Football | 9/15/2012 5:35:00 PM
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September 15, 2012-Emporia State jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back in a 42-14 win over Central Oklahoma on Saturday at Jones Field at Welch Stadium. The Hornets have now scored at least 40 points in six of their last seven games dating back to last season.
Emporia State took the opening drive and went 54 yards on eight plays to take a 7-0 lead on Tyler Eckenrode's 15 yard pass to Shjuan Richardson with 12:42 left in the first quarter. The duo hooked up again with 3:42 left in the quarter on a 43 yard pass to go up 14-0. The score capped a five play, 66 yard drive that started with a Chris Poston interception.
The Bronchos drove to the Hornets nine yard line to end the first quarter and on the first play of the second quarter Ben Carlson intercepted a deflected ball in the end zone to end the threat. Emporia State then went 80 yards on nine plays capped by Eckenrode's 12 yard touchdown run for a 21-0 lead with 12:27 left in the half.
Central Oklahoma got on the board with an eight yard pass from Adrian Nelson to Daniel Morrell with 10:41 left in the half. Chris Robbs' PAT missed and the Hornets led 21-6. The miss snapped a string of 32 straight dating back to 2010 for Robbs.
Carlson recovered a Broncho fumble with 4:28 left in the half and rode Jordan Tice to a nine play, 81 yard touchdown drive. Tice carried the ball five times for 49 yards on the drive capped by a one yard plunge with 1:23 left in the half to give the Hornets a 28-6 lead.
The Hornets forced a three and out to start the second half. Robbs punt bounced off Emporia State's Ashton Reichmann and was recovered by UCO's Anthony Anderson at the Hornets 15 yard line. Emporia State forced a 29 yard field goal attempt that Jeff Richards blocked to give the Hornets the ball back at the 20 yard line.
Emporia State then went 80 yards on seven plays capped by a 42 yard pass from Eckenrode to Kavaski Ervin for a 35-6 lead. UCO answered with a 12 yard touchdown run by Joshua Birmingham at the end of a six play 69 yard drive. A two point conversion pulled the Bronchos within 35-14 with 8:19 left.
UCO had another chance to score after they blocked an Emporia State punt and recovered it at the Hornet 35 yard line with 9:02 left in the game. On the second play of the drive Derek Lohmann stripped Birmingham and Jordan Sanders recovered the ball at the ESU 28 yard line. Four plays later Eckenrode found Richardson again, this time from 20 yards, to give Emporia State a 42-14 lead with 6:55 left in the game.
The Hornets rolled up 538 yards of total offense with a season high 228 yards rushing. Eckenrode was 22 of 39 for 310 yards and four touchdowns through the air and added 57 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Richardson recorded his third straight 100 yard receiving game, finishing with seven catches for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Tice had 12 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown to lead the Hornets on the ground.
Nelson went 22 of 44 for 231 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions to lead the Bronchos. Morrell had six catches for 103 yards and Birmingham added 71 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.
Defensively Jordan Sanders had ten tackles and a fumble recovery for Emporia State while Carlson had six tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery for the Hornets. Poston picked off a pass for the second straight game as well.
Tanner Koons had ten tackles to lead Central Oklahoma.
The Hornets will look to move to 4-0 for the first time since 2003 when they travel to Northeastern State on Sept. 22. Kick-off from Doc Wadley Stadium in Tahlequah, Okla. is set for 6 p.m.
