The Northwest Missouri football team defeated No. 10 ranked Emporia State Hornets on Saturday at Welch Stadium, 48-21. The win moves the No. 2 ranked Bearcats to 10-0 on the season and are now the lone remaining undefeated team in the MIAA at 9-0. Emporia State drops to 8-1 overall and 8-1 in league play.
Northwest got another strong performance from senior quarterback Trevor Adams who passed for 291 yards on 24 completions with five touchdowns. He also recorded the first score of the game on a one-yard rushing touchdown. Jason Jozaites caught three passes, two of which were touchdowns. Bryce Young also had three catches for 88 yards and two scores. Robert Burton, who rushed for a game-high 78 yards, caught the other touchdown from Adams. Senior Billy Creason rushed for 40 yards on 14 carries and had a rushing touchdown.
As a team, Northwest racked up 483 total yards including 318 through the air and 165 on the ground. The Bearcats converted 9-of-17 third downs and were 3-of-4 on fourth down conversions.
Defensively, Northwest held Emporia to 51 rushing yards and 14 first downs. DJ Gnader had a team-best seven tackles and added one sack to go along with an interception. Matt Longacre was constantly in the Emporia State backfield, recording 4.5 tackles for loss including 2.5 sacks. Collin Bevins added three sacks and Brandon Yost recorded half a sack. Travis Manning had three pass breakups in the secondary.
After seeing the first series of the game come to an end on a failed fourth-down conversion on the ESU one yard line, Northwest got a boost from the defense as the Bearcats forced a three and out and then blocked the ensuing punt. Five plays later, Adams rushed it in from one yard out. It took Emporia just four plays as the Hornets went 74 yards down the field to take the lead, 7-6 with 3:59 left in the first quarter.
Late in the second quarter, Northwest struck again, this time on a 17 play, 85 yard drive that ended with a five yard pass from Adams to Jozaites. After forcing another Emporia punt, Northwest struck quickly, going down the field in just three plays as Adams found Bryce Young for a 74 yard touchdown with 1:34 left in the first half to go up, 20-7.
Robert Burton and Bryce Young each caught touchdown passes from Adams in the third quarter as Northwest extended its lead to 34-14. On the Bearcats’ first drive of the fourth quarter, Adams connected with Jozaites for a second time, this one going for 21 yards on a second and 12 to the back right corner of the end zone. Special teams added a second punt block of the day as Zach Maloley got a hand on an Eli Kuhns punt at the ESU 27. Five plays later, Northwest added its final score of the game as Creason found the end zone from two yards out for his 10th rushing score of the season. Emporia State added a 44 yard touchdown pass to close out the game.
The Bearcats have officially clinched at least a share of their 25th MIAA title. Northwest will conclude the 2013 regular season Saturday, Nov. 16, against Missouri Western at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo.
— NWMSU Sports Information —