Football 10/20/2012 8:13:00 PM

#18 Emporia State Defeats Truman On Homecoming

Box Score

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The 18th ranked Emporia State (Kan.) Hornets remained perfect on the season as they scored 28 straight points after Truman took a 12-10 lead early in the fourth quarter and went on to defeat the Bulldogs 52-26 on Homecoming in Kirksville.

ESU quarterback Tyler Eckenrode completed 26-of-39 passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns while receiver Shjuan Richardson snagged 11 receptions for 217 yards to keep the Hornets (8-0; 8-0 MIAA) as the MIAA's lone undefeated team. The duo connected for an 81-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter and as a team Emporia rolled up 616 yards of total offense.

Truman's Garrett White rushed for a career-high 97 yards on 19 carries and Taylor Breen threw for 164 yards coming in relief of Conrad Schottel in the second half. Dallas Grier had nine catches for 121 yards.

Defensively, Emporia's Ben Carlson had a game-high 17 tackles and had one of Emporia's four interceptions while Truman (4-4; 3-4 MIAA) was led by Tremaine Millender's 12 stops. Patrick Blackwell notched his 20th career sack during the contest and finished with two tackles for loss.

Truman struck first blood on the fourth drive of the game after starting the possession on Emporia's side of the field. Schottel found Grier for 14 yards, then hit Brett Nagel for 15 to put the ball at ESU's 22. White then reeled off consecutive 11-yard rushes and scored for the eighth time this season.

Emporia got on the board on the next possession after a 43-yard field goal by Eli Kuhns that was set up by a 38-yard reception from Richardson.

On Emporia's next drive, Richardson got behind everyone and raced 81-yards for the touchdown reception, was the longest play allowed from scrimmage this year by the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs marched right back down the field but stalled out at the Hornets' 12 yard line leaving Derek Koon to hit from 29-yards to tie the game at 10.

On the first play of the second quarter, a bad snap went over the Emporia punter's head out of the endzone to give Truman a 12-10 lead.

However, Dozie Iwuagwa would score from 15-yards out as ESU went 75-yards in six plays to take the lead for good at the 11:14 mark of the second quarter.

Schottel was then picked off by Derek Lohmann and Eckenrode wasted little time finding Ray Ray Davis for a 19-yard TD reception on the next play from scrimmage to put ESU up 24-12.

With 40 seconds remaining in the half, Iwuagwa would score from a yard out to cap off a six-play, 53 yard drive in under two minutes to give ESU a 31-12 halftime advantage.

Schottel was picked off for the third time to start the second half and Derwin Hall capitalized with a one-yard run to make it 38-12.

Breen would come in at quarterback for the 'Dogs and would muscle his way in from 15-yards out for his first career rushing touchdown to finish off a four-play, 28-yard drive.

Eckenrode completed passes of 36 and 38 yards with the final one going to Davis for a touchdown on the Hornets next drive. Iwuagwa would then score a rushing TD of 15-yards at the 12:07 mark of the fourth quarter.

Breen found Jared Haferbier for 39 yards on third and 19 and would then find Chico Orlando for a five-yard touchdown pass to end the scoring.

The loss evens up the Bulldogs record to 4-4 and 3-4 in the MIAA. Truman will face defending national champion Pittsburg State (Kan.) University next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Kirksville.

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