The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats improved to 6-1 on Saturday afternoon, defeating the visiting Nebraska-Kearney Lopers 27-13 in the university’s annual Homecoming game at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville.
The ‘Cats opened the scoring early, with Braden Wright hitting Marqus Andrews on a 26-yard strike less than three minutes into the first quarter. With 6:36 to go in the opening stanza, a 4th-and-goal conversion from the 1 yard line, on a sneak by Wright, gave Northwest a 14-0 advantage.
Later in the first quarter, Northwest tried some trickery, utilizing the arm of freshman wide receiver LaTroy Harper. The Hamilton native took a backwards pass from Wright and heaved the ball to Brody McMahon, who raced 67 yards for another score, upping the Bearcats lead to 21-0.
While the offense of the Bearcats stumbled for the rest of the contest, the Lopers started cutting into the lead. A 3-yard keeper by UNK quarterback Alex McGinnis cut the halftime lead to 21-6, with the advantage trimmed to 21-13 with 10:36 remaining, on a 5 yard run by McGinnis on a 4th-and-goal conversion.
On the ensuing kickoff, Kearney tried on onside kick that was recovered by NWMSU, with Parker Sampson hitting a 21-yard field goal to up the Bearcats lead to 24-13. A Trent Nally interception led to more good field position for the home team, with a 39-yard field goal by Sampson accounting for the final margin.
Elsewhere in the MIAA on Saturday, Central Oklahoma won at Missouri Western 17-16, Washburn annihilated Missouri Southern 63-7, Emporia State was a 41-23 winner at Central Missouri, Lindenwood hammered Northeastern State 38-14, while Fort Hays State walloped in-state rival Pitt State, 50-21.
This coming Saturday, October 20th, the MIAA football schedule is:
Fort Hays State at Nebraska-Kearney – 11:00 AM (Kearney, NE)
Northwest Missouri State at Lindenwood – 1:00 PM (St. Charles, MO)
Missouri Western at Emporia State – 2:00 PM (Emporia, KS)
Washburn at Central Oklahoma – 2:00 PM (Edmond, OK)
Central Missouri at Pittsburg State – 2:05 PM (Pittsburg, KS)
Northeastern State at Missouri Southern – 5:00 (Joplin, MO)
