WINONA, Minn. – A Darryl Williams 79-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second half broke open a 14-14 stalemate between Winona State University and Wayne State College on Saturday, igniting a late-game rally that led to a 38-14 Warrior win in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium.

Williams' turning-point-play was the third touchdown score in a row for Winona State, after the visiting Wildcats had scored twice in the first half to take a 14-0 lead early on.

Sam Santiago-Lloyd and Ty Gavin both rumbled to rushing touchdowns to draw WSU back level at 14-14 with Wayne State, who entered Saturday's contest undefeated at 4-0 on the year.  Gavin's score, a 38-yard cutback run, was an important part of his 139-yard day, his third outing of the year in which he eclipsed 130 yards rushing.

After Williams' punt return TD, Winona State struck again on special teams first through a Jacob Scott 27-yard field goal and then on a partially blocked punt for score by Griffin Wiegel.

While the second half featured a slew of points, all scored by Winona State, the opening two quarters looked much more like a defensive slugfest.

The two teams combined for five punts and two turnovers on downs as both the Wildcat and Warrior defenses were dialed in early on. For WSU however, after conceding a 46-yard passing score from WSC's Nick Bohn to David Elder and a Bohn quarterback draw for the second WSC touchdown, the Warriors would lockdown the rest of the way. Clay Schueffner led the Winona State defensive unit with eight tackles and had a key interception with a 26-yard return to kill a Wildcat drive. The Warrior defense held the visitors to their lowest points scored total in a loss since November 2, 2019, when WSC was held to one touchdown in a 62-7 loss to Minnesota State, Mankato.

A major part to the Winona State offensive resurgence in the contest was the combined efforts of WSU quarterbacks Trevor Paulsen and Kyle Haas, both of whom had significant snaps in the game. Haas was 5-for-13 and 58 yards passing, including the Warriors' longest passing play, a 38-yard completion to Jaylen Schleicher. For Paulsen, in addition to going 8-for-15 and 95 yards in the air, the junior from Marion, Iowa used his feet to extend a pair of Warrior drives and netted 17 yards rushing on four carries. Neither Winona State signal caller suffered a sack or threw an interception as the WSU ball-control offense orbited around Gavin's great day on the ground.

Gavin had 19 carries to reach his 139-yard total, an impressive 7.3 average. Earlier this year, Gavin rushed for 159 yards in the WSU season opener and 149 yards one week later, and on Saturday, returned to the form that had him among the league leaders in total rushing yards and attempts early in the 2022 NSIC campaign.

Gavin's Warrior teammate Williams accumulated 108 all-purpose yards between special teams and receiving, but none were more exciting than his TD punt return.  Williams was one of six different WSU players to catch a pass in the game, with Joe Sikma's three grabs leading the Warriors in total receptions.

As a team, Winona State had 318 yards in total offense, compared to WSC's 344, but WSU outgained the Wildcats on the ground, 178-156.  In addition, special plays on special teams tipped the scales in favor of the home side, as the Warrior punt return unit accounted for 14 of the 38 WSU points on the day.

With the Warrior win, Winona State moves to 4-1 on the year and 1-0 in the NSIC South, while Wayne State falls to 4-1 and 0-1 in the division.  After two consecutive home games, WSU will hit the road in week six, traveling to Northern State University for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against the Wolves in Aberdeen, S.D.