#23 EMPORIA STATE GOES TO 8-2 WITH WIN AT LINCOLN

November 5, 2022-Emporia State used a 35-7 run to take control in a 35-24 victory at Lincoln on Saturday and set up a huge regular season finale against Northwest Missouri on November 12 on Jones Field at Welch Stadium.
 
After receiving the opening kickoff the Blue Tigers ate up 8:29 off the clock before settling for a Javier Moreno 34 yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.  The Hornets answered immediately thanks to a 58 yard touchdown pass from Braden Gleason to Jaylen Varner with 4:47 left in the quarter to go up 7-3.   
 
Emporia State took a 13-3 lead on a three yard touchdown run by Billy Ross Jr to cap a four play, 51 yard drive.  The Ross touchdown was set up by a38 yard pass from Gleason to Dexton Swinehart the play before.  Caden Dodson missed his first PAT of the season and ESU led 13-3 with 9:31 left in the second quarter.  On the next possession Zamar Brake hit Aderias Ealy for an 85 yard touchdown pass to pull the Blue Tigers within 13-10 with 8:33 left in the half.
 
The next two possessions for Emporia State ended with interceptions from Gleason, who had thrown just one in the first nine games.  The Hornet defense stiffened both times, forcing a punt and turnover on downs when their snap on a field goal attempt was bad.  Emporia State took over with 4:24 left in the half and went 80 yards on 14 plays capped by a six yard touchdown pass from Gleason to Cole Schumacher with 44 seconds left.  Billy Ross Jr converted the two point conversion run and the Hornets led 21-10 at the break.
 
Emporia State got the second half kickoff and marched down the field to take a 28-10 lead on a 13 yard touchdown pass from Gleason to Tommy Zimmerman with 12:57 left in the period.  The Hornets forced a punt on the Blue Tigers possession that only travelled 17 yards and took over at the 27 yard line.  Emporia State would go up 35-10 with 3:55 left in the third on Gleason's last pass of the game, a 12 yard touchdown to Tyler Kahmann.
 
The Blue Tigers would get two fourth quarter touchdowns, a 13 yarder from Brake to Ealy with 7:42 left and a one yard rush by LaMarco Yates with 1:11 left for the final score.
 
Braden Gleason was 27 of 36 for 317 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.  Billy Ross Jr had a career high 152 yards on 26 carries with a touchdown and a two point conversion. He added 32 receiving yards and 21 yards on a punt return for 205 all-purpose yards. Jaylen Varner and Dexton Swinehart each had five catches for 78 yards with Varner pulling in a touchdown.
 
The next action for #23 Emporia State will be on Saturday, November 12 when they play host to #11 Northwest Missouri.  Kick-off for the Top 25 matchup with major NCAA Playoff implications is set for 1:00 p.m. on Jones Field at Welch Stadium.
 
NOTES:
Braden Gleason has moved into third in single season total offense, at Emporia State with 4,051 yards, passing Tyler Eckenrode (3,742 yards in 2012) and moved into eighth in single season passing with 2,948 yards to pass Braxton Marstall (2,893 yards in 2017)
Braden Gleason moved into hird in career touchdown passes with 62 passing Tyler Eckenrode (60 from 2009-12) and fourth in career passing with 6,884 yards to pass Tad Hatfield (6,697 from 2001-04)