Final Stats (PDF)

EMPORIA, Kansas - The No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team moved to 5-0 with a 34-23 victory over the Emporia State Hornets on Saturday at Welch Stadium.

The Bearcats trailed 17-12 at halftime, but outscored the Hornets 22-6 in the second half.

Northwest (5-0 overall) took advantage of four field goals from junior Parker Sampson. Sampson drilled a career-long 53-yard field goal go along with kicks from 35, 41 and 27 yards. Three of Sampson's field goals came in the second half.

Emporia State (2-3 overall) took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in five plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Dalton Cowan to Cole Schumacher.

The Bearcat defense scored Northwest's first points of the game on a safety. Mike Hohensee pinned Emporia State down at the one-yard line following a 64-yard punt. Following an incompletion, ESU running back Carlos Grace was tackled in the end zone by Spencer Phillips to give the Bearcats two points.

ESU extended its lead to 10-2 when the Hornets took advantage of a fumble by Alec Tatum on a punt return that gave the ball to the Hornets at the 13-yard line. The Bearcats defense stifled the Hornets on offense helped by a sack from Isaac Vollstedt and Phillips. ESU's Clair Schoonover made a 34-yard field goal with 8:06 to play in the first quarter.

Sampson drew the Bearcats to within 10-5 after he made a 35-yard field goal that capped a 14-play drive. Bearcat running back Justin Rankin kept the drive alive with a two-yard gain on a 4th-and-2 from the ESU 15-yard line. Sampson's field goal came on the final play of the first quarter.

Northwest took its first lead of the game on a drive that was finished off with Hohensee scoring on the ground from two yards out. Hohensee converted on a fake punt with a six-yard run at the Bearcats's own 30-yard line to sustain the scoring drive. Hohensee's score gave Northwest a 12-10 lead with 7:19 left in the second quarter.

The Hornets responded with their own 14-play, 73-yard scoring drive to put the home squad back on top, 17-12. Carlos Grace covered the final three yards on the ground with 2:29 left in the half.

Northwest went three and out on its next possession but Hohensee booted a 52-yard punt to flip the field and the Hornets ran out the clock on its next offensive play to end the half.

Northwest quarterback Braden Wright had struggled in the first half going 3-of-9 passing for 18 yards, but that all changed on the second play of the second half. Following a seven-yard run by Marqus Andrews, Wright connected with Imoni Donadelle on a 57-yard touchdown strike. The Wright-to-Donadelle score gave the Bearcats a 19-17 lead only 51 seconds into the third quarter.

Emporia State took its turn to score next as the Hornets marched 75 yards in 11 plays. ESU's Cowan hit J.T. Mackey for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 10:09 to play in the third quarter. The extra point was pushed back 15 yards following a personal foul on the first try and Northwest's Sam Roberts blocked the extra point to keep the ESU lead at 23-13.

The Bearcats generated only two yards on the ensuing possession, but Hohensee came to the rescue again with a 62-yard punt that was downed at the ESU 5-yard line.

Northwest's Zach Howard forced a fumble on the Hornets's second play of the series and the loose ball was recovered by Vollstedt setting up the Bearcats at the 12-yard line.

On second and goal from the three, Hohensee hit Andrews for a three-yard touchdown pass with 7:12 remaining in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked, but Northwest held a 25-23 lead it would not relinquish.

The Bearcat defense simply locked the game away. In the 22 minutes of action, the Hornets had the ball for six possessions and were able to run 25 plays for a total of five yards and only one first down.

While the Bearcat defense suffocated the Hornets, Sampson was salting the game away with his foot. Sampson's 53-yarder came with 3:46 left in the third quarter. Sampson knocked in a 41-yard field goal with 10 seconds left in the third. Sampson's final kick came from 27 yards away with 6:05 left in the game.

Northwest will take on Pittsburg State on Saturday at noon at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

NOTES: It was the first time since 2003 that Emporia State held the halftime lead against Northwest ... Northwest has defeated Emporia State in 27 straight meetings ... Northwest held Emporia State to 214 total yards ... Justin Rankin rushed for a team-high 59 yards ... Isaiah Strayhorn carried the ball 10 times for 53 yards and had the game's longest rush at 31 yards ... Hohensee rushed 11 times for 38 yards and a score ... Hohensee was 3-for-3 passing for eight yards and a touchdown ... Hohensee also punted six times for a 50.3 average and had five of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line ... Wright was 6-of-20 passing for 87 yards and a score ... Wright also caught a 26-yard pass from LaTroy Harper ... Imoni Donadelle and Marqus Andrews each posted a team-high three catches ... Blake Bayer notched a team-best 11 tackles (four solos) and four tackles-for-loss ... Sam Roberts and Zach Howard each notched 1 1/2 quarterback sacks.