Football | 12/16/2011 1:59:00 PM
November 5, 2011-Emporia State rolled to 511 yards of offense and forced six turnovers in a 42-28 win at Southwest Baptist to even the Hornets record at 5-5 after starting the season 0-3. LaDarrian Page had a career high 201 yards on 14 carries with three touchdowns to lead the Hornet offense while Derek Lohmann picked off a career high three interceptions.
The Hornets took the opening kick and went 60 yards on 15 plays against a stiff wind to take a 7-0 lead on a four yard pass from Tyler Eckenrode to Shjuan Richardson. The Bearcats came right back with a nine play, 67 yard drive to tie the score on Dan Connors 29 yard run with 5:54 left.
ESU would then go on a 21-0 run spanning the half-time to take 28-7 lead with 9:19 left in the third quarter. Page got the run started with a 10 yard with 3:30 left in the quarter to cap a six play, 78 yard drive. Adrian Abner’s five yard touchdown reception from Eckenrode ended a four play, 57 yard drive that was sparked by Derwin Hall’s 47 yard rush on the first play. SBU threatened to cut into the lead but Lohmann picked off Connors in the endzone as time expired in the half to send ESU to the locker room up 21-7.
The first three possessions of the second half resulted in three and outs before Lohmann got his second interception of the day and returned it 27 yards to the SBU 18 yard line. Horton rumbled into the endzone on the first play from scrimmage to make it 28-7 with 9:19 left in the third quarter. SBU showed some life and went 69 yards on 13 plays to make it 28-14 with 5:29 left in the third quarter.
Justin Greene came in for an injured Eckenrode on the next series and moved ESU out to the 34 yard line before they were forced to punt. Tyler Chilson boomed a career best 66 yard punt that just trickled into the endzone for a touchback. On SBU’s first play Connors fumbled and the ball was recovered at the 27 yard line by Wayne Burgess for the Hornets. Page put ESU back up by three scores on the next play on a 27yard touchdown run to make it 35-14 with 17 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Bearcats answered back with a six play, 70 yard drive to make it 35-21 with 13:05 left in the game. The Hornets went three and out on the next series and a kick catching interference penalty on the punt set the Bearcats up at their own 44 yard line. It took just 1:42 for SBU to go 56 yards on eight plays and pull within a touchdown on Connors 23 yard pass to Justin Duhaney with 8:59 left in the game.
The Hornet rushing attack then took over as ESU went 80 yards on six plays with 56 yards coming on the ground. Page made it 42-28 with 6:18 left on a 14 yard run following a 22 yard run that had 15 yards added to it on a facemask.
On the next possession Lohmann picked off his ESU career record tying 14th interception with 5:02 left to thwart an SBU drive. After a 20 yard run by Page, ESU picked up a personal foul to move the Hornets back to the SBU 41 yard line. Adrian Abner then fumbled at the end of a seven yard gain to give the ball back to SBU with 4:18 left on their own 34 yard line.
SBU would drive to the ESU 15 yard line before Wayne Burgess got the Hornets fourth pick of the day to set up at their own seven with 2:40 left. Page would go 50 yards on second down to take the ball to the SBU 41 yard line with just under 2:30 left in the game and then would gain 27 yards to the SBU 20 with around 1:30 left. Horton then iced it with a 14 yard run to the SBU six and ESU went into victory formation for the last two plays.
ESU had a season high 392 yards rushing led by Page’s 201 yards and three touchdowns. Horton added 77 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown and Derwin Hall had 64 yards on three carries. Eckenrode was 10 of 17 for 110 yards and two touchdowns with an interception before leaving the game in the third quarter.
Defensively Lohmann was credited with eight tackles and the three interceptions while Stephaun Raines had a team high nine tackles.
ESU will wrap up the regular season next Saturday at Northwest Missouri. Kick-off from Bearcat Stadium in Maryville, Mo. is set for 1:00 p.m.
NOTES:
ESU has now scored 40 points in three straight games for the first time since 1998 when they scored 42 against Missouri Western, 63 against Missouri Southern and 56 against Central Missouri.
ESU went over 500 yards of total offense for the fourth time this season.
ESU, the national leader in turnover margin, picked off four passes for the third time this year.
Eckenrode moved into second place in single season total offense with 2,578 yards and trails Tad Hatfield by 365 yards heading into the final regular season game of the year.
Lohmann has tied Kelly Nusser with 14 career interceptions and with eight on the year is just one short of Nusser’s single season mark of nine set in 1983.
ESU has now won five games in back to back seasons for the first time since 2003-04.
###HORNETS###
