HAYS, Kan. — A trio of fourth quarter defensive stops allowed the No. 12-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team to gain a 24-23 road victory over the Fort Hays State University Tigers at Lewis Field Stadium.
Northwest's
Antwon Jenkins Jr. and
David Jacquez deflected away a two-point conversion from FHSU, allowing the Bearcats to maintain a one-point lead with under two minutes left in the contest. Northwest's
Delton Davis recovered an on-side kick attempt and ran all but 12 seconds off the clock before the defense made a tackle inbounds and the clock expired on FSHU's final drive. With 10:53 left in the fourth quarter, Northwest shut down a 4th-and-1 attempt by FHSU at the 11-yard line.
Northwest scored on all four red-zone trips, converting them into two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown and a field goal. FHSU went 1-of-2 in the red-zone and could not convert on a two-point conversion.
Northwest is 5-1 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play. FHSU is 3-4 overall and 2-3 in MIAA action.
Northwest turned its first defensive series and opening possession into points, with
Ethan Stuhr blocking a Fort Hays St. punt before
Zechariah Owens hit
Xavier Horn for 52 yards on a 63-yard drive that ended with
Mo Alwaely's 21-yard field goal at 8:31. The Bearcats defense helped force that early punt with
Baruch Hasabu and
Antwon Jenkins Jr. combining for a tackle for loss and
Eli Bertz adding a quarterback hurry during the series. Fort Hays St. answered on its next possession, using a penalty-aided drive that ended with LaAngelo Bell's 42-yard touchdown run and a PAT for a 7-3 score at 5:29. Northwest went three-and-out on its next drive, and FHSU held the ball late in the quarter before the teams finished the first quarter with Fort Hays St. ahead 7-3.
Northwest closed the second quarter by turning
Cody Simoncic's interception at the FHSU 42 into a go-ahead touchdown, with Owens finding
Trevor Spady for 39 yards before
Quincy Torry scored from 2 yards out and
Mo Alwaely's kick made it 17-14 with 30 seconds left. Earlier, Simoncic and
Devin Wilson combined to stop Fort Hays St. on fourth-and-2 from the Northwest 30, though the ensuing drive stalled after penalties pushed the Bearcats into a long-yardage third down. The defense followed with another stop, aided by tackles for loss involving Bertz and
Jack Jansen and a Bertz quarterback hurry, before Northwest put together a 61-yard touchdown drive. Owens' 27-yard run on third down and
Te'Shaun Porter's 14-yard third-down rush moved the drive into scoring position, and Torry finished it with a 1-yard touchdown at 4:53. Fort Hays St. answered with a 66-yard touchdown pass, but Northwest finished the quarter ahead 17-14 after scoring touchdowns on both red-zone trips and holding the ball for 10:36.
Northwest answered a 17-17 tie with a 79-yard touchdown drive, capped by
Zechariah Owens' 13-yard scoring pass to Horn and
Mo Alwaely's extra point for a 24-17 lead with 3:16 left in the third quarter. Earlier, Northwest went three-and-out on its first possession, then FHSU drove for a 42-yard field goal despite a tackle for loss by Jansen and
Maguire Richman.
Jaron Cannon Jr.'s 21-yard kickoff return set up the response, and the offense built it with Owens' 17-yard completion to
Tommy Hutsler,
Cooper Warren's 26-yard run and
Quincy Torry's 10-yard rush before reaching the red zone. FHSU began the next drive at its 14 after a holding penalty on the return and moved to the Northwest 46 before the quarter ended with the Bearcats ahead 24-17.
Northwest finished off a 24-23 win in the fourth quarter, pairing an early stop at its own 11-yard line with a late possession and punt that left Fort Hays St. only 12 seconds for its final drive. Earlier, FHSU opened the quarter in Northwest territory and reached fourth-and-1 at the Northwest 11, but
Cody Simoncic and
Elijah Wray combined to stop the rush for no gain after Jansen had a tackle for loss and Bertz had a third-down stop earlier in the series. The Bearcats followed with a 4:40 drive from their own 11, using
Quincy Torry runs of 13 and 6 yards for first downs before penalties and a completion for a loss led to a
Davis Barr punt. FHSU drove 73 yards despite pass breakups by Bertz and
Michael Harrison, with Kody Guy hitting Ayden Robinson-Wayne for a 7-yard touchdown at 1:54, but the two-point conversion pass attempt failed as Jenkins and Jacquez defended, leaving the score at 24-23. After taking over at the FHSU 50 following an onside kick, Northwest ran three plays and got Barr's 48-yard punt for a touchback before FHSU's final snap ended the game.
Quincy Torry rushed 20 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns and added a 6-yard reception. Owens completed 9 of 16 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown and rushed six times for 44 yards. Horn caught two passes for 65 yards and a touchdown. Simoncic recorded six tackles and an interception.
Northwest will travel next week to Kearney, Neb., to take on the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers. Kick is set for 1 p.m.
NOTES: Northwest has scored on 28 of 29 red-zone scoring opportunities this season ... Northwest went 4-for-4 in red-zone attempts in the one-point win at FHSU ... Northwest holds a 25-15-1 lead in the all-time series with FHSU ... Northwest has won six of the last seven meetings ...
Xavier Horn made his first two collegiate receptions with catches of 52 yards and a 13-yard touchdown reception ...
Quincy Torry has rushed for a team-leading nine touchdowns ... Torry totaled a team-high 91 all-purpose yards ... Barush Hasabu and
Holden Zigmant led the squad in tackles with eight each ...
Cody Simoncic secured his frist collegiate interception.
