By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
JOPLIN - Freshman quarterback Reagan Jones rushed for three touchdowns and passed for another as Missouri Western (4-5) rolled to a 45-28 win over Missouri Southern at Fred G. Hughes Stadium in Joplin Saturday.
Jones accounted for 340 all-purpose yards, completing 12-of-16 passes for 181 yards. He also carried the ball 17 times for 159 yards, including a 56-yard rushing touchdown that got the scoring started in the first quarter.
"You know, I felt great," Jones said. "My offensive line was getting a push all day and we were just more physical than them. It really just helped us execute and move the ball all day, and my guys were just blocking great."
Leading 7-3 late in the first, senior corner Sam Webb recovered a Missouri Southern fumble thanks to the strip from linebacker Evan Chohon. Chohon led the defense Saturday with 15 total tackles.
Taking over at their own 46, the Griffons scored 10 plays later. Freshman back Travon Harris capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, his first of the season and second as a Griffon, with just under five minutes to play in the first.
A 20-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Thomas Kopcho put the Griffons ahead 17-3 early in the second quarter. The Lions (3-6) strung together a pair of scoring drives to end the second, however.
After a 22-yard field goal by Southern kicker Nick Williams, the Griffons fumbled on the ensuing possession. The Lions recovered, and drove 73 yards on 10 plays in the closing minutes of the first half.
Quarterback Dawson Herl hit tight end Keandre Bledsoe on a three-yard touchdown pass. A fake point-after play resulted in a successful two-point conversion for Southern, and the Lions only trailed 17-14 at halftime.
The Griffons got the ball to start the second half, and strung together a methodical 10-play, 75-yard drive, ending with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Cooper Burton.
After Southern punted on their first drive of the second half, Missouri Western's offense went to work again. A six-play, 69-yard drive was capped off by a 20-yard rushing score from Jones, giving the Griffons a 31-14 lead with 5:26 to go in the third.
Southern scored late in the third on a 32-yard touchdown pass to JarMichael Cooper, making it a 31-21 game at the end of the third.
The Lions then recovered a Missouri Western fumble in plus territory in the fourth, but the defense held strong and forced a punt. Southern also had a pair of drives in the second half that ended with missed field goals.
Western all but put the game away early in the fourth quarter with a 10-play, 89-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown run by Jones, his third, to put the Griffons ahead 38-21.
After a second missed Southern field goal, the Griffons moved 80 yards on 10 plays, keeping the ball on the ground and eventually getting into the end zone on a seven-yard rushing score by freshman back Brandon Hall.
The Griffons finished 412 rushing yards on the afternoon and tied a program record with 32 first downs. Missouri Western finished with a season-best 588 yards of offense and won their first road game in the 2021 season.
"I'm super proud of our offensive line," Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson said. "Running game was on point. I mean, from square one, we were able to move the ball and get first downs. It was pretty impressive to see that."
Missouri Western returns to Spratt Stadium this Saturday to host Central Missouri (3-6) on Senior Day. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
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