Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Pittsburg State took advantage of three short fields and recorded a late fourth down stop to rally past Nebraska-Kearney, 24-19, Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.
 
The Gorillas (5-3) have won eight in a row over the Lopers (0-8) to grab a 10-8 all-time series lead.
 
UNK, out gaining Pitt by 29 yards, took over with 4:30 remaining. Facing a 3rd and 18 from its own 16-yard line, senior quarterback Bronson Marsh (Millard South H.S.) managed to loft a pass that senior receiver Cougar Williams (Hanford, Calif.) caught at midfield.
 
However, the next four plays mustered just four yards with Marsh tackled for a two-yard loss on 4th & 6. Pitt then kneeled down twice to record the win.
 
"I'm extremely proud of our football team. I thought our kids battled; we had a saying all week that was never give up, never give in," said UNK head coach Josh Lamberson. "These kids did that; it would be so easy for these kids to throw in the towel and say the season's lost."
 
Kearney had a golden opportunity to possible tie the game at the start of the fourth quarter. A personal foul on the Gorillas at the end of a run made it 1st and goal from the five. But, three runs – two from the "Wild Loper" formation – netted only two yards.
 
A 14-play, 66-yard drive was thus capped by a 21-yard field goal from Grand Island sophomore Brendan Wentling. Midway through the second quarter, Wentling hit a career-long 45-yard field goal to make it 16-7 Lopers.

 
Late in the first half, Pitt receiver Levi Copelin blocked a UNK punt, setting up his team at the Kearney seven-yard line. Two plays later, reserve back Michael Rose scored a touchdown.
 
Finishing with 235 total yards, the Gorillas moved ahead for good when Chad Levin booted a 44-yard field goal as the first half clock expired. The 34-yard drive was setup thanks to a 42-yard run by receiver Marquise Cushon on a reverse.
 
The Loper defense, which forced seven punts and held Pitt to 1 of 13 on third down, stuffed Pitt backup QB Thomas LePage on 4th & 11 from the Kearney 31-yard line midway through the third quarter.
 
But, UNK fumbled on the very next play. LePage used one of his five completions to move the ball to the Loper 12-yard line and then former UNO Maverick Jeff Seybold Jr. made it 24-16 with a one-yard scoring plunge.
 
"As a collective group, I thought that was our best game. But we still made some mistakes you just can't do in the MIAA," said Lamberson. "I know I sound like a broken record; we had a blocked punt, a blocked PAT, a muffed punt. We have to be better, offensively, on third down in the second half. And when you get inside the five yard line on offense, you've got to score touchdowns."
 
Down 13-0 four minutes into the game, Pitt got back into things by blocking UNK's second PAT and picking off Marsh in its own end zone after a fake punt didn't work. The trick play was a run on 4th & 11 with the Lopers taking over at the Gorilla 30-yard line.
 
Pitt's first score, a 10-yard run by LePage, came after Kearney fumbled a punt. That helped PSU set up shop at the Kearney 30-yard line. A 19-yard run by Rose was the big gainer on this five-play drive.
 
The Lopers started things with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that took just 2:54 off the clock. Twenty yards in PSU penalties helped with Marsh running 22 yards for a score, UNK's third rushing TD of 2015.
 
Just five plays later Kearney scored again as junior linebacker Tyke Kozeal (Sargent) tipped a third down pass by LePage. The ball ricocheted to senior corner Shai Harris (Glendale, Ariz.), who raced untouched for the score.
 
The Lopers have five INT's on the season, three going for TD's. Early in the second half, junior corner Antwan Hadley (Lake Wales, Fla.) picked off his second pass of the year, a leaping grab of a LePage pass attempt.
 
A less than 100% Marsh went 12 of 23 for 138 yards and one INT. Sacked four times he still had team-highs in carries (15) and rushing yards (45).
 
Redshirt freshman back Luke Quinn (Scottsdale, Ariz.) came on strong late, tallying 39 yards on 12 carries with senior co-captain Dalton Sealey (St. Cecilia H.S.) having five grabs for 39 yards.
 
Rose led the Pitt offense, having 11 carries for 59 yards while Cushon tallied 53 on just two carries. As a team, the Gorillas had 199 yards on 45 carries (4.4 avg.). In the air, LePage was 5 of 14 for 36 yards and two INT's. He was sacked three times but ended with 42 rushing yards.
 
Before cramping up late in the game, Kozeal made a career-high 18 tackles, including two for lost yardage. Fellow backer Devontay LeFlore (Omaha Central H.S.) had 10 with Creighton Prep graduate Sam Stoltenberg having seven tackles (1.0 sack) from his interior linemen position.
 
UNK is at rival Fort Hays State next week. The Tigers (5-3) lost at No. 3 NW Missouri State today, 45-24.