The Missouri Southern football team scored 34 second-half points, but the Lions couldn't complete the comeback and fell 49-41 at Fort Hays today inside Lewis Field Stadium.
Southern (4-6, 4-6 MIAA) was led offensively by quarterback Scott Lathrop as he went 10-15 in the air for 215 yards and a score, while rushing for 92 yards on the ground. Anthony Cannon had eight catches for 142 yards and two scores, while Giresse Forchu had two scores on the ground. Shannon Saunders and Michael Nelsonran for scores of their own, while Ricky Nichols had four catches for 74 yards. Jay McDowell came into the game late and went 5-7 for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Hays (6-4, 6-4 MIAA) led 21-7 at the half and had a 28-21 lead after the third quarter, but outscored the Lions 21-20 in the final quarter to take the game.
The Lions opened up the game with the ball and moved to their own 45, before a pass from Lathrop was intercepted. Hays took over and made Southern pay with a one-yard rushing score from Quentin Davis to take an early 7-0 lead.
Neither team would convert on its next possession, and the Lions, after taking over on their own 23 yard line opened up a scoring drive with a 44-yard pass from Lathrop to Nichols to the FHSU nine-yard line. A pair of rushes from Forchu, the second a scoring plunge from two yards, tied the game at seven at the end of the first quarter.
Hays answered right back on its next possession and Edward Smith capped a scoring drive with a six-yard rush to put the Tigers up 14-7.
The Lions were threatening on their next possession, but after a nine-yard completion from Lathrop to Nicholls, the ball was forced loose and the Tigers' Nathan Lindsey took the ball and went 49-yards to put FHSU up 21-7 and that would be the score at the half.
Hays opened the second half and went on a nine-play, 77-yard drive with a three-yard rushing score from Albert giving the Tigers a 28-7 lead with ten minutes to play in the third quarter.
The Lions were driving on their first possession of the second half and a pair of passes from Lathrop (21 yards to Gregory and 8 yards to Cannon) had Southern in FHSU territory, but another interception stopped the drive. The Lions defense, however, picked it up and Eric Dago forced a fumble on the very next play while Lars Lindquist picked up the loose ball. Rushes from Lathrop, Nelson and an eventual score from Forchu cut the FHSU lead to 28-14 after the Brock Renken extra point.
Southern held the Tigers to a punt on their next possession and the Lions took over at their own four-yard line. After a few short rushes for the Lions, Lathrop hooked up with Cannon for an 83-yard touchdown, the longest for the Lions this season, and cut the FHSU lead to 28-21 with 55 seconds left in the third.
After an interception from Johnquavious McBride, the Lions drove the ball to the FHSU 17, but a fumble gave the ball back to the Tigers. Hays answered right back and converted the fumble to an 86-yard touchdown pass to increase its lead to 35-21 with 11:34 left in the fourth.
Southern drove to the FHSU seven yard line on its next possession, but coudn't complete the fourth-down play and turned the ball over on downs with 7:02 left in the fourth, however, on the very next play, the defense once again came up and Gaige Washington forced a fumble with Martice Buckley recovering, giving the ball to the Lions on the FHSU 29-yard line. Saunders had a pair of rushes in the drive and capped it off with a one-yard touchdown to make the score 35-28 FHSU with 6:00 left in the fourth.
Hays, however, returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to up its lead to 42-28 with 5:48 left in the game.
McDowell entered the game on the next possession and led the Lions to a score as Nelson capped off an eight play, 75-yard drive to cut the score to 42-35 with four minutes to go.
After a Hays touchdown, McDowell led another scoring drive for the Lions and hit Cannon for a 14-yard score as time expired for the final tally.
McBride led the defensive effort for the Lions with 14 tackles, eight solo and an interception. Dalvin Taylor had ten stops, while Kyjuan Tate and Gaige Washington had seven and six tackles, respectively.
The Lions will be back in action next weekend as Southern plays host to Missouri Western for a 1 pm kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium. The game will be Senior Day as the Lions will honor the 19 seniors on the roster.
No comments:
Post a Comment