Hornets fall short
By C.J. Moore
Originally published 02:34 p.m., September 12, 2009
Updated 05:46 p.m., September 12, 2009
Emporia State kicker Will Maxwell missed a 31-yard field goal that would have tied the game with two seconds left, and Central Missouri escaped Welch Stadium on Saturday with a 24-21 win.
Maxwell was 1-for-2 on extra points and missed both his field goals, the other miss field goal a blocked kick that was returned to the ESU 20 in the second quarter. UCM running back Anthony Stewart ran in for a 20-yard touchdown on the next play and the Mules took a 14-0 lead.
But as would be the case all day, the Hornets answered behind quarterback Andre Sloan El. Sloan El was benched in favor of backup Zach Rampy at the start, but Rampy struggled to move the offense until the drive that set up Maxwell’s blocked kick.
Sloan El relieved Rampy on the next drive and played his best game as a Hornet, coach Garin Higgins said after the game. The senior immediately engineered a 9-play, 61-yard touchdown drive that ended with a one-yard TD run by Kevin Smart. Sloan El was 3-for-4 on the drive for 44 yards, which would be a preview of more to come.
The Hornets trailed 21-6 at half, and Sloan El opened the second half with a 71-yard TD pass to Matt Coursen, who stiffed-armed a UCM defender and ran out of tackle to break loose.
Central Missouri answered with a 26-yard field goal to take a 24-13 lead, the Mules’ only points of the second half.
The ESU defense held UCM quarterback Eric Czerniewski to 42 yards on only 2-of-11 passing in the second half. Czerniewski came into the game leading the MIAA in passing yards and completion percentage. He was outplayed on Saturday by Sloan El, who had the worst numbers of any MIAA starter coming into the game.
Sloan El completed 19-of-29 passes for 267 yards and also ran 10 times for 53 yards.
The Hornets pulled to within three when Sloan El led a 11-play, 68-yard touchdown drive near the end of the third quarter. The drive nearly stalled on the UCM 14, where Higgins was forced to keep his offense on the field to go for it on fourth and goal.
Sloan El bought time on the play scrambling and found Danny McEvoy at the back of the end zone for a touchdown with 2:53 left in the third quarter. Sloan El connected with Coursen for the two-point conversion.
Central Missouri proceeded to move the ball down the field and Czerniewski found an open DeMarco Cosby inside the ESU 10, a play that looked like a sure-fire touchdown. But Cosby bobbled the ball, and Shaunquez Powell intercepted the pass at the 5-yard line.
Powell returned the interception 95 yards for a touchdown, which would have put ESU in the lead, but the sideline official blew his whistle and called the play dead, ruling Powell’s knee had touched the ground.
Emporia State still had its chances.
With 7:38 left, the Hornets got the ball at their own 20 and started a drive that would take 6:01 off the clock. Needing to score, Higgins decided to go for it again on 4th-and-2 at the UCM 33.
La’Darrian Page got the ball on the option and was tackled a foot short of the marker, giving the Mules the ball back with 1:13 left.
Once again, the ESU defense got its offense another chance. The Mules went three-and-out, and only 17 seconds went off the clock, thanks to two ESU time outs and an Czerniewski incompletion on third down.
Emporia State got the ball back with 56 seconds left at the ESU 27. Sloan El completed six passes for 60 yards, the final completion to Coursen at the UCM 27 with three seconds left. The Mules were called for a face mask, which moved the ball up to the 13-yard line.
Maxwell came on to try to tie the game, and his kick sailed left of the goal post.
Emporia State dropped to 1-2 with the loss and the 13th-ranked Mules improved to 3-0.
For more coverage of Saturday’s game, check Monday’s Gazette.
BIGBYRD (anonymous) says...
WHO MADE THE CALL TO GIVE THE BALL TO PAGE ON 4TH AND ONE, WHEN THEIR BIG BACK GOT EVERY FIRST DOWN ALL DAY!!! PAGE MAY BE GREAT IN OPEN FIELD, BUT HE'S NO POWER RUNNER! COME ON!!!
September 18, 2009 at 12:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )