ESU OUTSCORED IN MIAA HOME OPENER

Hornets drop 45-38 game to Mules

Football | 12/16/2011 1:44:00 PM

September 17, 2011-In a game that saw nearly 1200 yards of total offense, turnovers and an untimely penalty led to a 45-38 victory for #24 Central Missouri over Emporia State on Saturday afternoon on Jones Field at Welch Stadium.

The Hornets opened the game with an onside kick and drove to the Mules 13 yard line before getting a 30 yard field goal attempt blocked. On the ensuing possession Kevin Gaddis picked off Tommy Corwin to give the ball back to ESU. After a Tyler Eckenrode 13 yard rush, LaDarrian Page went 50 yards to give the Hornets a 7-0 lead with 7:22 left in the first quarter.

After trading punts, Corwin connected with Jamar Howard on a 71 yard pass play to the ESU 13 yard line. The Hornet defense then stiffened up and the Mules had to settle for a 30 yard field goal from Aaron Jamieson with 1:26 left in the quarter.

ESU took a 14-3 lead with 10:37 left in the half on Eckenrode’s two yard run to cap a four play, 20 yard drive. The drive was set up by a Kevin Gaddis 15 yard punt return and a pair of penalties on the Mules. Derek Lohmann intercepted Corwin on the next drive but the Hornets could not convert. After a Marlon Douiglas punt return to the 48 yard line, UCM went 52 yards on three rushing plays to pull within 14-10 with 3:54 left in the half on Camren Torneden’s 12 yard run.

ESU answered almost immediately on a 62 yard touchdown pass from Eckenrode to Shjuan Richardson with 3:03 remaining for a 21-10 lead. It was Richardson’s fifth touchdown reception of over 60 yards in the last two years.

Corwin answered for UCM with a 40 yard touchdown pass to Howard with 1:42 left in the half to send the teams to the locker rooms with ESU leading 21-17.

The Hornets took the opening kick of the second half and went 80 yards on ten plays for a 28-17 lead with 11:09 left in the third. ESU got a three and out on UCM’s possession when Eckenrode and Richardson hooked up from 69 yards on first down to go ahead 35-17 with 9:20 left in the third quarter. The Mules answered with a 38 yard pass from Corwin to Ralph Watson on the next possession to pull within 25-24 with 8:06 left in the third.

The Hornets would get into Mules territory on the next series but were forced to punt. Tyler Chilson punt went to the UCM 10 yard line but Marlon Douglas returned it 58 yards to the ESU 32 yard line. Two plays later Corwin connected with Anthony Kirkwood for a 29 yard touchdown to pull within 35-31 with 4:29 remaining in the third. The Hornets then went 76 yards on 15 plays but were stopped at the Mules two yard line and had to settle for a 19 yard field goal from King to go up by a touchdown at 38-31 with 13:46 left in the game. Darrian Salter tied the score with 10:33 left for the Mules with a one yard run to cap an eight play, 58 yard drive.

The Hornets took the ensuing kickoff and went 61 yards on 12 plays before Eckenrode was intercepted by Patrick Lewis at the Mules five yard line on a pass that went through his receiver’s hands. UCM then went 95 yards on seven plays to take their first lead of the game with 2:33 left on a nine yard pass from Corwin to Howard. On the third play of the drive ESU appeared to have Corwin sacked just as he let go of the ball and the Hornets were called for roughing the passer, giving UCM a first down at the ESU 31 yard line. On the next play Corwin hooked up with Howard for a 36 yard completion into ESU territory.

The Hornets had one last chance to tie the score but Alexis Reedus tipped an Eckenrode pass and caught it while laying on his back with 2:12 left to ice the game.

Eckenrode was 28 of 43 for a career high 371 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Richardson caught five passes for 168 yards with two touchdowns while Adam Schiltz added eight catches for 86 yards. Dasor Horton was the leading rusher for the game with 21 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown. Page added 113 yards on nine carries with a touchdown.

Corwin went 22 of 36 for 401 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Jamar Howard had nine catches for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Camren Torenden was the leading rusher for UCM with 65 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown.

Ben Carlson and Jeff Richards each had six tackles to lead ESU while Lohmann and Gaddis each added an interception.
Paul Hughes and Evan Knight were both credited with ten tackles for the Mules while Lewis and Reedus both had interceptions.

The Hornets will be back in action next Saturday when they take on Langston at Welch Stadium. Kick off for the annual Take a Kid to the Game contest is set for 1 p.m.

NOTES:
Eckenrode became the first Hornet to pass for 300 yards in a game since Andre Sloan El threw for 300 against Missouri Western in 2008.
It was the first time two Hornet running backs both eclipsed the 100 yard mark in the same game since Page and Adrian Abner did it against Southwestern Oklahoma State in 2009.
The 640 yards of total offense are the most by a Hornet team since ESU gained 703 at then Missouri-Rolla on Nov. 8, 1997 and the second time this year ESU has gone over 500 yards of total offense this season.

###HORNETS###

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