The 6th ranked Missouri Western football team rolled to a 63-3 victory over the Missouri S&T Miners in their 2013 home opener in Spratt Stadium. The Griffons ran for 331 yards with Tra Brown and Raphael Spencer going for 109 and 107 respectively. The Griffons improve to 40-24 in September under Partridge and 30-14-1 in home openers. The Griffons have beat the Miners eight straight times improving to 2-0 on the season.
Travis Partridge scored on an 11-yard rush up the middle to break the scoreless game with 8:14 to go in the first quarter.
Minutes later, sophomore running back Raphael Spencer ran the ball in from 30-yards out to mark the score 14-0. Spencer continued his damage into the second quarter, scoring on 41-yard run on the outside as the Griffons went up 21-0 with 12:36 left in the first half.
Later in the half, reserve end Mackenzie Wischmann blocked a punt up the middle and freshman Darrian Bass recovered the ball and ran it into the end zone. Bass’ score made it 28-0 with just more than four minutes to play in the half.
After the Miners added a field goal, Dominic Thomas’ 92-yard kick return was negated by a holding call, one of nine penalties the Griffons garnered in the opening half. Still, Partridge marched the team down field and found freshman Daylon Harper in the end zone for a 6-yard reception with 22 seconds left.
At halftime, Spencer led the ground game with 107 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns. Partridge was 8-for-16 with 77 yards and a touchdown. Leading the team with four tackles at halftime was Jarred Henry.
Partridge opened up the second half with a 34-yard strike to Dee Tolliver, who ran into the end zone making it 42-3 with exactly 14 minutes to play in the third.
Reserves proceeded into the game late in the third quarter for the Griffons, and Nate Wilson hit Jon Green in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown. Tra Brown sped to the outside and broke out a 59-yard score to make it 56-3 to start the fourth.
Brown then busted another long touchdown with 2:59 to go. The 39-yard sprint made it 63-3.
Five Griffons scored their first career touchdown, including Brown, Wilson, Green, Harper and Bass.
The Griffons finished with 462 yards on 61 plays while the Miners had just 213 on 73. Tolliver led the way receiving for MWSU catching three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. Brody Berrie led the way with nine tackles with five being solo and four being assisted. Jorge Belcher and John Oglesby finished with seven total tackles.
The Miners fall to 0-2 on the season. Zenel Hudson had 16 carries for 23 yards while DeSoto Dickson had 22 yards on seven carries. Reed Brown had 130 yards connecting on 15-of-26 passes with two interceptions. Chris Emesih led the way defensively with six tackles with one sack.
The Griffons return to MIAA play on Saturday, September 21 when they travel to Kearney, Neb. to take on Nebraska-Kearney. Kickoff is set for 3:00 pm.
— MWSU Sports Information —