winona, minn. - turnovers continue to be a season trend in 2011 as concordia falls to 0-5 when losing the turnover margin, committing five turnovers while forcing just one in a 58-24 loss at winona state in front of over 6,000 fans at verizon wireless stadium for wsu's homecoming game. Concordia falls to 3-5 overall and 2-5 in the nsic (1-3 south) while wsu improves to 4-4 overall, 4-3 in conference play (2-2 south). box score
the golden bears have now committed 23 turnovers in their five losses with only three combined takeaways while in their three victories they have a 9-3 turnover margin.
defensively, senior outside linebacker taylor selby (stratford, wis.) set a school record with 6.0 tackles for loss while finishing with 10 tackles and two sacks. Three others previously held the record of five tfl's (jon voyda, 1994; james miley, 2000; eric power, 2006). Power's performance also came against winona state in 2006.
selby has taken over the league lead with 12.5 tackles for loss on the year.
offensively, concordia senior wide receiver charles gilbert (jacksonville, fla.) continued his touchdown run with a league-leading ninth td reception from 22 yards out. The 22-yard score is remarkably the second shortest touchdown catch of gilbert's career. He now has 21 career touchdowns in 20 games with a td in every game in 2011 and has a streak of nine straight games with a touchdown catch.
but it was too little, too late as winona state turned out a 37-3 lead by halftime and used five touchdown runs by rayon simmons as he galloped for 136 of wsu's 187 yards on the ground in the game. Concordia's score in the first half was a 25-yard field goal by freshman tom obarski (burnsville, minn.) which made the score 13-3. Obarski is now 7-10 on the year in field goal attempts. He also punted five times for a season-high average of 40.4 yards.
concordia started the second half with a 92-yard kickoff return for touchdown by junior jeremy randle (minneapolis, minn.). The return by randle was the longest play of the season and concordia's first kick return score since gilbert's 84-yarder on the 2010 season opener against minot state. It is also the third longest kickoff return in school history and the sixth-known 90-plus yard play in program history.
but the golden bears were unable to muster a comeback as turnovers continued to haunt them throughout the game.
senior quarterback spencer ohm (blooming prairie, minn.) was on the run, being sacked five times and scrambling for numerous first downs to escape pressure. He finished with 176 yards on 12-32 passing with two interceptions in the game.
concordia's league-leading pass attack finished with 253 yards through the air as redshirt freshman jared russo (milwaukee, wis.) was 5-8 for 77 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
concordia's final score came from three yards out on the ground by senior jerry shaw (oak creek, wis.) in the fourth quarter.
concordia returns home to sea foam stadium for the final time in 2011 next saturday, october 29th against minnesota, crookston for a noon kickoff. Concordia will play their final two games at neutral sites, with a nov. 5 game against upper iowa at north fayette high school and a november 12 game against southwest minnesota state at metrodome.
photo of ohm by ted schwerzler
