Turnpike Tussle Take Down as Emporia State Defeats Washburn 45-17

November 8, 2025-Emporia State scored 28 second half points on the way to a 45-17 Turnpike Tussle win at Washburn on Saturday afternoon in Topeka, Kan.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hornets jumped out to a 14-0 lead to start the game.  Erik McCarty got Emporia State's nation's leading sixth blocked punt of the season and Kingsley Bennett returned it 13 yards to give ESU a 7-0 lead with 6:50 left in the opening quarter.  The Hornets forced a three and out and six plays later Jamison Sarver hit Diego Cearns for a 35 yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0 with 4:23 left.  Washburn got on the board with a 36 yard field goal from Aidan Battle at the 1:03 mark.
The second quarter was a reverse of the first as the Ichabods scored 14 points in the period.  Their first touchdown followed a interception and Lukas Oitker scored from 16 yards out to make it 14-10 with 9:03 left.  ESU responded with a 24 yard field goal from Caden Dodson at the 6:33 mark to go up 17-10.  The Ichabods tied the score with a three yard touchdown run from Cam Robinson with 1:03 left to send the game to half tied at 17.
The Ichabods missed a 34 yard field goal with 8:39 left in the third and the Hornets responded with a ten play, 80 yard drive capped by a 24 yard touchdown pass from Sarver to Bennett with 4:42 left in the quarter. 
Emporia State went up 31-17 thanks to a two yard touchdown run by Sarver with 9:28 left in the game.  On the ensuing possession Landon Boss got an interception and returned it 43 yards to give the Hornets a 38-17 lead with 8:35 remaining. The Hornets were stopped on a fourth and seven with 4:35 left but on the next play from Washburn Kaliel Boyd got his own pick six, returning it 29 yards to put ESU ahead 45-17 with 4:27 left.


 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Diego Cearns had a career high 136 rushing yards on 26 carries and added a 35 yard touchdown for 171 all purpose yards. Kingsley Bennett had 52 yards on five receptions, a 23 yard rush, a 22 yard kick return and the 13 yard punt return off the block for 110 all purpose yards.  Jamison Sarver was 22 of 31 for 219 yards and two touchdowns as he connected with eight different players.
Landon Boss had 12 tackles, 11 of them solo, three tackles for loss, a sack and a 43 yard interception return for a touchdown.  Kaliel Boyd had three tackles and a 29 yard pick six while Peyton Taylor had three pass break ups and Cameron Lee had two PBUs.
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State will return to Jones Field at Welch Stadium for the final game of the season against Fort Hays State. Salute to Service and Senior Day kick off is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
NOTES:
Diego Cearns becomes the first Hornet to run for 100 yards in back to back games since Canaan Brooks did it against Neb.-Kearney (151 yards) and Missouri Southern (105 yards) in 2021.
The Hornets have now won five straight against Washburn, 11 of the last 13 and are 62-53-6 all-time in the Turnpike Tussle