Box Score

 

Sept. 19, 2009 – The Fort Hays State Tigers ran up nearly 500 yards of total offense and James Walker ran for 200 yards as they defeated the Bulldogs 41-31 on Family Night at Stokes Stadium.  Truman will head to Northwest Missouri next Saturday afternoon.

 

The Tigers (2-2/1-1 MIAA) took the opening kickoff and marched down the field on an 11-play 60-yard drive that was capped off by a five yard run by Walker to take the early lead.

 

Truman  (1-3/0-2 MIAA) tied the game late in the quarter when Vanness Emokpae scored on an eight-yard pass from Phillip Davis to end a season long 13-play, 80-yard drive.

 

One of the most dangerous returners in the MIAA showed why as C.J. Lovett ran back an 89-yard punt return for the next Tigers score.  It was Lovett’s fourth return for a touchdown this season.

 

The Bulldogs struck back when Jordan Flores grabbed a Davis pass from 31 yards out and was able to secure it before crossing the end line to tie the game at 14 with 6:57 left in the half.

 

Walker would put the Tigers up for good with 1:28 left in the period with a three yard run and have 110 yards rushing in the first half.

 

Mickey Masucci went over the 200 career point total with a 35-yard field goal with :15 seconds left in the half to cut the deficit to 21-17.

 

After a 43-yard pass from Mike Garrison to O.J. Murdock to put the Tigers in front 31-17, back-up quarterback Taylor Breen marched the Bulldogs down on a seven play drive that was finished off by Anton Bernard’s 1-yard rush on fourth down.

 

Nathan Rausa hammered home a 19-yard field goal to end the third quarter to put the Tigers in front by 10.

 

The Bulldogs pinned Fort Hays back on the next possession but on a long third down (3rd & 16) Garrison found Walker for a 24-yard screen pass to keep the drive alive. 

 

Garrison would finish off the drive with runs of 20 and 19 yards to put Fort Hays in command 41-34.

 

Truman would add a late touchdown as Breen connected on his first career collegiate TD pass to Emokpae from four yards out.

 

Fort Hays came into the contest ranked last in the MIAA in rushing offense at 89.7 yards

per game but finished with 250 yards on the ground.

 

Walker finished with 200 yards on the ground on 36 carries and two touchdowns, while Garrison added 245 yards through the air on 14-of-23 attempts.

 

The Bulldogs ran for a season-high 165 yards with Donald Harvey leading the way with 54 on seven carries.  Davis threw for 131 yards and two touchdowns before being replaced by Breen after suffering an injury.  Breen was 4-of-13 for 72 yards.

 

Demetrius Lavant led the Bulldog defense with 14 total tackles and Tremaine Millender added 12.

 

Truman will head to Northwest Missouri for the Ol’ Hickory Stick game next Saturday afternoon in Maryville.  The stick is the oldest Division II trophy game played dating back to 1930.

 

Game Notes: The Bulldogs averaged 37.2 yards per kickoff with Phil Kenney and Albert Coker each having a 30+ yard return…The Tigers had 535 yards of all-purpose yards…two of Vanness Emokpae’s four catches came on third down, one for 19 yards and one for 17 yards…Fort Hays was 8-of-14 on third down conversions while the Bulldogs were 7-of-17…The 43-yard touchdown pass by Mike Garrison was the longest scoring play against the Bulldogs from scrimmage…C.J. Lovett’s 89-yard kick return was the first since Kendall Wright of Northwest Missouri went 47-yards in 2007 against the ‘Dogs.