WAYNE, Neb. (Memorial Stadium) - Wayne State College handed Bemidji State University a 30-11 loss Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Wayne, Neb. The Beavers fall to 1-5 in league play and 2-5 overall with the loss to WSC in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football match up.

Despite BSU snatching a 5-0 lead just minutes into the first quarter on a career-long 42-yard field goal by Paul Potemra (So., K/P, Poolesville, Md.) and a safety by Luke Knutson (Fr., LB, Bagley, Minn.) the BSU defense, Wayne State would change three first half BSU turnovers into a 27-5 halftime advantage and cruise to the conference victory.

The Wildcats took a 7-5 lead in the final minute of the first quarter.

With BSU on the doorstep, BSU reserve quarterback Josh Williams (Sr., Downey, Calif.), getting the start Derek Edholm (So., Anoka, Minn.) who is injured, threw an interception. Frederick Bruno would take the handoff on the next play and scamper 77 yards into the end zone.

The hosts would stretch their lead to 13-5 five minutes into the second, riding a pair of carries from Travis Rhone, which included a 38-yard run to paydirt.

BSU seemed to finally get the break it needed at the 7:37 mark of the second when the ball slipped out of WSC quarterback Silas Fluellen's hands with the Wildcats pinned deep in their own territory. Bemidji State corner back Terrell Phelps (Sr., Lincolnton, N.C.) recovered the fumble on the WSC 10-yard line. But Matt Greenway flipped momentum back in the Wildcats favor when he stepped in front of an Erick Newman (Sr., RB, Naperville, Ill.) halfback pass attempt and returned it 97 yards to put Wayne State up 20-5.

Wayne State assembled a four-play, 81-yard drive as the first half wound down. Fluellen completed a 49-yard pass play to Logan Masters to spark the drive and the fleet-footed signal caller would cap the drive with a three-yard touchdown run to push the score to 27-5 before halftime.

During the third quarter the teams combined for just 135 yards on six possessions. Although the Beavers put together the most sustained, successful drive of the stanza, netting 45 yards on six plays, including a 35-yard run by Brandon Miles (So., RB, Kenai, Alaska), it was Wayne State that managed to get on the scoreboard.

The Wildcats inherited the ball on the Beavers 19-yard line after a botched punt attempt ended in an incomplete pass. Although the BSU defense kept the hosts out of the end zone, Nick Hope booted a 21-yard field goal to extend the WSC lead to 30-5.

The Beavers finally broke the seal on the end zone in the game's 54th minute. Williams connected with senior receiver George Kadlec (Chicago, Ill.) for a 41-yard touchdown strike. The TD reception was Kadlec's team-leading seventh of the season and matched his 2006 season total.

The BSU point-after attempt was blocked bringing the score to its final resting spot, 30-11.

Bemidji State finished the day with 291 yards of total offense in comparison to WSC's 365. The Beavers managed 95 yards on the ground paced by a 55-yard effort from Miles, and totaled 197 yards through the air. Williams was 17-of-30 for 152 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The Wildcats rushing attack managed 206 yards with Rhone leading the way with 112 on 14 attempts.

Fluellen was an efficient 10-14 for 156 yards, but threw an interception. His favorite target, Masters, grabbed four balls for 83 yards.

Defensively, Knutson led the way for the Beavers recording the best outing of his young career. The newcomer posted a team-leading eight tackles (four solo), with three coming for a loss, forced two fumbles, registered a sack and was responsible for the BSU safety. Tiger Ellison (Jr., CB, Columbus, Ohio), Jordan Lardinois (So., DE, New Franken, Wis.), Sid Johnson (So., CB, Fairbanks, Alaska) and Phelps each recorded a fumble recovery and Alex Mock posted his first quarterback sack of the season.

Luke Hoffman paced the WSC defensive unit posting 12 tackles (seven solo), a tackle-for-loss and an interception, while Troy Prinbow led a unit that got to the BSU quarterback five times, posting 3.5 sacks.

Bemidji State (2-5; 1-5 NSIC) continues NSIC play next week when it returns home to host University of Minnesota, Crookston (2-5; 1-5 NSIC) in BSU's annual Lions' Game. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Chet Anderson Stadium.

--bsu--