Richard Gwin/Journal World-Photo Haskell # 15 Kaleb Harris, looks for more yards against Peru State Saturday Oct 27, 2007 at Haskell Stadium.

At times Tyler Sessions looked like a philodendron among the pines.

Peru State batted down six Sessions’ passes at the line and rolled to a 42-14 victory over Haskell Indian Nations University Saturday afternoon at Haskell Stadium.

“That’s what happens when you’re a 5-foot-8 quarterback,” said Sessions, HINU’s true freshman signal-caller.

Five-eight??? But the program lists Sessions as standing 5-10.

“Shhh,” he said, placing his index finger across his lips. “I’m 5-8 : 5-81â2 on a good day.”

For the most part, it wasn’t a good day for the Fightin’ Indians in their home finale. They couldn’t run the ball, and they couldn’t stop Peru State’s running attack.

Haskell (1-7) managed only 64 yards on the ground – Sessions was the team leader with 25 on seven carries – while the Bobcats’ Mike Martens steamrolled the Indians for 217 yards on 25 carries.

With no ground game, the Indians had to throw, and Sessions did a decent job in spite of the half-dozen knockdowns at the line, completing 21 of 38 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.

On certain occasions in the second half, coach Eric Brock inserted Kaleb Harris – who, at 6-1, is at least five inches taller than Sessions – at QB.

Harris threw three times, and one was a seven-yard TD strike to Brigham Bert that climaxed a time-consuming 73-yard, 15-play drive with 9:11 remaining. Bert’s TD catch cut the Bobcats’ lead to 28-14 and gave HINU’s defense a much-needed blow.

“The offense drove down the field and did what we asked them to do,” Brock said. “Then our defense didn’t do their job.”

Seventy-six seconds after Bert’s score, Peru State scored again, consuming 58 yards in just four plays – all runs – including the final 10 yards by Nolan Jeter, the Bobcats’ No. 2 tailback.

On a day when Haskell’s offense managed only 202 yards, its kickoff return team produced three-fourths of that total on just three plays.

HINU scored on its opening drive – a four-yard pass from Sessions to Kaleb Harris – after Victor Martinez returned the opening kickoff 51 yards to the PSU 38.

Quentin Haynes one-upped Martinez by returning a pair of kickoffs 50 yards each. After both of Haynes’ returns, HINU managed to push the ball inside the Bobcats’ five-yard line, but each time the Indians failed.

Sessions threw incomplete on fourth down to waste one of the golden opportunities and tossed an interception to end the other.

“We need to punch those in,” Sessions said. “I take the blame for all of it.”

Haskell will play its last two games on the road, next Saturday at Avila and Nov. 10 at Waldorf.