By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
TOPEKA, KS - Led by three rushing touchdown from Jared Scott, the Missouri Western football team (5-1, 4-1 MIAA) piled up 407 total rushing yards and dominated Washburn, 61-21, on Saturday afternoon at Yager Stadium in Topeka.
The Griffons, now winners of five straight games, piled up 561 total yards and scored 47 unanswered points to go up 61-14 entering the fourth quarter.
Each team scored a touchdown on their opening series, and then each team scored a special teams touchdown, leading to a 14-14 tie at the end of the first quarter.
Missouri Western was driving in Washburn territory to start the second quarter. On the first play of that quarter, Jalen Lampley scored a touchdown from 36 yards out on a reverse play, putting the Griffons ahead 21-14 with 14:52 left in the second.
The floodgates opened after that. Missouri Western scored on six consecutive drives after Lampley's touchdown to take complete control.
The Griffons scored 30 points in the second quarter alone to go up 44-14 at the break. Missouri Western was gifted a safety in the second quarter, too after a bad snap on a punt attempt by Washburn went out of the back of the end zone.
Missouri Western got the ball to start the second half, and scored on each of their first three drives in the third quarter to go up 61-14.
Washburn struggled to piece together any drive all day Saturday. After scoring on their opening possession, the Ichabods went scoreless on nine consecutive series before putting up a touchdown in garbage time in the fourth.
Washburn was held to just 338 total yards of offense, and their quarterback, Sam Van Dyne, threw two interceptions. The Ichabods were just 2-for-10 on third down and they only completed 12-of-27 pass attempts between three different quarterbacks.
While Scott had a game-high three rushing scores for the Griffons, Seth Cromwell logged a career-high 154 yards rushing on 11 carries, scoring a touchdown in the third quarter.
Jayden Williams toted the rock 14 times for 51 yards and his first career touchdown as a Griffon.
Missouri Western quarterback Armani Edden was smooth all day, completing 13-of-16 passes for 154 yards and a score. Will Schwartz hauled in a 24-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
Defensively, the Griffons logged three total sacks, with Javerius McGuinn and Taylor Williams logging interceptions.
Missouri Western's Jake Leader blocked a punt early in the first quarter, which was returned by MWSU's Lamont Washington 38 yards the other way for a touchdown.
The 61 points is the most Missouri Western has ever scored at Washburn, and the 40-point win is the widest margin of victory over the Ichabods in program history.
Missouri Western is back home Saturday to host Northwest Missouri State (3-3). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Coverage will start at noon on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).
Northwest beat Central Oklahoma in Maryville Saturday, 34-21.
Full game broadcast
Postgame interviews
Photos by A.J. Robbins
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