HORNET FOOTBALL FALLS TO #13 CENTRAL MISSOURI

Box Score

September 12, 2009-Emporia State outgained #13 Central Missouri by nearly 160 yards and held the ball for 37:07 but missed a 31 yard field goal with 2.2 seconds left in a 24-21 loss to the Mules on Jones Field at Welch Stadium.

Central Missouri got on the board first on a five play, 35 yard touchdown drive with 2:49 left in the half. Eric Czerniewski got the score on a one yard quarterback sneak. ESU drove to the UCM six yard line with under four minutes remaining in the half, and after a false start and three incompletions lined up for a 28 yard field goal. The attempt was blocked and UCM’s Randy Shepard returned it 60 yards to the Hornet 20 yard line. Anthony Stewart scored on the next play to give the Mules a 14-0 lead.

Andre Sloan El came in at quarterback to start ESU’s next drive and took ESU 61 yards in nine plays in 2:05, capped by a one yard Kevin Smart touchdown run. The kick was blocked and ESU trailed 14-6 with 52 seconds left. Central responded with their only drive of over 35 yards with a four play, 69 yard drive to take a 21-6 lead into the half.

ESU used a 71 yard pass from Sloan El to Matt Coursen on their first drive of the second half to pull within 21-13. On the ensuing kick-off Zain Gower returned the kick 45 yards to set up at the ESU 40 yard line. The defense held Central to a 26 yard field goal to fall behind 24-13 with 7:21 left in the quarter.
The Hornets pulled within 24-21 when Sloan El tossed a 14 yard touchdown pass to Danny McEvoy and then hit Coursen for a two point conversion. The drive went 68 yards in 11 plays. On Central’s next possession Shaunquez Powell intercepted Czerniewski at the UCM five yard line and appeared to return it for a touchdown, but was called down at the UCM seven. The Hornets went 50 yards on 15 plays and held the ball for 7:38 but were forced punt with 9:09 left in the game. The ESU defense forced a punt after four plays and the Hornets set up at their own 20 yard line with 7:14 left in the game. Adrian Abner gained 16 of his 41 yards on the drive as the Hornets moved out to the 49 yard line when Sloan El was knocked out briefly. Tyler Eckenrode came in for three plays taking ESU to third and two at the UCM 33 yard line. Sloan El returned and rushed for no gain on third down and LaDarrian Page, the MIAA’s leading rusher coming into the game, was knocked out of bounds just shy of the first down marker to give the ball back to UCM with 1:13 left.

The Hornets called timeouts after the defense held Anthony Stewart to no gain on first down and a two yard gain on second down. Czerniewski then threw an incompletion that stopped the clock and allowed ESU to save a timeout. Jordan Hofer then punted 39 yards as ESU set up at their own 27 with 56 seconds left. Sloan El then hit Shjuan Richardson for a 15 yard completion and Andre Jones for 14 yards to take the Hornets into Mule territory. After an incomplete pass, Sloan El hit Jones for an eight yard gain to set up third and two at the UCM 36 yard line. An incomplete pass had ESU facing fourth and two when Sloan El found Jones for six yards and a first down. The next play Danny McEvoy slipped behind the Mule defense and was just over thrown in the end zone with 14 seconds left. On the next play Sloan El hit Coursen for a three yard completion and Central was flagged for a personal foul face mask to set the Hornets up at the 13 with nine seconds left. Will Maxwell lined up for his second field goal attempt of the season and pulled it wide left ending ESU’s comeback attempt.

The Hornets held the Mules, who was averaging an MIAA leading 527 yards per game, to 321 yards in the game and only 115 in the second half. ESU gained 478 yards of total offense with Sloan El going 18 of 28 for 259 yards and tow touchdowns in the air and 53 yards on ten carries on the ground.
The Hornets will now hit the road for two straight road games, beginning at Missouri Southern on Sept. 18 in Joplin, Mo. Kick-off from Hughes Stadium is set for 6 p.m.

NOTES:
This was ESU’s first loss when opening MIAA play at home and are now 10-1 all-time.
The two teams combined for 29 penalties for 223 yards.
A week after going two for 16 on third down at Augustana, the Hornets were ten of 19 on third down against the Mules.