the game to pull SMSU to within 36-34 with 10:42 left in regulation.  Shudlick then connected with Ballatine on the two-point conversion to tie the game at 36-36.

Neither offense was able to move the ball for the next few possessions until SMSU took over with six minutes left in the game.  SMSU moved from its own 27-yard down to the WSU 41-yard line.  Shudlick then completed a pass to Ballantine at the 33-yard line, but he was stripped of the ball and WSU recovered to end the drive.

The Mustang defense though made another big play as on WSU's next drive as David Connors intercepted Aber at the SMSU 41-yard line with 2:26 left in the game.  Southwest picked up two first downs and had the ball at the WSU 34-yard line with just over a minute left in the game.  Shudlick though was sacked on first down moving the ball back to the WSU 44-yard line.  On the next play Shudlick once again connected with Wysong for a 15-yard gain setting the Mustang offense up at the WSU 29-yard line.  After an incomplete pass, SMSU's Talcott came on to the field to attempt a potential game-winning 46-yard field goal but his kick was wide right and the two teams headed to overtime.

Shudlick finished the game completing a career-high 37 of 62 passes attempts for 365 yards and four touchdowns.  It's the second time this season he has passed for four touchdowns in one game.  It was also his fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game becoming the first SMSU quarterback to do so since Jeff Loots in 1992. 

Wysong also had a big game finishing with a career-high 13 receptions for a career-high 138 yards and three touchdowns.  He is the first SMSU running back to record a 100-yard receiving game since Ken Sather on Oct. 12, 2002 at Northern State.

Ballatine finished with a career-high seven receptions for 70 yards and one touchdown.

Wiese led the WSU attack with 206 yards on the ground on 37 carries.  He finished the game with five touchdowns, including four rushing scores.

It not only was the final game ever at Mattke Field, it also marked the final home game for seven SMSU seniors.  Ben Adams, James Holmes, Kyle Rider, Justin Van Wyk, David Connors, Tyler Fischer and Willie Sutton all appeared at Mattke Field for the final time.

SMSU will close out the season next Saturday night, Nov. 10 with a 7 p.m. game versus MSU Moorhead.

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