Click the links below to listen to Missouri Western’s 26-23 season opening victory at Central Missouri from Thursday, September 5 in Warrensburg.
1st Quarter – Part 1
1st Quarter – Part 2
1st Quarter – Part 3
2nd Quarter – Part 1
2nd Quarter – Part 2
2nd Quarter – Part 3
3rd Quarter – Part 1
3rd Quarter – Part 2
3rd Quarter – Part 3
4th Quarter – Part 1
4th Quarter – Part 2
4th Quarter – Part 3
Jerry Partridge Postgame Interview
The 6th ranked Missouri Western Griffons put together a last second drive scoring with 15 seconds remaining on a pitch and catch from Travis Partridge to Reggie Jordan coming away with a 26-23 victory over the Central Missouri Mules. With the victory the Griffons have won 10 of the last 11 games against the Mules. The Griffons improve to 1-0 overall and 1-0 in MIAA play.
Things did not go as planned in the first quarter for the Griffons as they did not get a single first down accumulating just 31 yards of total offense on 14 plays.
On the other side of the ball the Mules had 130 yards on 20 plays which included a 73 yard scoring strike from Hayden Hawk to Anthony Kirkwood with 1:55 to play in the quarter. A missed extra point by Zach Gebhardt kept the score at 9-0 Mules. UCM’s other score came on the first possession when the Mules went 43 yards on 10 playes with Gebhardt connecting on a 42 yard field goal.
The Griffons got the offense going a little bit in the second quarter getting five first downs. Missouri Western cut the Mule lead to 9-7 on an 11 yard run by Raphael Spencer capping a 70 yard nine play drive. Spencer had 35 yards on five carries in the half.
The Griffons struggled catching the ball with four dropped passes which included a would be touchdown. Despite the struggles the Griffons defense was able to hold the Mules to just nine points after Gebhardt missed a 42 yard field goal with under a minute to play.
In the half the Griffons had 64 yards rushing and 44 passing. Travis Partridge connected on just 5-of-13 passes with Crockom catching two for 24 yards. Defensively Stephen Juergens had six tackles with one being for a loss. Yomi Alli and Janis Matulis each had five tackles with Matulis getting one sack.
The Mules had 225 yards with 213 coming through the air. Hawk completed 17-of-21 passes with one touchdown. LaVance Taylor led the charge offensively with nine carries for 31 yards. Defensively Ramond Hunter had five tackles with two being for a loss.
In the second half both teams had numerous opportunities to take command with turnovers and mistakes.
Midway through the third quarter Tevin Teamer intercepted a Partridge pass and scampered 30 yards putting the Mules up 16-7 with 5:26 to play in the third quarter.
The young Griffon squad did not get rattled as they responded with a three play 72 yard drive which was capped by a 55 yard pitch and catch from Partridge to Stephon Weaver. The touchdown marked Weaver’s first of his career. The extra point was muffed by a bad snap cutting the Mules lead to 16-13 with 2:27 to play in the third.
The Griffons took their first lead of the game early in the fourth when Partridge hit Derek Libby from 56 yards out giving them the 20-16 lead with 14:47 to play in the game.
The Mules responded midway through the quarter putting together a 14 play 53 yard drive where they converted on three fourth down plays. Hawk connected with Cullen Rosine from 15 yards out giving the Mules a 23-20 lead with 4:32 to play.
Partridge then put together the drive where he completed three passes and rushed for 19 yards on the 62 yard seven play drive. Partridge connected with senior tight end Reggie Jordan from five yards out giving them the 26-23 victory.
The Griffons tallied 347 yards of total offense with 198 coming through the air and 149 on the ground. Spencer finished with 91 yards on 13 carries while Partridge rushed 14 times for 57 yards.
Partridge threw for three touchdowns with Weaver, Libby, Crockom and Jordan all getting three catches apiece. Weaver had 75 yards receiving while Libby had 66.
Griffon punter Scott Groner punted seven times for a 44.9 yards per kick with 59 being his long. Juergens finished with 14 tackles while Nick Williams finished with 10. The Griffons had four sacks with John Oglesby getting two.
The Mules finished with 362 total yards with 322 coming in the air and just 40 on the ground. Hawk connected on 28-of-42 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns. Tristan McClelland caught eight passes for 87 yards while Ray Harris rushed 18 times for 40 yards.
Zach Quines led the way on defense with nine tackles while Ramond Hunter had eight tackles with two sacks and three tackles for a loss.
The Griffons return to action next week when they take on former offensive coordinator Tyler Fenwick and the Missouri S&T Miners on Saturday, September 14 in St. Joseph, Mo. Kickoff is set for 6:00 pm from Spratt Stadium.
