STORM LAKE - The Buena Vista football team took a 20-14 lead over #13 Wartburg into halftime on Saturday, but the upset-minded Beavers came up just short of its first American Rivers Conference victory as the Knights broke the game open early in the fourth quarter of a 48-27 victory inside of J. Leslie Rollins Stadium.

Wartburg broke a scoreless game late in the first quarter with a 14-yard touchdown pass with just 2:33 left.  BVU tied things up at 7-7 early in the second as Bryland Menicucci capped a 49-yard drive with a nine-yard run for his second rushing score of the game.  The touchdown was set up after the Knights fumbled a punt return that was recovered by Jacob Mixenman just inside of Wartburg territory.

After the Knights marched back down to regain the lead at 14-7 midway through the quarter, BVU quickly responded when Eric Pacheco scooped up a fumbled kick-off and found his way through the coverage and was off to the races for an 88-yard score, the third kick return of his career (punt or kickoff).  The point-after-attempt was blocked and Wartburg remained in front, 14-13.

BVU then forced a three-and-out on the ensuing Wartburg posession, and on the punt attempt, it was a low snap, and as the punter went down to scoop up the ball, his knee touched the ground and the ball was blown dead there, giving the Beavers the ball at the Knights' 17.  Reyes Lara III hooked up with Isaia Morones on the first play from scrimmage to give the Beavers their first lead of 20-14.

On its second drive of the second half, BVU was looking to make it a two-score game with the ball at the Wartburg 23-yard line, but a fumble was recovered by the Knights with 8:00 to go.  Wartburg would take advantage from there, going 75 yards in five plays, capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass from Noah Dodd to Kolin Schulte and giving the Knights the lead back at 21-20.

BVU took the ensuing kick-off and again got deep into Wartburg territory, but another turnover in the endzone crashed any scoring chances and gave the Knights the ball back with under 2:00 left in the frame.  Wartburg again took advantage of the miscue and went 80 yards in just nine plays for a seven-yard touchdown run and extending its lead to 28-20.

The Wartburg defense then tipped a pass on the first play of BVU's next drive that was intercepted and returned down to the Beavers' seven-yard line.  One play later, another seven-yard scamper quickly made it a 35-20 cushion.  After BVU was forced to punt on its next drive, Wartburg took over at its own 20-yard line, and on the first play from scrimmage, Bennett Goettsch found a hole off the left side and went 80 yards for a score and make it 42-20.

Morones would haul in his second touchdown catch of the day with 7:33 left to play and get the Beavers within 42-27 but Schulte would haul in his third touchdown of the game with 3:24 remaining for the game's final score.  The 27 points by BVU was the most that Wartburg had allowed in a single-game this season.

Wartburg, which has now defeated BVU 10 straight times, passed for 309 yards and four touchdowns and added 215 more yards on the ground.  BVU threw for 320 yards but was held to only seven net rushing yards on 23 attempts.

"I was very proud of our effort today," said BVU head coach Grant Mollring. "Our guys played really well for three quarters and ran out of gas in the fourth. We faced some adversity with our lack of depth in the secondary and it showed as the game went on.  Turnovers were a major factor as we benefited in the first half and they took advantage in the second."

Dylan Laughlin completed 19-of-33 attempts for 206 yards and one score but was intercepted twice.  Stephen Grimm had a team-leading 26 yards rushing on just four attempts.  Pacheco had another big day, matching a season-high with 10 catches for 151 yards.  In the process, he moved into fifth-place on the program's all-time receptions list, and now has 127 in his career.  He sits just five receptions shy of moving up to third and tying Hall of Famer Jesse Schmidt at 132.

"Our offensive line protected the quarterback better today than we had, and both Dylan and Reyes played better at the QB position," added Mollring.  "We saw definite signs of improving from last week and will need to make a big jump next week as we head to Coe."  

Jalen Moore and Mason Wickett each had a team-leading six tackles on the day with Wickett also adding 1.5 sacks.

Buena Vista dips to 2-3 overall this season and to 0-3 in conference play.  The team goes back on the road next Saturday where it will look for its first league victory as it takes on Coe College in a 1 p.m. kick-off.