Wildcats bounce back against NAU

OGDEN -- There was little that could have stopped Weber State from getting its first Big Sky win on Saturday night. Not even a little fourth quarter drama.

The determined Wildcats (2-2, 1-0) overcame mistakes, penalties and a talented Northern Arizona (2-2, 0-1) team to earn a 31-23 victory, their first win over the Lumberjacks in five years. Coach Ron McBride said he couldn't be more proud of his team.

"They didn't let mistakes get in the way," McBride said. "They played through everything."

A close game throughout, the Wildcats took the lead for good late in the third quarter when Ian Pizarro hit Terry Larsen for a 75- yard touchdown, making the score 24-20. The Lumberjacks responded in the fourth quarter with a field goal to cut the lead to one, but that's when the Weber State defense said enough.

After holding Weber State on fourth-and-goal, Northern Arizona took over on the Wildcats' 2-yard line with 1:48 to go, but it failed to get a first down.

After WSU retained possession, Pizarro scored on a 2-yard run to increase the lead to eight points. WSU cornerback Curlee Dorn intercepted a pass from Jason Murrietta with 1:19 left to seal the victory. Defensive lineman Shane Barkdull said it was the best defensive performance on the season. The defensive line was especially menacing as it kept Murrietta out of sync much of the second half. He said McBride's fourth quarter condition and preparation was also a factor in the win.

"Everybody was making plays.

You could see (Murrietta) couldn't sit in the pocket and he was off target," Barkdull said. "The defense came together."

While the defense played well, the Weber State offensive line controlled the trenches. Running backs Adrian Conway and Zach Hall combined to run for 232 yards and two touchdowns. The ground game set the tone for the offense.

"They made huge holes and we just ran through them," Hall said. "The offensive line works their butts off in practice and it paid dividends tonight."

The teams traded scores in the first half and went into intermission tied 17-17. Individually, Conway had 142 yards rushing and Hall had 92.

Pizarro finished 8-for-14 for 188 with a touchdown pass and an interception. Barkdull recorded a sack for a loss of 14 yards.

"It's great to be 1-0 in conference because it gives us confidence," Barkdull said. "It's something we've lacked for a long time."

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