— MWSU Sports Information —
Northwest Missouri State showed its mark of being a good team early in the third quarter Thursday evening in front of 6,821 fans at Bearcat Stadium in the season-opener against Saginaw Valley.
The Cardinals stopped Northwest in the first possession of the second half. Saginaw then went 74 yards in six plays for a touchdown with a 11:40 left in the third.
Even though the Bearcats still held an 11-point lead, the momentum had clearly shifted to Saginaw. One miscue or poor offensive series and Northwest was looking at a nail biter.
The Bearcats quickly took the suspense out of the game when senior quarterback Trevor Adams tossed a 70-yard touchdown pass to senior Clint Utter.
It took Northwest less than two minutes to regain an 18-point lead. Saginaw Valley never recovered as the Bearcats came away with an impressive 45-24 victory.
“The momentum switched our way and that is huge in football,” Utter said. “When that happened, everybody got hyped on the sideline and our crowd got hyped. When it gets loud, it can mess with some team’s head.
“They are a tough team and we kept playing harder and harder and got the victory.”
Adams completed 15 of 20 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown. Utter caught four passes for 160 yards.
“The offensive line did a phenomenal job,” Adams said. “The backs did a great job picking up blitzes. We prepared as a unit.”
While the Bearcats weren’t perfect, it was the perfect type of first game that the Northwest players and coaches can gain plenty from.
“I’m very proud of our kids effort,” Northwest head coach Adam Dorrel said.”We put a lot of preparation in this first game and it started in spring practice. I’d also like to thank our strength and conditioning coach. I try to give Joe Quinlin the game ball but he had already left. I thought our kids’ conditioning took over in the second, third and fourth quarters. That is a testament to our kids’ work ethic.”
Northwest showed signs of a potent offense in weeks to come and a defense that could make stops when it absolutely needs to.
But the Bearcats made enough errors on both sides of the ball that the coaches will use to get Northwest ready for an early-season showdown against Central Missouri on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. In a shocking development, the game against the Mules will be played in Maryville. The previous three regular-season meetings with UCM have been in Warrensburg, Mo.
“It has been awhile since we played them at home,” Dorrel said. “The last time was in the playoffs in 2010. We are just excited to be home against a great conference opponent. Hopefully, we will have another great crowd at Bearcat Stadium.”
Against Saginaw Valley, the Bearcats showed another trait of a good team. Key players made big plays at important times.
Obviously, the long touchdown pass from Adams to Utter was huge in the third quarter.
But most of the game-changing plays by the Bearcats came in the second quarter when they needed to gain control of the game.
“The block punt for a touchdown and a block field goal for a touchdown were huge. Getting 14 points on special team is unbelievable,” Dorrel said. “I was proud of our kids there.
“We talked about winning the turnover battle. We didn’t turn the ball over once and got turnover on defense.”
Judging by Northwest’s sizeable 35-17 halftime lead, it is a bit hard to believe the score was so one sided unless you were there and witnessed Saginaw Valley’s gritty effort.
In fact, the Cardinals scored the first points of the game on a 28-yard field goal a little more than three minutes into the game.
The Bearcats answered four minutes later on a two-yard run by senior running back Billy Creason, giving Northwest its first lead of the season at 7-3.
Northwest, though, had to fight from another deficit when the Cardinals scored four minutes later. It was that type of first half. Northwest led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter and was clinging to a 21-17 lead with just under five minutes left in the second quarter.
Obviously, the Bearcats finished the half strong. With 2:32 left in the second quarter, junior running back Robert Burton scored his second touchdown of game on a 13-yard run that gave the Bearcats a 28-17 lead.
And just before the second quarter ended, the biggest play of the half occurred for the Bearcats when senior defensive back Brandon Dixon recovered a fumble and raced 70 yards for a touchdown with 10 seconds before halftime.
“I saw the ball, picked it up and ran for a touchdown,” Dixon said.
The late scores were important because the Cardinals demonstrated an explosive offense.
— Northwest Sports Information —
Benedictine College Athletic Director Charlie Gartenmayer has announced the hiring of Dana Goss as the new Raven head softball coach.
Coach Goss previously served as the assistant softball coach at Rockhurst University and prior to that, she was the head softball coach at Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City, Mo.
“We are thrilled to have someone like Coach Goss join our staff at Benedictine,” Gartenmayer said. “We are confident that she will lead our softball program in a positive direction and accomplish the goals we wish for all of our programs – produce student-athletes who graduate and win championships along the way.”
As the assistant at Rockhurst, Coach Goss helped the program to its first appearance in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament in program history during the 2008 season.
“I’m really excited for the chance to lead my own program again,” Coach Goss said. “I’ve had the chance to see how much the campus has changed and grown and I’m really excited about the commitment that the school is showing to the students and to its athletic programs.”
