Missouri Western wrapped up its regular season against Northwest Missouri State for the second straight season, but couldn’t produce a victory like 2012.
The No. 19 Griffons fell to the No. 2-ranked Bearcats 51-21 Saturday evening at Spratt Stadium. Missouri Western finishes the year 8-3 and 7-3 in the conference. Northwest goes through the conference undefeated for the first time since 2006.
Northwest started the day off with a seven-play, 80-yard drive capped off by quarterback Trevor Adams’ 1-yard scamper. The score marked it 7-0 with 11 minutes, 33 seconds to play.
After Clint Utter score on a 6-yard grab from Adams, the Bearcats went up 14-0 which is where the first quarter ended.
The Griffons responded with a nice 12-play, 85-yard drive that took up over six minutes to start the second quarter after Northwest turned the ball over.
Bearcats back-up quarterback Brady Bolles ran up the middle for 22 yards but sophomore Michael Jordan forced the quarterback to fumble at the end of his run. Safety Marc Harrison immediately recovered it for the turnover.
Raphael Spencer scored on a 1-yard run to cut the Bearcats’ lead in half. The Bearcats went ahead 21-7 after Reuben Thomas’ 25-yard touchdown reception.
Missouri Western had a chance to cut the lead even more late in the opening half, but a blocked field goal gave the Bearcats the ball, and they finished it with another score. Kicker Simon Mathieson made it 24-7 right before half with a 36-yard field goal.
At the half Travis Partridge was 7 of 12 for 60 yards. He also led the team with 55 yards.
In the third quarter, a 3-and-out hurt the Griffons chances of completing the comeback. Northwest made it worse after Adams score from 2-yards out with 9:33 left in the third stanza. Another score added on to the 24-0 run for the Bearcats.
Stephon Weaver ended the run with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Partridge. The score came with 20 seconds to play and marked it 38-14.
Reggie Jordan grabbed what may have been him most impressive grab of his career.
On 4th-and-15, the Griffons showed their competitiveness still left. Partridge avoided two potential sacks and threw the ball up for Jordan, who jumped up and snagged the pass down in the end zone.
The touchdown put the game at 44-21, and after that he Griffons successfully recovered an onside kick. But they couldn’t do anything with the football, thus ending the final regular-season game for Missouri Western.
Spencer finished with 72 yards on 15 carries. Weaver had six catches for 50 yards to lead the team. Partridge finished 14 of 36 for 178 yards. Adams went 14 of 21 for 237 for the Bearcats, who were also led by Robert Burton’s 16 carries for 105 yards. Stephen Juergens added nine tackles for the Griffons.
— MWSU Sports Information —