September 16, 2017-The #14 Hornets ran a season high 98 plays and gained 500 total yards as they escaped Joplin, Mo. with a 36-29 victory over Missouri Southern on Saturday night.
The Lions struck first on an 18 yard touchdown pass from Dante Vandeven to Donavan Carter with 6:09 left in the first quarter. AJ West blocked the extra point attempt and Ace Mayze returned it for the defensive PAT as MSSU took a 6-2 lead. On the next possession Emporia State drove to the Southern 17 yard line when a lightning delay cleared the field for 36 minutes. Two plays after returning to the field, Braxton Marstall hooked up with Louis Dailey for a 14 yard touchdown and Austin Morton's extra point made it 9-6 with 3:31 left in the period.
Morton hit a 30 yard field goal on the Hornets first drive of the second quarter to give Emporia State a 12-6 lead. The Lions answered back with an 11 yard touchdown pass from Vandeven to Carson Day to take a 13-12 lead with 11:05 left in the half. The Hornets then went on a 15 play, 79 yard drive that consumed 6:18 on the clock to go up 19-13 on a Tyler Harris touchdown on a direct snap. Emporia State had a chance to extend the lead, but Morton's 33 yard field goal attempt missed wide right with 1:03 left in the half. Southern responded with a six play, 80 yard drive capped by Vandeven's 14 yard pass to Josiah Bennett. The extra point failed as the teams went to the locker rooms tied at 19.
The Lions retook the lead on a 34 yard field goal by Brock Renken with 8:45 left in the third quarter. The Hornets then marched down the field, going 80 yards in 17 plays to take the lead for good on a 23 yard touchdown pass from Marstall to Jordan Reed with 2:43 left in the period.Â
Morton hit a 36 yard field goal with 10:35 left in the game to put the Hornets up 29-22. On the ensuing possession the Hornet defense turned things up getting a pass break up on first down, a sack by Donovan Walker on second down and then Logan Thompson getting a 25 yard pick six on third down to give Emporia State a 36-22 lead iwth 9:32 left in the game.
After trading possessions, Southern took over on their own 42 yard line with 5:30 left in the game. The Hornets forced them to use 10 plays and 2:55 off the clock before Vandeven hit Nicholas Roller for a four yard touchdown pass with 2:39 left in the game. Trailing 36-29 the Lions attempted an onside kick that went out of bounds. Landon Nault ran for 13 yards on first down and converted a third and three with an eight yard run to ice the game.
Nault ended the game with 113 yards on 23 carries while Marstall was 21 of 36 for 236 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Reed was the leading receiver for the Hornets with four catches for 79 yards. Logan Thompson had nine tackles and the interception return of 25 yards for the touchdown to lead the Hornet defense.
Emporia State returns to Jones Field at Welch Stadium on Saturday, September 23 to take on Central Missouri. The Family Day kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. with the annual Traditions Dinner to follow.
NOTES:
The Hornets played without leading tackler Gabe Cleveland, the third ranked tackler in the nation, who missed the game with a hand injury.