While at Maple Woods, Coach Goss was named the 2005 NJCAA Region XVI Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the NFCA Midwest Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2006. She recruited and coached two NJCAA All-America selections and nine All-Region XVI players.
Her Maple Woods program was twice recognized for academic achievement in 2004 and 2005 by the NFCA as they earned NFCA Academic Top 10 Team GPA honors.
It was during her time at Maple Woods when she first became familiar with Benedictine.
“I was very surprised at how much the campus had changed since I was last here in 2006,” Coach Goss said. “Things look very different and I’m excited to get to campus and be a part of Benedictine.”
When it comes to expectations on the field for this season, Coach Goss is optimistic.
“I hope to make an immediate impact on the players, through their work ethic and the passion they have for softball,” Coach Goss said. “How quickly that translates to conference championships we’ll see.
“We’re going to go out and get great players who are also great students and great people. Those are criteria that won’t change as we look to move to the top of the conference.”
Coach Goss takes over a Raven softball program that went 21-20 in 2012 and qualified for the HAAC Postseason Tournament where they lost in the opening round. She will begin her duties as head coach immediately.
— BC Sports Information —
Missouri Western senior quaterback Travis Partridge received recognition from the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL) preseason Division II All-America squad. The senior from St. Joseph received honorable mention honors.
The 2012 MIAA First Team All-MIAA quarterback, Partridge has also been tabbed a Preseason All-American by BSN and USA College Football.
He had an outstanding junior campaign helping the Griffons to their first MIAA Regular Season Championship and into the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Partridge started all 14 games while throwing for 2,706 yards and 30 touchdowns.
He threw four touchdowns in three different games (Nebraska-Kearney, Northeastern State and Pittsburg State) while leading the Griffons to a single season record for wins with 12. He rushed for an MWSU single season record 18 touchdowns while being named First Team All-MIAA and MIAA Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Northwest Missouri State.
The CDFL All-American team selections will be evaluated to comprise the 2013-14 USA National team for International competitions. Only graduating seniors in 2013 are eligible for preseason CDFL All-America team selectionThe USA team features players from the collegiate ranks who will compete against a team of European All-Stars in December. For more information, visit www.CDFLbowlgames.com.
— MWSU Sports Information —
Kansas freshman guard Andrew Wiggins has earned his first preseason accolade by donning the cover of the 2013-14 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
Being on the cover, Wiggins is a preseason All-America by Blue Ribbon. He is joined on the Blue Ribbon cover by Oklahoma State sophomore Marcus Smart, Creighton senior Doug McDermott, Louisville senior Russ Smith and Michigan State junior Adreian Payne.
Ranked the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2013 by every recruiting service, Wiggins, a 6-8 forward from Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, averaged 23.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.5 assists last season for Huntington (W. Va.) Prep leading his team to a 30-3 record and a No. 7 finish in the USA Today Super 25 national rankings.
Wiggins was named the 2013 Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year in July after earning numerous national basketball high school All-American and player of the year accolades along the way.
“This is a great honor but really means nothing since I have yet to play a game in college,” Wiggins said. “We’re working hard every day to get better as a team and get ready for the season.”
— KU Sports Information —
The Missouri Western men’s golf team fired a two round total of 630 (319-311) on day one of the Missouri Intercollegiate which is being held at the The Club at Porto Cima. This also marks the first tournament of the year for the Griffons.
Western sits in 8th place out of 14 teams after round one firing at 319 with junior Scott Sheldon leading the way with a 78. The Griffons fired eight strokes better in round two with a 311. Junior, James O’Brien fired a 72 which was nine strokes better than his round one total of 79. He led the Griffons on the day with a two round total of 151.
Scott Sheldon was one stroke back of O’Brien with a 152 (78-74) while senior Evan McCarthy finished the day with a 162 (81-81). Freshman, Dylan Queen fired a 165 (81-84) in his first collegiate action while junior Derek Hawkins finished with a 167 (82-85).
The Griffons will play the final round to the event Wednesday.
— MWSU Sports Information —
Mizzou Athletics announced several game time and television designations for the men’s basketball season on Tuesday. Five more Mizzou non-league games were picked up by national/regional networks, highlighted by the annual Bud Light Braggin’ Rights Game in St. Louis and UCLA’s first-ever trip to Columbia, Mo.
Mizzou and Illinois will again lock up on a Saturday afternoon as the Tigers look for their fifth consecutive win against the Fighting Illini on Dec. 21 at 4:30 p.m. CT. Missouri has won four consecutive games in the series and a win this season would mark the longest winning streak for the Tigers in series history.
ESPN also announced times for games against Western Michigan and at North Carolina State. The Tigers will meet the Broncos at home at 6 p.m. on Dec. 15 on ESPNU and will travel to Raleigh, N.C., for a 7 p.m. CT contest vs. the Wolfpack. That game will air on ESPN2.
