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Tigers put scare into top team
10/20/2007
By NICK McQUEEN
Hays Daily News
Holding the conference's top offense to just 17 points was more than a noteworthy accomplishment. It's something the Fort Hays State University defense expects to do week in and week out.
Putting up enough numbers to hang with the No. 9 ranked team in NCAA Division II fell along those same lines, but it's something the Tigers have failed to do in their previous three outings -- all losses in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
In Saturday's showdown with MIAA leader and powerhouse Northwest Missouri State University, the No. 9 ranked team in the nation, the Tigers managed both, but fell just short of the upset bid, falling 17-10 to the high-octane Bearcats at Lewis Field Stadium.
"To me, it's not a tough one to swallow," Fort Hays coach Kevin Verdugo said. "It's one that there were a ton of positives for our football team."
Northwest Missouri State (6-1 overall, 6-0 MIAA) entered Saturday's contest as the conference's highest scoring team, averaging 44 points through six games. The Tigers held the Bearcats to just a pair of rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Tigers put up something they have failed to see in the last two games, an offensive touchdown.
"We played hard today," said senior tailback Jordan Hickel, who finished with 99 yards rushing. "My hat's off to the offensive line. We handled them up front and they did a good job."
In a less-than-desirable or fan-worthy first quarter, the two teams battled through penalties, a called-back touchdown for the Bearcats, a missed Tiger field goal, and a bevy of punts by both teams. That all stopped when the Bearcats made the most of a short field after a short punt by the Tigers.
Northwest MIssouri State drove 53 yards in five plays, capped by a 5-yard scoring run from senior tailback Xavier Omon.
"Xavier had a good day running the football, but not the way you would think he would, but they threw the ball probably a lot more than they normally would,"¬ Verdugo said. "I don't think they got to do what they wanted."
Omon, the MIAA's leading rusher and top scorer with 18 touchdowns coming in, had a quiet 151 yards and a pair of rushing scores.
Northwest Missouri State had TD pass called back earlier by a holding penalty, but took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter. Tiger sophomore defensive back C.J. Lovett had an interception of senior quarter Josh Mathews. It was one of two picks by the Tigers in the first half.
"We're a great defense. We haven't shown them everything we have yet," Lovett said. "This is just a sample of what we can do."
Northwest Missouri State took a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 25-yard field goal by junior Tommy Frevert and went up 17-0 on its next series, capping a 76-yard drive with a four-yard score by Omon.
The Tigers drove 70 yards for a 1-yard dive by senior quarterback Ryne Salyer. The Murray State University transfer completed two passes in the drive, while Hickel rushed for 42 yards.
Hickel split much of the game with junior Denzel Black and freshman Jacobb Irvin, keeping his legs fresh.
"That's what coach was trying to do all week," Hickel said. "It really gives me a break and really freshens me up to get back out there."
Points became harder to come by for both squads in the second half as the Tigers posted another second-half shutout in MIAA play.
"We want to dominate," Lovett said. "That's the way we prepare for the game, to come out and dominate."
The only score of the second-half came on a 38-yard field goal by Tiger senior kicker Justin Barr with the wind in the third quarter.
"Our kids are coming out and learning how to play every week and giving themselves an opportunity to be in football games against teams like Northwest Missouri, Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State coming up," Verdugo said. "That's the kind of effort it takes on a week in, week out basis."
Fort Hays (3-5, 1-5) got a chance late in the fourth quarter, but couldn't move the ball. On third-and-4 from the Tiger 16, Salyer was picked off by freshman Aldwin Foster-Rettig, who returned it for the score, but a roughing-the-passer penalty gave Fort Hays another shot. On fourth-and-21 with 2:17 to play, Salyer hit Black over the middle for just 10 yards. Northwest Missouri was able to run out the clock out with a heavy dose of Omon.
Salyer ended the night with 142 yards passing, completing 14-of-27.
The Tiger offense had 241 total yards and was 4-of-17 on third down, but put up its first offensive touchdown since a 26-11 loss at Truman State three weeks ago.
Fort Hays plays at Pittsburg State University on Saturday.
Game notes
* With his 99 yards rushing, Hickel now has more than 3,000 for his Tiger career.
* Omon became the seventh player in NCAA Div. II history to rush for 1,000 yards in four seasons. He now needs 390 yards to become the first player in Div. II history to rush for 1,500 in all four seasons.
* This was the first game this season where the Tigers failed to get a sack and the first game that Tiger senior defensive end Jason Hill failed to record at least one sack.
Sports reporter Nick McQueen can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 128 or by e-mail at nmcqueen@dailynews.net.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/11 | Central Missouri | L 4-2 |
| BB | 5/10 | Missouri Western | W 4-3 |
| BB | 5/09 | Emporia State | L 6-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
