QUINCY, Ill. – Truman State football fought off a pesky Quincy Hawks team to win its fourth game in a row Saturday, 28-21.
 
Neither squad was able to get anything going on their first drives of the game when Bulldogs started their second drive at the Truman State 45 after a 33-yard Quincy punt. The 'Dogs threatened after a 33-yard pass completion from Dylan Hair to Jackson Overton put them inside the 20-yard line of the Hawks, but a missed Vinnie Calvaruso field goal attempt from 36 yards kept the game scoreless.
 
Quincy's next drive started with two quick passing first downs – one for 12 and another for 10 – but a sack by Truman State's Brock Jones caused the drive to sputter at the 37 of the Hawks. After a punt of only 20 yards, the Bulldogs started their first scoring drive of the afternoon at their own 43. Eleven plays and 57 yards later, Hair and Overton connected on a 25-yard scoring pass to give Truman State a 6-0 lead after a missed Calvaruso point after attempt. A bad snap on a Quincy punt with 5:16 remainging was returned by Kel Battle for a 33-yard touchdown with a two-point scamper from Hair giving the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead.
 
The Hawks got on the board with 1:18 remaining in the half after a quick strike, five-play drive resulted in a touchdown pass from Drake Davis to Luke Johnson to cut the lead to 14-7. Denim Cook rattled off a 28-yard scamper to get Truman State to the Quincy 37 before Hair found Joseph Spaulding on a 33-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds left on the clock allowing the 'Dogs to take a 21-7 lead into the break.
 
The second half started similarly to the first with neither team able to get scoring drives going on their first possessions. Quincy, working from their 20 after a Bulldog three and out, marched 80 yards on ten plays to come within one score, 21-14, after Davis found Anthony Gilpin, Jr., on a touchdown pass of eight yards. The Hawks looked to again be on the march to score as the fourth quarter got underway before Jake Closser picked off a Davis pass to end the Quincy threat at the Bulldog 31.
 
The 'Dogs took possession and converted first downs on a Hair pass to Parker Erickson for ten yards and another to Chris Kerr for 13, and a 45-yard toss to Kel Battle in the endzone allowed the Purple and White to again stretch the lead to 14.
 
After trading three and outs, Quincy started with good field possession at the Truman State 48 after a Bulldog punt of only 11 yards. The Hawk drive seemed to be stalled at a 4th and 7 before an untimely 'Dog roughing the passer penalty allowed a first down, and a score two plays later on a Davis to Demari Wilson 17-yard passing touchdown set the score at 28-21 Truman State.
 
Another Bulldog three and out allowed Quincy possession down seven with 2:23 remaining from the 30 of the Hawks before the 'Dogs came up big on defense to force a turnover on downs and end the last Quincy threat of the afternoon.
 
Hair completed 13 of 23 passes for 218 yards and three scores while Overton, Battle, and Spaulding all hauled in one touchdown each. Quincy outgained Truman State on offense, 403 yards to 278, with five more minutes of possession than the Purple and White and a 21-12 edge in first downs.
 
Truman State climbs to 4-3 overall and 4-1 in GLVC play while Quincy falls to 3-3 overall and 3-3 in conference action. The Bulldogs return home to play host to McKendree (Ill.) University at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 26, at Stokes Stadium.