Omaha Athletics

Two long-range scoring plays highlighted the Mavericks' Red-White Spring Game in front of a chilly 500 fans at Caniglia Field Saturday. The Mavs scored on a 95-yard kickoff return by John McCardle and a 95-yard pass play from Greg Wunderlich to Troy Kush.

Wunderlich, a junior from Naperville, Ill., completed 15 of 23 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns and sophomore tailback Arsenio Richardson, from Minnetonka, Minn., ran for 56 yards on 14 carries to lead the offensive stats. Kush hauled in three pases for a total of 109 yards. In addition, tight end Mike Higgins turned a Wunderlich pass into a 75-yard gain to set up another score.

The offense struggled through the first half with just one touchdown and 92 of its 388 yards of total offense. Wunderlich capped a seven-play, 55-yard drive with a 17-yard toss to Keith Eloi in the second quarter.

The offense picked up the pace after the break. Greg Zuerlein kicked his first of two field goals from 22 yards on the opening drive. Wunderlich then hit Kush on the right sideline for a 95-yard score. On the ensuing kickoff, McCardle, a senior transfer from Kansas State, broke toward the right after picking the ball up on the five and sped 95 yards for a score.

Richardson then ended a nine-play, 53-yard drive aided by two penalties to score from the one and Wunderlich connected with Higgins on a one-yard pass for a score in the fourth quarter. Zuerlein ended the scoring with his second 22-yarder in the final minute.

The Mavericks will return to the practice field for three final workouts next week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Scoring Plays
Keith Eloi 17 pass from Greg Wunderlich (Greg Zuerlein kick)-7 plays, 55 yards
Zuerlein 22 FG- 5-76
Troy Kush 95 pass from Wunderlich (Zuerlein kick)- 2-92
John McCardle 95 kickoff return (Brady Batchelor kick)
Arsenio Richardson 1 run (Zuerlein kick)-9-53
Mike Higgins 1 pass from Wunderlich (Batchelor kick)- 4-40
Zuerlein 22 FG - 8-71

Rushing (No-yards)
Arsenio Richardson 14-56
Robert Wesley 6-32
Austin Williams 7-23
John McCardle 8-10
Brian Gralheer 4-minus 23
Greg Wunderlich 8-minus 31
Totals, 47-67

Passing (com-att-int, yards)
Greg Wunderlich, 15-23-0, 295
Brian Gralheer, 2-2-0, 26
Totals, 17-25-0, 321

Receiving (No-yards)
Troy Kush 3-109
Mike Higgins 2-76
Keith Eloi 4-55
Kelvin Nesbit 1-22
Casey Beck 1-19
Arsenio Richardson 1-12
Tyler Vandament 1-12
Aaron Konicek 3-12
Austin Wells 1-4

Punting (No-avg)
Jason Schlautman, 10-32.4

Punt Returns (No-avg)
Keith Eloi, 3, 5.0

Kickoff Returns (No., avg.)
John McCardle 3-46.0
Evan Martin 26.0
Robert Wesley 1-23.0

First Downs
13 (3 run; 9 pass; 1 penalty)