The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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After needing 32 plays to get his team back into the game, Andre Sloan El made the one mistake that took Emporia State out of it Saturday.

The ESU quarterback fumbled with 2:30 remaining, halting the Hornets’ potential game-winning drive in Washburn’s 31-21 victory at Welch Stadium.

“It’s one of those things,” Sloan El said. “In football, one play can determine the game.

“That’s what happened today.”

ESU trailed just 24-21 at the time and had driven all the way to the Washburn 11-yard-line with less than three minutes remaining.

On a second-and-8 from the 11, Sloan El dropped back and received pressure from the middle.

After successfully side-stepping potential tacklers for most of the second half, Sloan El couldn’t get away this time. WU’s Ray Trice batted the ball away, and defensive tackle Eric Butler fell on it for the recovery.

“I was devastated,” Sloan El said. “When the ball came out of my hand, I just didn’t know what to think at the time. I was just shocked.”

The Ichabods (5-2, 4-1 MIAA) put it away four plays later, as Brandon Walker ran 68 yards for his team’s final touchdown.

ESU was left disappointed after dominating the second half in an attempt to come back from a 17-7 halftime deficit.

The Hornets put together their best scoring drive of the season in the late stages of the third quarter, going 91 yards on 13 plays.

Seville Ko cut the Washburn lead with a 9-yard touchdown run, but Walker’s 70-yard TD run on the next possession pushed the Ichabods’ advantage back to 24-13.

ESU (3-4, 1-4 MIAA) responded once again with a lengthy touchdown drive.

This time, the Hornets used 16 plays to take it down the field, with Sloan El providing the 2-yard TD run and two-point conversion pass to cut the deficit to 24-21 with 6:12 left.

At one point, Sloan El completed eight passes in a row.

A third-down sack from Keith Maples helped force a WU punt, and ESU took over at its own 29 with 4:22 left and the momentum.

“I thought we were going to win,” ESU coach Garin Higgins said. “Honestly, I swear I thought we were going to win.”

Andre Maupin provided a 44-yard end-around to put it in WU territory, but Sloan El’s fumble inside the red zone stopped ESU.

The Hornets lost despite putting up season highs in yards (435) and first downs (21).

“We’re not the type to take the back slaps and say, ‘Hey great job, Coach, your kids gave great effort,’” Higgins said. “We want to win. We want to get W’s, and that’s the bottom line.

“That’s the way I want our kids to think. I don’t want them to be satisfied with this loss.”

ESU missed several opportunities that would have kept the game closer in the first 30 minutes.

The Hornets forced three turnovers in the first half — getting interceptions from Travis Lee, Jared Acree and Matt Demicoli — but scored no points off those Washburn mistakes.

ESU also looked to receive an unfortunate break on a gutsy play call in the second quarter. On a fourth-and-4 from the ESU 38, the Hornets ran a fake punt, with Johnny Torres receiving an option pitch.

The punter appeared to get across the first-down marker before being pushed out of bounds, but the official marked him one yard shy.

The short field later led to a WU field goal that made it 17-7.

ESU’s defense suffered from giving up big plays. WU’s touchdowns came on scoring plays of 44, 19, 70 and 68 yards.

The Hornets still were effective in stopping drives, as the Ichabods were 0-of-10 on third-down conversions.

For the second straight week, ESU received a strong performance from Maupin.

The speedy freshman had four catches for 84 yards and three rushes for 75 yards.

It also was a better game for Sloan El, who struggled last week with his accuracy against Central Missouri.

Sloan El finished 15-of-23 for 193 yards with no interceptions. He also rushed 14 times for 38 yards and two touchdowns.

“I think today he took a step forward,” Higgins said. “I know that he’s down and disappointed with the turnover he had at the end of the game, and he should be. We can’t do that. But I think he gave effort and made some plays.”

Walker ended with 10 carries for 153 yards and two scores, while WU’s Ra’Shawn Mosley added 21 carries for 93 yards and a TD.

ESU has now lost four straight contests against Washburn.

Washburn 31, Emporia State 21

Saturday at Welch Stadium

Washburn 14 3 0 14 — 31

Emporia State 7 0 0 14 — 21

First Quarter

WU — Drameagon Powers 44 pass from Jordan Brill (Andrew Knight kick), 9:28

ESU — Andre Sloan El 3 run (Johnny Torres kick), 7:34

WU — Ra’Shawn Mosley 19 run (Andrew Knight kick), 3:48

Second Quarter

WU — Andrew Knight 25 field goal, 3:22

Fourth Quarter

ESU — Seville Ko 9 run (Johnny Torres kick blocked), 14:12

WU — Brandon Walker 70 run (Andrew Knight kick), 13:20

ESU — Andre Sloan El 2 run (Sean Partridge pass from Andre Sloan El), 6:12

WU — Brandon Walker 68 run (Andrew Knight kick), 1:06

GAME STATISTICS

WU ESU

First downs 16 21

Rushes-yards 38-254 50-223

Comp-Att-Int 11-21-3 17-27-1

Passing yards 158 212

Total plays-yards 59-412 77-435

Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-2

Penalties-yards 2-25 5-43

Punts-average 4-44.5 6-35.3

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — WU: Brandon Walker 10-153, Ra’Shawn Mosley 21-93, Casey Curran 4-16, TEAM 2-(-3), Jordan Brill 1-(-5); ESU: Andre Maupin 3-75, Seville Ko 15-66, Andre Sloan El 14-38, Paul Nichols 10-31, Justin Wieser 5-14, Johnny Torres 1-3, Eric Runge 1-2, Ben Purkeypile 1-(-6).

Passing — WU: Jordan Brill 11-21-3 158; ESU: Andre Sloan El 15-23-0 193, Ben Purkeypile 2-3-1 19, Eric Runge 0-1 0 0.

Receiving — WU: Trent Stepps 2-19, Drameagon Powers 1-44, Lake Lebahn 1-33, Cameron Knox 1-21, Brandon Walker 1-9, Lloyd Bias 1-9, Brad Cole 1-9, James Martin 1-6, Ra’Shawn Mosley 1-6, Josh Torrez 1-2; ESU: Andre Maupin 4-84, Seville Ko 4-41, Sean Partridge 4-32, Paul Nichols 2-35, Dominic Mirocke 2-6, Colby Rainey 1-4.

Punting — WU: Ben Boswell 4-44.5; ESU: Johnny Torres 6-35.3.

Att — 4,673. Time — 2:51.

Records — WU (5-2, 4-1 MIAA); ESU (3-4, 1-4 MIAA).