Football | 9/22/2012 11:05:00 PM
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September 22, 2012-The Emporia State football team faced adversity for the first time this season, but came away with a 30-20 victory over Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. The Hornets never trailed but the RiverHawks did close to within 23-20 with5:34 left in the game before Tyler Eckenrode found Shjuan Richardson for an 11 yard touchdown with 3:49 left to seal the win.
Emporia State got on the board first thanks to a 27 yard field goal by Derek Jonas with 4:09 left in the first quarter. The Hornets extended their lead to 9-0 on a Derwin Hall two yard touchdown run with 3:44 left in the half as Derek Jonas missed his first extra point of the season. The score would stay that way as the teams went into the locker rooms at halftime. It was the fourth straight game ESU had kept their opponents scoreless in the first quarter and the first time since September 24 of last year they had kept a team without a first half score.
Eckenrode was intercepted on the third play of the second half and Vernon Jones returned it to the Hornet five yard line. The Emporia State defense rose to the challenge, forcing two incompletions around a tackle for loss by Chris Poston. NSU was able to convert a 24 yard field goal by Drew Patton to make it 9-3 with 12:59 left in the third.
Emporia State responded with an eight play, 66 yard drive capped by a Dozie Iwaugwa 11 yard touchdown run to make it 16-3 with 9:51 left in the third. The RiverHawks used a 52 yard kick return by Joel Rockmore to set up at the Hornet 39 yard line. The ESU defense stiffened again and held NSU to a 47 yard field goal by Patton to make the score 16-6 with 9:01 left in the quarter.
Kevin Gaddis picked off his second interception of the season at the NSU 15 yard line and three plays later the Hornets went up 23-6 on a seven yard run by Iwaugwa with 2:23 left in the third quarter.
NSU cut the lead to 23-13 with 9:50 left in the game on a Johnny Deaton 17 yard pass to Jermaine Sherman. The RiverHawks recovered an on-side kick to set up at the Hornet 34 yard line with 9:42 left. Tim Chandler and Tyrone Weaver combined for tackle for a two yard loss and Deaton threw incomplete on the next three plays to give the ball back to the Hornets.
Emporia State was then forced to punt and Northeastern State went on a five play 84 yard drive capped by Rockmore's nine yard touchdown run with 5:34 left to pull within 23-20.
On the next drive ESU converted a third and six at the NSU 44 with a 31 yard pass from Eckenrode to Iwaugwa to get down to the RiverHawk 13 yard line. Two plays later Eckenrode and Richardson connected for the seventh time this season to give the Hornets a 30-20 lead with 3:49 left.
The RiverHawks drove down to the Hornet 26 yard line before throwing three incomplete passes to set up fourth and ten with 1:50 left. Deaton found Jahmai Coleman but Poston tackled him for just a four yard gain and the Hornets took over on downs. Hall had two carries for 12 yards to gain a first down and the Hornets went into victory formation on their fourth straight win of the season.
Hall led ESU with 85 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown while Iwaugwa added 80 yards on 18 carries with two scores. The Hornets gained 223 yards rushing on the night. Eckenrode went 19 of 27 for 229 yards and a touchdown and added 55 yards rushing on nine carries.
Ben Carlson had a team high nine tackles while Poston added eight stops with two for loss.
The Hornets outgained the RiverHawks 452 yards to 348 on the night.
Emporia State returns to Jones Field at Welch Stadium on Saturday, September 29 to take on Lincoln. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.
NOTES:
Emporia State is 4-0 overall for the first time since 2003 and 4-0 in the MIAA for the first time since 1991.
The Hornets were held under 40 points for the first time this season, but have scored at least 30 points in each of the first four games to start the season for the first time since 1969.
