By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
TAHLEQUAH, OK - Missouri Western's worst nightmare of the last couple of weeks was recurring in the first half Saturday.
The Griffons were moving the ball and getting toward the endzone, but weren't getting in it. Missouri Western managed to punch through a couple of field goals in the first half to lead 6-0 at the break, but a new nightmare popped up in the third quarter.
Northeastern State sacked quarterback Reagan Jones for a safety midway through the third, scored a touchdown on their ensuing drive and then scored again early in the fourth to lead Missouri Western 16-6 with 13:48 remaining.
The Griffons suddenly awoke from the nightmares.
Missouri Western (3-4) scored 17 unanswered points on their final three drives, including the go-ahead score with 2:38 left, to survive Northeastern State 23-16 at Doc Wadley Stadium in Tahlequah, Oklahoma Saturday.
Neither team got off to an electric start offensively, but Missouri Western had three drives in the first half that got inside the NSU 30, including two drives that made it inside the five-yard-line, but the Griffons had no touchdowns in the first two quarters.
Missouri Western kicker Cody Watson made two field goals in the first half - a career-long from 43 in the first quarter, and an 18-yarder with 16 seconds left in the second. He also missed one from 25 midway through the second.
Northeastern State (1-6) got the ball to start the second half and marched 59 yards on 12 plays, but Missouri Western safety and Platte City native Kobe Cummings came up with an interception, his first of the season, in the red zone to keep the Riverhawks off the board.
But four plays later, Jones was sacked in his own endzone for a safety, making it a 6-2 ball game with 7:58 left in the third.
After the free kick, Northeastern took over at their own 32 and hit a deep shot down the field, as sophomore quarterback Ben Ward hit receiver Dashawn Williams on a 51-yard completion.
Two plays later, running back Darius Salters scored on a 14-yard run, putting Northeastern State ahead 9-6 with 6:37 left in the third.
Western drove to the Northeastern 36-yard line on the next drive, but that drive stalled after Jones got sacked for a fourth time.
The Griffons had the ball again later in the third, but got pinned deep on their own end and had to punt from their own endzone.
A 36-yard punt by Evan Williams from his own endzone, and a 12-yard return by Northeastern's Dawandrick Crockett, set the Riverhawks up at the Griffon 38.
On the third play of the fourth quarter, after Williams caught a 26-yard pass to put the Riverhawks on the MWSU 10, Northeastern scored again - this time on a 10-yard rush from Isaiah Davis. Suddenly, it's 16-6 Northeastern State with 13:48 to play.
With backup quarterback Ty Baker under center, the Griffons picked up their tempo on offense and got near the red zone, but settled for another field goal from Watson, this one from 38 yards, to make it 16-9 with 10:02 remaining.
The Riverhawks went three-and-out deep in their own territory, and Western took back over at the Northeastern 49. On the first play of that drive, Baker found Traveon James in traffic for a 36-yard completion.
Baker scored on the very next play. He ran into the endzone from 13 yards out for his first career collegiate touchdown to knot the game at 16-16 with 7:36 to play.
Baker finished with 72 all-purpose yards in place of Jones.
After another three-and-out by Northeastern State, the Griffons took over at their own 32 with 5:24 remaining.
A pair of personal fouls by Northeastern State defensive lineman Chris Lee, including a targeting call which led to Lee's ejection, set the Griffons up with a 1st-and-10 at the Riverhawk 28.
Then, a pop-up thunderstorm to the south of Tahlequah put the game in rain delay for roughly 75 minutes.
When the delay was over, Western didn't blink. On the first play after the pause, Brandon Hall took off on a 26-yard run to set up first-and-goal.
On third-and-goal at the two, Titus McCoy plunged in for a three-yard touchdown to give the Griffons a 23-16 lead with 2:38 remaining.
Northeastern State got a pair of first downs on their final drive and even converted a 4th-and-short. But, with about a minute left, Northeastern quarterback Grant Elerick threw a deep ball across the field that was picked off by Missouri Western's D.J. Stirgus, which sealed the deal.
The INT was just the second of Sturgis' career.
Missouri Western snaps a four-game losing skid and remains a perfect 12-0 against Northeastern State all time.
Isaac Wallace had a career-high 13 tackles to lead Western defensively. He had three tackles for loss, including a sack. Cummings had eight tackles to go with his interception.
Watson finished with a career-best three field goals made and scored 11 total points in the win.
Missouri Western stays on the road next week as they travel to face No. 7 Pittsburg State (7-0). Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.
Matt Williamson postgame comments
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