Score: Wayne State 41, Saginaw Valley 31
Records: WSU (2-1, 1-0 GLIAC) | SVSU (2-1, 0-1 GLIAC)
Location: Tom Adams Field - Detroit, Mich.

DETROIT -- The SVSU Football team made the trip to Detroit for the 2017 league opener on Saurday (Sep. 16) evening. In what was a tough matchup, Wayn State would hold on for a 10-point victory, claiming a 41-31 decision over the Cardinals.

The Warriors scored the first two touchdowns, leading 13-0 at the 7:52 junction of the first quarter despite after missing their first PAT.

SV got on the board first at the 2:24 marker to make the score 13-3 when Alex Kenrick drilled his first field goal of the season. The kick was good from 44 yards out.

Ryan Conklin then rushed into the endzone from three yards out in the second quarter, making the count 13-10 in WSU's favor at the 8:18 marker of the second.

The teams then traded touchdowns, with SV getting a 44-yard TD pass play from Conklin to Marcus Edmondson, putting the score at 20-17 in the Warriors' favor.

Wayne State eventually added another touchdown with just 25 ticks showing on the clock for the first half. The Warriors punched it in one more time to send the contest to a 27-17 count heading into the half.

It was all the way until the end of the third when the next score came, with WSU taking advantage of a bad snap on a Cardinal punt to get a short field and score two plays later. That pushed the home team's lead out to 34-17.

That same lead held true heading into the fourth quarter with 4:55 to play. That's when Nate McCrary got a goal line touchdown run to capitalize after WSU turned it over on downs. That trimmed the deficit to 34-24.

The Warriors scored again to push the lead to 41-24 and left SV with just 1:48 of clock to use.

The Cardinals would strike quick, however, using just four plays to end in a Tommy Scott Jr. screen pass that went for an 18-yard TD pass. Kenrick's PAT made the score 41-31 with 33 seconds remaining.

An onside kick would ensue, the the Warriors recovered it and that was it for the league opener with WSU claiming the 10-point victory.

Inside the Boxscore

• SVSU held a 318 to 191 edge in passing but the Warriors led by a 257 to 96 margin in the rushing yards category.
• Conklin had another solid game passing, going 23-31 for a new career-high of 318 yards and two scores.
• Scott rushed 18 times for 100 yards, adding 20 yards on two catches and a touchdown.
• Alfonso Vultaggio had career highs of 10 catches and 134 yards offensively for the Cards. He was named the Meijer Player of the Game for his efforts.
• Nate Moore returned six kickoffs for 114 yards.
• Aaron Berry had his first career interception and four tackles.
• Bryan Jones notched a gme-high 11 stops while Dillon Dixon added seven.
• Heath Williams had five stops, including a sack.

Up Next...

Saginaw Valley hosts Michigan Tech on Saturday (Sep. 23) in a 1:00 p.m. matchup at Wickes Stadium. It will be the Hall of Fame game as well, with four individuals and one team being inducted into the most recent class of 2017. Former two-time all-american John Jacobs and the 1979 GLIAC Championship Football Team are being inducted as part of the class.

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