GAME UPDATE: Missouri Western 52, ESU 21 — FINAL
Hornets lose 5th straight
By Jesse Newell
Originally published 01:03 p.m., October 20, 2007
Updated 03:31 p.m., October 20, 2007
ESU picked up where it left off offensively on the first drive, going 80 yards on 12 plays for a first-possession touchdown. Andre Sloan El capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run on a quarterback sneak.
Johnny Torres knocked through the extra point for a 7-0 ESU lead.
Missouri Western answered on the very next play, as as Drew Newhart connected with Cedric Houston for a 62-yard TD pass.
Dustin Stickler added the PAT to tie it at 7.
Western picked up three points after a Sloan El interception, driving 40 yards to set up Stickler's 45-yard field goal that made it 10-7 MWSU.
ESU came back with a 10-play drive, but the drive stalled on the Hornets' 39-yard-line. On the final play of the possession, Sloan El suffered a knee injury and was taken off the field on a stretcher.
MWSU scored on its third possession in a row, driving 66 yards on eight plays for its second touchdown.
La'Darrian Page capped the drive with a 10-yard TD, and Stickler's extra point made it 17-7.
On ESU's next play from scrimmage, quarterback Ben Purkeypile fumbled, and MWSU recovered at the Hornets' 38-yard-line.
The Griffons needed just three plays to capitalize, as Page ran 32 yards for his second touchdown.
Stickler's point-after extended the advantage to 24-7.
With four seconds left in the half, ESU receiver Sean Partridge received a concussion on a Hail Mary pass.
He also was taken off the field on a stretcher.
MWSU scored its first points of the second half after a Purkeypile interception in the red zone.
Newhart lofted a pass deep down the sideline, and after ESU safety Jake Richter misjudged what looked to be an easy interception, Houston caught it and run 75 yards for a touchdown.
Stickler's PAT made it 31-7.
ESU answered with a 10-play, 70-yard drive, capped by a 10-yard TD pass from Purkeypile to Colby Rainey.
Torres' kick trimmed the lead to 31-14.
Western needed just four plays to get that touchdown back, going 52 yards and scoring on a 21-yard Newhart pass to Alvaro Prado.
Stickler's kick pushed the lead to 38-14.
Purkeypile fired his second interception on the first play of the next drive, and Western made ESU pay with a 63-yard TD pass and catch from Newhart to Ferrell McGhee.
Stickler's PAT pushed the lead to 45-14.
Western added another TD on its next drive, as Anthony Morgan's 6-yard run finished a 65-yard drive.
The kick made it 52-14.
Eric Runge completed a 2-yard TD pass to Michael Fulton with 2:41 remaining, and the Torres kick made it 52-21.
siamesefred (anonymous) says...
Hey footballeyes,
Nothing to say about your boy, Ben, and his performance on Saturday?
Seems he finally got the shot you've wanted him to have... 3 whole quarters to show what he's got. What I saw was Ben consistently throwing into double, triple and quadruple coverage. Seems to me if 3 guys are around one of your receivers, another receiver should be open elsewhere.
October 21, 2007 at 1:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gregorymed (anonymous) says...
Ok siamesefred what is your point? Like # 1 is the savior of the program...are you kidding me??? Look, Higgins needs a QB and he knows it so ease up on Ben P. and Sloan El...it is all they got to play with this year. Higgins needs personnel on offense besides a MIAA level QB and needs some time to show he has the ability to attract such personnel. A wide receiver who can stretch the field, a rb the level of ESU backs of past days(Tryon, Shay, Dunlap, Tilmann,Bobby,etc.)and a couple of monster o-lineman will go along ways to allowing ESU qb position to perform better next year. You should be more concerned if/when President Lane will actually help(financially speaking) Higgins recruit these players he needs or just talks about helping him.
October 21, 2007 at 4:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EsqEB (anonymous) says...
The good news is the Washburn Ichabods crushed Truman State 71-35 on homecoming Saturday at Yager Stadium!
October 21, 2007 at 4:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
siamesefred (anonymous) says...
I say both qb's have problems.
But I've heard footballeyes dog Sloan El all season because he believes purkeypile is sooo much better. Well, now Ben's had a chance to prove footballeyes right and he didn't.
I'm just wondering where footballeyes is. Maybe he missed the game.
October 21, 2007 at 6:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Takes about 40 good players to make a game of it on Saturdays. A solid 2 deep will make either QB look a lot better
October 22, 2007 at 2:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Paccifier (anonymous) says...
EsqEB- Here's to the good news!
October 22, 2007 at 3:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )