JOPLIN, Mo. – Fort Hays State extended its string of wins against Missouri Southern in Joplin to seven on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 4). The RV/No.21 ranked Tigers improved to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA with a 28-21 win and they have now won 11 of their last 12 against the Lions. Missouri Southern fell to 2-3 overall and 0-3 in the MIAA.
Fort Hays State did the majority of its offensive damage on the ground, rushing for a season-high 254 yards.
Joshua Clark produced his first 100-yard rushing game of the season to lead FHSU with 116, followed by quarterback
Caleb Heavner with 94.
FHSU never trailed in the game. The Tigers took the lead first on a
Caleb Heavner 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The Lions eventually pulled even at 7-7 in the quarter with a long 70-yard pass from Tillman Martin to Isaiah Green. The Tigers took the lead back for good early in the second quarter when
Zane Hall connected on a 32-yard field goal. Later in the quarter, Heavner found
Cale Cormaney for a 16-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers up 17-7. However, for the second-straight week, the Tigers allowed a passing touchdown on the final play of the first half, a 34-yard pass from Martin to Isaiah Padello, to make the score 17-14 at the half.
To keep the Lions from building on their momentum, linebacker
John Johnson knocked the ball from Tillman's hand in a scramble on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. It set up a 39-yard field goal by Hall, pushing the Tiger lead to 20-14. The Tiger defense forced punts on the next two Lion drives and eventually extended their lead to 28-14 early in the fourth quarter on a goal line plunge by Heavner. The scoring play was set up by a 58-yard rush by Clark.
An interception by
Michael Chavez on MSSU's first drive of the fourth quarter helped the Tigers chew up more time. The Lions eventually scored a touchdown with a 4
th-down, goal line plunge by Martin with 1:11 remaining in the game. The Tigers secured a pooch kick, but had to line up for a punt with 19 seconds remaining in the game. In their haste to block the punt, the Lions were called for a penalty which allowed the Tigers to run out the remainder of the game clock for the 28-21 win.
Johnson led the Tiger defense with 10 tackles, the forced fumble which gave him a sack, and a pass breakup.
Gavin Meyers added nine tackles, while Chavez also had eight tackles and a sack that created a fumble that set up the Cormaney touchdown in the second quarter.
Heavner threw for 125 yards in addition to his 94 rushing yards.
Keyshawn Dooley led the Tigers in receiving yards with 31.
Martin threw for 322 yards for the Lions, while MSSU produced just 65 rushing yards. Green led MSSU in receiving yards with 93.
The Tigers return home to play host to 2024 MIAA champion Central Oklahoma on Saturday (Oct. 11) at 7 p.m. The Bronchos entered Saturday 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA.