CBS will carry UCLA’s first trip to Mizzou Arena as the Tigers and Bruins cap a home-and-home series on Dec. 7 at 11:30 a.m. It will be the first of two home games on CBS this season. The Tigers and Kentucky Wildcats will meet on the network on Feb. 1.
A fifth game selected for television is the Nov. 12 contest against Southern Illinois. The game will air regionally on Fox Sports Midwest, as well as selected FSN affiliates across the country. Game time between the Tigers and Salukis is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Television network and game time information for Missouri Basketball’s remaining contests will be announced later this month. Those games will air on the Mizzou Sports Network.
— MU Sports Information —
Baker Mayfield (Texas Tech), Caleb Lavey (Oklahoma State) and B.J. Catalon (TCU) picked up the season’s first Big 12 Football Player of the Week awards. All three were honored for the first time.
Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week
Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech, QB, Fr., Lake Travis, Texas
Believed to be the first true freshman walk-on to start at quarterback in a season opener for a BCS team, Baker Mayfield made the most of his opportunity. He completed 43-of-60 pass attempts for 413 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions in Texas Tech’s 41-23 win at SMU. Mayfield also added an 11-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter. The Lake Travis, Texas, native set the TTU record for most completions by a signal caller in a career debut. Additionally, he became the fifth Red Raider to pass for 400-plus yards and throw at least four TD passes in their first game.
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
Caleb Lavey, Oklahoma State, LB, Sr., Celina, Texas
Caleb Lavey recorded 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a half sack in Oklahoma State’s 21-3 win over Mississippi State in Houston’s Reliant Stadium. The OSU defense allowed the Bulldogs to cross midfield just five times in the game and only three times after the first quarter.
Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week
B.J. Catalon, TCU, KR/TB So., Houston, Texas
B.J. Catalon’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown versus LSU tied for the second-longest in TCU history, behind only a 105-yard effort by Charles Casper in 1933. It was the program’s first kickoff return for a score since 2011 and the first 100-yarder for a TD since 2005. Catalon also had a team-best 52 yards rushing on eight carries, including a 26-yard third-quarter TD run for his first career rushing score. He added three receptions for 22 yards.
— Big 12 Press Release —
James Franklin threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns before coming out early in the third quarter, helping Missouri take command after early struggles and whip Murray State 58-14 Saturday night in an opener that began in 98-degree heat.
Henry Josey had 113 yards on 13 carries with a 68-yard score in his first game back from a left knee injury that required two surgeries and sidelined him all last season. Russell Hansbrough had 104 yards on eight attempts with a pair of scores for Missouri, coming off a disappointing 5-7 record in its first SEC season.
Maikhail Miller threw three interceptions, two by E.J. Gaines, against a defense that stiffened after allowing two early touchdowns. Murray State faded quickly against its first SEC opponent since 2005.
Miller, who transferred from Mississippi last month, threw a touchdown pass and caught one on a flea-flicker for a 14-13 lead with 3:58 to go in the first.
Missouri scored the last 17 points of the first half, recovering from a rough start on both sides of the ball against a school picked to finish tied for sixth in the FCS-level Ohio Valley Conference. Franklin was done for the evening after throwing two touchdown passes the first 5:09 after the break, a 37-yarder to Darius White and 4-yarder to L’Damian Washington to make it 44-14.
It’s the third career 300-yard game for Franklin, who was 26 for 38 and ended up 7 yards shy of his career best against Baylor in 2011. Missouri lost Franklin’s other two 300-yard efforts.
Josey outran a pair of defenders who had the angle on his burst down the sideline in the third quarter. He received a prolonged ovation during pre-game introductions and again after a 20-yard gain on his first carry.
Hansbrough had 101 yards on seven carries and two scores in the rocky first quarter. A turnover ended the opening drive when Bud Sasser fumbled after a catch and kicker Andrew Baggett had an extra-point kick blocked and missed a 30-yard field-goal attempt.
Murray State had 196 total yards and 11 first downs in the first quarter, needing 1:15 to go 59 yards on its opening drive capped by Miller’s 17-yard pass to Walter Powell. Miller spun away from Kony Ealy and strutted into the end zone on a 5-yard flea-flicker pass from wide receiver Jeremy Harness, a play that opened with a lateral pass, for a 14-13 lead late in the first quarter.
Missouri is 10-0 against FCS teams under coach Gary Pinkel, entering with an average score of 50-7, and beat Murray State 47-7 in 2006 in the only other game between the schools. Kansas City Chiefs backup quarterback Chase Daniel made his Missouri debut in that game with five touchdown passes, and attended Saturday night’s game.
— Associated Press —
