Gorillas Grind Out 20-6 Win Over Bulldogs

Box Score

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The #22-ranked Pittsburg (Kan.) State Gorillas grounded out 382 yards rushing and took advantage of a pair of Truman turnovers in a 20-6 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. Derek Koon connected for a pair of field goals for Truman, including a career-long 46 yarder in the first quarter.

The Gorillas (6-2; 6-2 MIAA) rushed the ball 64 times for 382 yards with four runners gaining over 50 yards. Briceton Wilson saw the bulk of the carries with 31 for 117 with just a long of nine yards. Jason Spradling had 115 yards on 17 attempts with a long of 41 while Marquise Cushon took a reverse 54 yards for his only carry. Quarterback Anthony Abenoja threw for just 67 yards (7-of-15) but added nine rushes for 57.

Pitt chewed up nearly 40 minutes of possession time.

Garrett White led Truman with 82 yards rushing and 51 coming on his first attempt from scrimmage. White busted up the middle to the Gorilla 33, however the drive stalled out on the 28 setting up Koon's career-best 46 yard field goal to put Truman up 3-0 after the Bulldogs' first possession.

Cushon took the reverse for 54 yards on Pitt's second drive to the Bulldog 10-yardline, however the 'Dog defense stood tall as they had two stops at the goal line forcing Connor Frazell to kick a field goal from 18 yards away to tie things up.

The Bulldogs got the ball on Pitt's side of the field early in the second but could only manage a 44-yard field goal by Koon to put Truman up 6-3. It was Koon's 34th career field goal moving him into second place on the Truman career list.

The Gorillas found their rhythm on their next drive as they marched 66 yards in 10 plays with Wilson carrying the ball the final three for the go-ahead touchdown at the 5:38 mark of the half.

The key play of the game came a bit later in the quarter. Truman forced a three-and-out and a punt however the return was muffed and recovered by the Gorillas at the Bulldog 21 by Cushon. Wilson would carry the ball five straight plays until he plunged in from a yard away for a 17-6 Gorilla lead at the half.

Pittsburg threated for more as they started the third quarter with the ball but Robert Gayden stripped Wilson at the goalline and Richie Schumacher jumped on the loose ball for the turnover.

Later in the frame, Frazell would miss a field goal attempt from 27-yards and the Bulldogs grabbed some momentum. Conrad Schottel completed passes of 22, 13 and 18 yards to move the ball into the redzone but on a third and four from the 14, Schottel was picked off in the endzone by Graylon Sanders.

On the ensuing possession, the Gorillas once again chewed up clock and marched down the field for a 12-play, 73-yard drive capped off by a 23-yard field goal by Frazell that proved to be the final score.

Schumacher totaled a career-high 20 tackles for the defense that was on the field 39:51 including 23 minutes in the second half. Michael Elliott and Wade Pelc also had 11 stops. Schumacher sits fifth on the Bulldog career tackles list with 338 in his four years.

Dallas Grier had six catches for 89 yards and went over 2,000 career yards (2,034). Grier moved past Tom Geredine (1,965) and James Walton (1,979) to fifth on the Bulldog career receiving yards list.

The Bulldogs will look to end their three-game streak when they travel to Joplin to face Missouri Southern next Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

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