JOPLIN, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University football team put together a work-man-like effort in scoring a 21-14 road win over the Missouri Southern Lions Saturday at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.
 
Northwest is 2-0 in MIAA play and 3-1 overall. Missouri Southern is 0-1 in the MIAA and 2-1 overall.
 
Northwest rushed for 217 yards led by Te'Shaun Porter's 20-carry, 98-yard effort. Porter accounted for a pair of rushing touchdowns. Northwest tallied 357 total yards, while holding Missouri Southern to 313 total yards. MSSU rushed for 75 yards on 32 carries.
 
After a scoreless first 28 minutes of action, Northwest used a ricocheted pass from Chris Ruhnke to Andrew Waltke for a 44-yard reception to set up a Bearcat scoring opportunity. Ruhnke dropped back on his own 34-yard line for an intended pass to Erwin Nash, but the ball bounced off Nash into the hands of Waltke who caught the ball at the 40-yard line and was brought down at the Missouri Southern 22-yard line.
 
After the wild play, Te'Shaun Porter carried three times and accounted for 15 of the final 22 yards in the drive. The Bearcats took a 7-0 lead on a one-yard score from Porter with 24 seconds left in the half. It was Porter's first rushing touchdown of the season and second of his Bearcat career.
 
Northwest took the second half kickoff and marched to the 3-yard line before being stopped on a 4th-and-goal. Northwest rushed the ball eight times for 59 yards on the drive before turning it over on downs to the Lions with 10:24 to play in the third quarter.
 
The Lions drove the length of the field and leveled the score at 7-7. Running back Nathan Glades scored from a yard out with 3:38 left in the third quarter. MSSU ran 12 plays for 97 yards and consumed 6:46 off the clock to draw even with the Bearcats.
 
 Porter found the endzone for the second time today on a one-yard plunge with 14:20 left in the fourth quarter. Porter's score gave Northwest a 14-7 lead. The Bearcats used eight plays to go 64 yards and took 4:18 off the clock.
 
Antwon Jenkins picked off the pass initially deflected by Holden Zigmant to squelch a Missouri Southern drive with 11:25 remaining in the game. It was Jenkins's second intercept this season and gave the ball to the Bearcats at their own 40-yard line.
 
After a missed field goal from Bearcat kicker Mo Awaely, the Bearcat defense stepped up again. Defensive lineman Clayton Power intercepted a screen pass that gave the ball back to Northwest on the MSSU 37-yard line with 4:35 left in the game.
 
Dominic Myers caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Ruhnke with 3:19 to play in the game to put Northwest on top, 21-7.
 
Missouri Southern closed to within a score with 2:06 to play on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Tillman Martin to Draper Parker. The Lion touchdown left MSSU trailing, 21-14.
 
Luke Mathews secured the onside kick and Northwest was able to gain a first down on the ground from Quincy Torry to secure the seven-point triumph.
 
Northwest will return home next for a Family Weekend matchup with Central Oklahoma. Kick is set for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
 
NOTES: Northwest radio play-by-play announcer John Coffey worked his 500th consecutive Bearcat football game … Northwest is 364-136 with John Coffey calling games … Northwest has won 87 straight games when leading at the half ... Northwest won the turnover battle, 2-1 … Northwest has defeated Missouri Southern 30 straight times … Northwest owns a 32-4 lead in the all-time series … Holden Zigmant posted a team-best eight tackles.