Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior quarterback Bronson Marsh ran for four touchdowns and the Nebraska-Kearney defense pitched a shutout for three quarters as the Lopers rolled past Northeastern State, 34-7, Saturday afternoon in Tahlequah, Okla.
 
The Lopers improve to 1-5 while the RiverHawks fall to 0-6.
 
Finishing with 21 carries for 242 yards, Marsh (Millard South H.S.) scored on the fifth play from scrimmage as he ran option and raced 59 yards for his third TD of the season.
 
About six minutes later, he was at it again, this time running 87 yards for a 14-0 lead. That is believed to be the seventh longest run in school history. His overall rushing total is the sixth best in Loper lore and the second highest by a QB.
 
The fourth best rushing team in the MIAA at 169 yards per game, UNK more than doubled that today, ending with 382 yards on 45 carries (8.5 avg.). It's the sixth highest total in school history and the most in an MIAA game.
 
Early in the 2nd quarter, Northeastern had moved 60 yards in 12 plays. On 4th and goal from the UNK 13-yard line, a field goal attempt by Dylan Beers was blocked by sophomore inside linebacker Dexter Becker (Beaver City).
 
NSU was forced to punt eight times on the day and had two other drives end on turnovers. They finished with just 264 yards of offense, 72 of that coming on a scoring run in the 4th quarter.

 
The Lopers were about to tack on some more points after the blocked field goal but Tony Newman picked off Marsh at the NSU 3-yard line. It didn't matter, however, as the Kearney defense held and the offense got the ball back at midfield two minutes later.
 
Junior back Romero Cotton (Hutchinson, Kans.) ran for two yards on 4th and 1 from the 'Hawks 25-yard line to keep the drive alive. With the first half clock winding down, UNK called timeout with five seconds on the clock and the ball at the NSU one-yard line.
 
Marsh called his own number and scored, giving the Lopers a three TD cushion.
 
An interception by sophomore inside linebacker Tyke Kozeal (Sargent) started the second half and setup UNK's fourth TD drive. Two plays after the turnover, Marsh ran 39 yards to the Northeastern one-yard line. He scored on the next play to make him the seventh Loper with four rushing scores in a single game.
 
Running back Mike Lodice holds the UNK record for rushing scores, having five in a 1995 win at Colorado School of Mines.
 
Late in the 3rd quarter, redshirt freshman outside linebacker Devontay LeFlore (Omaha Central) picked off NSU QB Kevin Pantastico and ran 62-yards for UNK's final score of the day.
 
The Lopers could've tacked another score late in the 4th quarter as redshirt freshman back Caleb Lundgren (Kearney H.S.) ran 67 yards to the NSU four-yard line. However, his next two runs yielded just a yard.
 
The RiverHawks only score came when reserve back Derrick Moore raced 72 yards for a TD with 14:27 left on the clock.
 
Besides Marsh, junior back Kevin Lane (Carson, Calif.) had 10 carries for 46 yard with Lundgren finishing with five totes and 72 yards.
 
In the air, Marsh was 9 of 18 for 105 yards with a long completion of 20 yards. Junior Omar Rodriguez (Tempe, Ariz.) had three receptions for 41 yards with four others having at least one grab.
 
NSU ended with 29 carries and 105 yards. Taking the long run away and the 'Hawks averaged just 1.2 yards per carry.
 
Pantastico was 19 of 30 for 159 yards and two INT's. The MIAA receptions leader, Garrett Powell, was held in check as he had just four catches for 58 yards.
 
Defensively, Kozeal had 10 tackles (three solo), his 10th straight game with a double digit tackle total. Senior end Matt Bowman (Kearney Catholic) had eight stops, including three behind the line of scrimmage, with sophomore end/linemen Peyton Lange (Elkhorn) having one of the Lopers three sacks.
 
UNK hosts Lindenwood (1-5) next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.