October 20, 2018-Emporia State gave up 22 fourth quarter points in a 42-28 loss to Missouri Western on Saturday afternoon at Jones Field at Welch Stadium. It is the first time the Hornets have lost a game with a fourth quarter lead since September 30, 2017.
The Hornets scored first on a 14 yard touchdown pass from Braxton Marstall to Tyler Harris with 6:54 left in the first quarter. The Griffons answered with a one yard touchdown run by James Bailey, Jr. with 3:00 left to send the teams to the quarter break tied at 7-7.
Missouri Western would score twice on drives of less than 50 yards to start the second quarter. Shamar Griffith scored on a seven yard run with 12:57 left in the quarter to put the Griffons up 14-7. The Hornets were able to drive out to the MWSU 41 yard line before the drive stalled out. Tyler Harris got off a 44 yard punt that Carlos Thompson was able to return 42 yards to set the Griffons up at the Hornet 43 yard line. Three plays later Bailey scored from ten yards out. Kyle Rinck blocked the extra point and MWSU went up 20-7 with 9:33 left in the half.
The teams traded punts on the next two possessions before Emporia State was able to engineer a 12 play, 66 yard drive, capped by Marstall finding Justin Brown for a four yard touchdown with five seconds left. The drive looked to stall out early but Harris was able to prolong the drive with a fake punt that he gained 26 yards on on the fourth play of the drive. Clark Schoonover's PAT made it 20-14 as the teams headed into the locker room.
The Hornets were able to force a punt on the Griffons first drive of the second half. After a 16 yard rush by Landon Nault, Marstall found Harris for 64 yards and a touchdown that gave Emporia State a 21-20 lead with 10:26 left in the third quarter. Later in the quarter the Hornets were forced to punt and the Griffons Devan Burrell muffed the catch. Jordan Jackson recovered at the 15 yard line for the Hornets and two plays later Marstall scrambled in for a seven yard touchdown that gave Emporia State a 28-20 lead with 3:48 left in the third.
The Griffons were able to tie the score on their first drive of the fourth quarter. Bailey scored from eight yards out with 14:17 left to pull MWSU within 28-26. The Griffons went for two and Dom Marino hit Donnell Hawkins for the conversion to tie the score at 28. Bailey would score his fourth touchdown of the game with 3:48 left to put Western up 35-28. On the next possession a sack on third down forced the Hornets into a fourth and 19 at their own 23 yard line. With 2:34 left and all three timeouts Emporia State elected to punt. Hawkins would rumble 44 yards on first down and a personal foul on the Hornets would set the Griffons up at the ESU three yard line with 2:03 left in the game. Two plays later Hawkins would score from four yards out to put the Griffons up 42-28.  The Hornets were not able to convert a fourth down with 46 seconds left to turn the ball back over to Western, who ran out the clock to pick up their first win over Emporia State since 2012.
Braxton Marstall was 35 of 49 for 278 yards and three touchdowns and added seven rushing yards with a touchdown. Tyler Harris led the Hornet receivers with 117 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches while Justin Brown added ten receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. Landon Nault was the leading rusher for the Hornets with 45 yards on 11 carries. Defensively Jace McDown had 11 tackles while Gary Woods added ten and Logan Thompson had nine stops.
The Hornets will be back in action on October 27 when they travel to Topeka, Kan. to take on Washburn. Kick-off for the 115th edition of the football Turnpike Tussle is set for 1:00 p.m. at Yaeger Stadium/Moore Bowl.
NOTES
Braxton Marstall became the Hornets career record holder in total offense with 9,699 yards. He passed former Hornet quarterback Brent Wilson (9,516 yards from 2012-2015) to move into seventh on the MIAA's career list as well.
Marstall has 8,608 passing yards and now needs 13 yards to tie Wilson for the Emporia State career passing record of 8,621 yards.
Justin Brown moved past Jarett Vito (2,608 yards from 1995-98) into fifth in career receiving yards at Emporia State with 2,660 yards.Â
