MARYVILLE, Missouri – For the second straight season, Fort Hays State slipped past Northwest Missouri State by a single point at Bearcat Stadium. The Tigers claimed a 17-16 victory over the Bearcats on senior day.
Fort Hays State’s Malik Young provided a blocked extra point and the Tigers used a late roughing the punter penalty to post the road win. Fort Hays State moves to 8-2 in the MIAA and into a tie for first place with Northwest in the league standings.
Fort Hays State took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The Tigers got on the board first on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Chance Fuller to Harley Hazlett with 6:51 left in the first quarter. The Tigers extended the advantage to 14 points on a 25-yard scoring play from Fuller to Layne Bieberle with 1:17 on the clock in the first quarter.
Northwest did not register a first down until 5:01 remained in the second quarter. The Bearcats were limited to 31 yards of total offense and one first down in the first half.
The Bearcats took advantage of a Jack Richards interception to set up a 25-yard Parker Sampson field goal with 8:27 left in the second quarter.
Northwest pulled to within 14-10 on a 56-yard punt return for a touchdown from senior Shawn Bane Jr. with 1:52 left in the half. It was Bane’s second punt return for a touchdown this season. Bane led all players with 198 all-purpose yards as he had six rushing yards, 23 receiving yards, 84 kick return yards and 85 punt return yards.
Northwest took the opening kickoff in the second half and marched 78 yards to pay dirt. Quarterback Braden Wright hooked up with tight end Marqus Andrews on a 37-yard play to put the ball at the FHSU 19-yard line. On the next play, Wright connected with wide receiver Alec Tatum for a 19-yard touchdown pass with 12:08 left in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked by Young and Northwest held its first lead of the game at 16-14.
FHSU regained the lead at 17-16 on a 42-yard field goal by Dante Brown. It was Brown’s 23rd made field goal this season. His three-pointer came with 9:08 left in the third quarter.
Northwest freshman cornerback Trey Washington thwarted an FHSU drive with an interception at the 3-yard line with 2:51 left in the third quarter.
Neither squad scored in the fourth quarter as the Tigers held on for the 17-16 victory.
Northwest’s final drive in Tiger territory ended on a failed fourth-and-one at the FHSU 41-yard line with 8:14 left in the game. Bane was stuffed on a sweep and it gave the ball back to the Tigers.
Northwest appeared to stop Fort Hays State with 1:26 left but ended up with a roughing the punter penalty on Washington. The penalty gave FHSU a first down and the Tigers took a knee on the final two snaps of the game to run out the clock.
Northwest will wrap up the regular season next Saturday at Central Missouri. The Bearcats and Mules will kick at 1 p.m. at Walton Stadium.
NOTES: FHSU scored a 13-12 win over Northwest last season at Bearcat Stadium … FHSU had 252 yards of total offense, while Northwest managed 178 total yards … FHSU quarterback Chance Fuller passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns but also threw three interceptions … Northwest’s Braden Wright passed for 117 yards and a touchdown with an interception … FHSU was limited to 12 rushing yards … Northwest gained 61 yards on the ground – led by Isaiah Strayhorn’s 35 yards … Northwest’s Austen Eskew had 10 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and half a quarterback sack … Northwest’s Spencer Phillips had 1.5 quarterback sacks … the Bearcats got interceptions from Trent Nally, Jack Richards and Trey Washington … FHSU is the first team to beat Northwest in back to back seasons since Missouri Western performed the feat in 2011 and 2012.
— Northwest Athletics —