HORNET FOOTBALL DROPS 31-21 DECISION TO NEB.-KEARNEY

September 21, 2019-Emporia State scored 21 straight points to take a lead in the third quarter before falling 31-21 to Neb.-Kearney on Saturday afternoon at Welch Stadium.
 
The Lopers got on the board first on a one yard run by TJ Davis with 6:22 left in the first quarter that capped a ten play, 77 yard drive.  The drive started with a 44 yard run by Dayton Sealey down to the Hornet 33 yard line.  UNK took a 10-7 lead on the first play of the second quarter on a 24 yard field goal by Junior Gonzalez.  The Lopers went 51 yards on seven plays during the drive with 45 of them coming on a rush by TJ Davis.
 
Neb.-Kearney would take a 17-0 lead on a one yard run by Alex McGinnis with 1:29 left in the half.  IT was the second straight year the Lopers have taken a 17-0 first half lead on the Hornets. Emporia State responded with a seven play, 75 yard drive highlighted by a 36 yard pass from Dalton Cowan to Wil Amos down to the Loper three yard line.  On the next play Cowan scored to get the Hornets on the board but the PAT hit off the upright as Emporia State trailed 17-6 at the half.
 
Emporia State took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 72 yards  on seven plays with Carlos Grace scoring from seven yards out with 10:02 left in the quarter to pull within 17-12.  Cowan then hit Dexton Swinehart for the two-point conversion to pull within a field goal. The Hornet defense then forced the Lopers to punt and Travon Jones returned it 74 yards down to the Neb-Kearney 16 yard line.  A personal foul on the Lopers moved the ball down to the eight yard line.  On fourth and goal from the one Cowan leapt over the pile to break the plane of the goal line and give the Hornets a 21-17 lead on Clark Schoonover's PAT.
 
Emporia State stuffed Neb.-Kearney on a fourth down play at the Hornet 36 yard line on the next possession.  On second down LaRoy James forced a fumble by Grace that was recovered by the Loper Sal Silvio at the Emporia State 38 yard line. Five plays later Davis scored from a yard out and Neb.-Kearney retook the lead at 24-21 with 41 seconds left in the third quarter.
 
After a three and out followed by a shanked punt, Neb.-Kearney started their first drive of the fourth quarter at the Emporia State 35 yard line.  The Lopers got down to the Hornet two yard line but Parker Bass and Cade Harelson combined to stop Davis on fourth down to give Emporia State the ball back. The Hornet defense came through again on the next Loper possession when Tre'vaun Ammons forced a fumble by Davis and Harelson recovered it with 6:38 left. Cowan was sacked on third and four and the Hornets were forced to punt with 5:10 remaining.  Ross Brungardt's punt went 57 yards and rolled into the end zone before Emporia State had a chance to down it.
On the first play after the touchback David Goodwin went 46 yards to take the ball down to the Hornet 34 yard line. Six plays later Goodwin scored from four yards out to put the Lopers up by ten at 31-21 with 1:52 left. Cowan lost four yards on a rush and was then sacked for a loss of five and the final two passes fell incomplete to give the ball back to Neb.-Kearney with 1:02 left.
 
Dalton Cowan went 21 of 32 for 161 yards and added 12 rushing yards with two touchdowns on 14 carries after being sacked five times.  Cole Schumacher had six catches for 45 yards while Wil Amos added four receptions for 51 yards. Carlos Grace was the leading rusher for the Hornets with 59 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.
 
Jace McDown had a career high 15 tackles for the Hornet defense. Gary Woods II had six tackles and an interception return of 22 yards while Cade Harelson had a fumble recovery.
 
Emporia State will travel to Jefferson City,Mo. next weekend to take on Lincoln. Kick-off is set for 6:00 p.m. at Reed Stadium.
 
NOTES:
The Hornets forced two turnovers but failed to score off either of them.
Over the last ten possessions of the game the Hornets average starting field position was their own 26 yard line while the Lopers average starting field position was the Emporia State 42 yard line.
Travon Jones 74 yard punt return was the longest by a Hornet since Mitchell Foote returned one 88 yards for a touchdown at Missouri Southern on Sept. 3, 2015.