HORNETS FALL IN TURNPIKE TUSSLE

Four lead changes in game

Tyler Eckenrode vs. Washburn

Football | 12/16/2011 1:49:00 PM

October 1, 2011-In a game that saw four lead changes the 8th ranked Washburn Ichabods defeated Emporia State 31-17 to even the Turnpike Tussle at 51-51-6 over the 108 game history of the series.

Washburn drew first blood on a 41 yard field goal by Jeremy Linn with 7:34 left in the first quarter. It was the first time this season ESU was not the first on the scoreboard.

The Hornets would take the lead in the second quarter on a three yard pass from Tyler Eckenrode to Ray Ray Davis with 14:56 left in the second quarter. ESU got the ball when Derek Lohmann picked off WU quarterback Dane Simoneau and returned it 47 yards to the Ichabod 15 yard line.

The Hornets then went up 14-3 on a two yard run by Eckenrode with 2:50 remaining in the half. The touchdown capped an eight play, 85 yard drive that was the longest scoring drive of the season for ESU.

The Ichabods answered with a seven play, 66 yard drive capped by Justin Cooper’s one yard touchdown run with 1:04 left in the half. Linn’s extra point missed to make it 14-9 ESU.

The two teams traded possession and the Hornets got the ball back with 16 seconds left in the half when DeJuan Beard fumbled on an attempted hook and lateral play at the WU 42 yard line. Eckenrode completed passes to Benji Love for 11 yards and Dasor Horto for four yards to set up a 44 yard field goal attempt with 4 seconds left. Zak King’s attempt was blocked to send ESU to the locker room with a 14-3 lead. It is the fourth time in five games the Hornets have taken a lead into halftime.

Washburn go the ball to start the second half and drove 73 yards in 13 plays to retake the lead at 16-4 on Simoneau’s 13 yard pass to Beard with 10:34 left in the quarter.

With 9:04 left Ben Carlson would force a fumble by WU’s Sean McPherson and Wayne Burgess recovered at the WU 27 yard line for the Hornets. ESU went back ahead 17-16 on King’s 26 yard field goal with 6:37 left in the period. The Ichabods retook the lead following a seven play, 77 yard drive on their next possession. Simoneau connected with Tore Hurst on a 46 yard touchdown pass and the two hooked up again on the two point conversion to put WU ahead 24-17 with 3:21 left in the third quarter.

Washburn put the final points on the board with 1:20 left in the game on a one yard touchdown run by Cooper to make it 31-17. The Ichabods got the ball back when ESU was forced to punt following a fumbled pitch on a reverse and a backward pass that went out of bounds.

WU outgained ESU 497 yards to 292 and converted on ten of 17 third down situations. The Hornets were just one of 13 on third down.
Eckenrode led ESU with 57 yards rushing on 16 carries, that included the loss of 12 yards on backward passes that went out of bounds, with a touchdown and was 19 of 30 for 186 yards and a touchdown through the air. Horton had six catches for 57 yards and carried the ball seven times for 39 yards for 96 all-purpose yards on 13 touches. Ray Ray Davis had four receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown for the Hornets. Defensively ESU was led by Matt Rosenhamer with a career high 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Kevin Gaddis and Lohmann each had interceptions while Wayne Burgess and Kamrhan Jones had fumble recoveries for ESU.

Simoneau became WU’s career leader in total offense, finishing the game 25 of 47 for 358 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions through the air and 15 yards on four rushes on the ground. Matt Kobbeman was the leading receiver for WU with seven catches for 120 yards. Cooper gained 85 yards on 29 carries with two touchdowns for the Ichabods. Willie Williams and Bryce Atagi were both credited with ten tackles to pace the WU defense.

ESU is back in action next weekend against Missouri Southern in the fourth of five straight home games on Jones Field at Welch Stadium. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.

###HORNETS###

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