Box Score

WINONA, Minn. - Winona State's Tyler Perkette intercepted a Ryan Ratekin pass with just over two minutes remaining to help Winona State hold off a late Southwest Minnesota State surge and lift his Warriors to a 41-33 conference victory over the Mustangs Saturday afternoon in Winona, Minn.

WSU improves to 4-2 (3-2 NSIC), while SMSU drops to 3-3 (2-3 NSIC).

The interception came just as the Mustangs were orchestrating what could have been a game-tying drive in the closing moments of the contest.  SMSU trailed by eight and was just inside WSU territory when Perkette picked off the ball intended for Derek Townsend. 

SMSU's final drive attempt was set up off a nearly successfully executed onside kick from the Mustangs after their previous score.  But an offsides penalty from SMSU allowed the Warriors to take possession on the resulting kick replay.  The Mustangs did, however, force a three-and-out to regain possession and make one final spurt.

Two missed extra points from Lance Schuveiller haunted SMSU throughout.  Had the Mustangs completed that final drive with a touchdown, they would have still trailed by two.

Ratekin threw two interceptions on the afternoon--just one less than he had thrown all season heading into the game.  The junior signal caller was potent despite the two mistakes, completing 33-of-54 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns.  It was Ratekin's third straight 300-yard passing performance.

Blake Wilson led an effective receiving corp, snagging nine catches for 117 yards and three touchdowns.  Wilson's outing marks the first time a Mustang receiver has put together two consecutive 100-yard receiving games since Ray Denson had three straight in 2005.  It was also Wilson's fourth-straight 100-yard receiving game.  Wade McDonough also had five catches for 30 yards and a touchdown.  Three other Mustangs had at least four catches.

WSU never trailed, opening scoring in the first quarter when Rayon Simmons found paydirt from 10 yards out.  Billy Emmanuel's point after gave the Warriors a 7-0 lead.

The Mustang offense went to work immediately, putting together an eight play, 57-yard drive that was capped by a Gannon Moore 1-yard touchdown run.  Schuveiller converted to knot the contest at seven.

But that would be the only time the Warriors didn't lead.  WSU made it 14-7 when Sean Hertz hauled in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Preston Greg.  That lead stretched to 10 after a 38-yard field goal from Emmanuel early in the second quarter.

SMSU took the ensuing drive 64 yards with a tenacious passing campaign that saw Ratekin complete five passes, the final one to his favorite target Wilson from 18 yards out to put the Mustangs within three at 17-14.  The Warrior offense quickly answered, using another Greg-to-Hertz connection to move ahead 24-14 heading into the half.

The Warriors didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard in the second half, needing just three plays to add seven points to their lead.  The WSU advantage grew to 17 as Rayon Simmons caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Greg early in the third quarter.

Facing a fourth-and-three on their next possession, McDonough came up big for the Mustangs, grabbing and 8-yard pass to get SMSU with 10 at 31-21.

WSU's Emmanuel nailed a 26-yard field goal with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter before Wilson again finished off a Mustang drive with an 18-yard touchdown catch.  The scoring drive was set up nicely by a 41-yard kick return from Warren Matthews to get the Mustangs into Warrior territory.  The score, though, came accompanied with Schuveiller's first missed extra point that would have given the Mustangs a six-point deficit to work from.

The Warriors quickly got another score before the end of the third quarter.  Both SMSU and WSU punted on their next possessions.  SMSU took its opportunity 80 yards and used another Wilson touchdown catch with 4:25 left to make it 33-41.  Schuveiller's second missed extra point kept the difference at eight.

The Mustangs' missed onside kick recovery and ensuing final-drive interception followed.

SMSU amassed 376 yards of total offense in the loss--most of it coming from Ratekin's big passing day.  Zach Wysong had 10 carries for 62 yards.  Moore was the lone Mustang back to record a touchdown on the afternoon.

Derek Klinkner finished with a team-best 10 tackles, while Aaron Diggs had six.  SMSU had just one sack on the afternoon.

The eight-point loss marks another close defeat in 2009.  Of SMSU's three defeats this season, the Mustangs have lost by a combined 18 points.  Saturday afternoon's eight-point deficit is the largest margin of defeat this season for SMSU.

SMSU is back in action next Saturday when the Mustangs host Augustana in their homecoming game.  Kick off is scheduled for 6 p.m.