Washburn matched the most potent offense in the MIAA for three quarters, trading big plays with Central Missouri in Saturday’s shootout at Yager Stadium.
But when the Ichabod offense ran out of steam in the fourth quarter, UCM quarterback Brook Bolles and the Mules kept rolling along, putting up 28 points in the final frame to hand WU a 62-42 homecoming loss.
“We knew that the strength of their team is their offense,” WU coach Craig Schurig said. “They’re an explosive offense, so we felt like if we keep pace with them we’re in good shape and then we can get the run game going, and we did. They obviously scored in bunches more than we could.”
The teams combined for 1,218 yards of offense with UCM putting up 662 and WU 556.
Bolles burned the Ichabods for 356 yards and four touchdowns through the air and rushed for 117 yards and a pair of scores. WU led 42-34 after the third quarter but UCM outgained the Bods 224 to 47 in the fourth.
Washburn dropped to 5-3 on the season, seeing its playoff hopes take a big hit.
“There were times in the first half where we had blown assignments and guys were wide open and guys just not doing their jobs,” Schurig said. “In the second half, it certainly seemed like we had the opportunity to get the quarterback down and end the drive. Or when we had an opportunity to make an interception, we didn’t do it.
“Guys were in position to make plays, but against a good team, you’ve got to make a play. If you keep giving them extra chances they’re going to get after you.”
WU quarterback Blake Peterson hit James Brania-Hopp for a 28-yard TD to give WU an eight-point lead on the last play of the third quarter, but UCM scored 1:29 into the fourth quarter on a 32-yard run from Bolles to get within a point.
Dylan Albertson then intercepted Peterson and the Mules scored on the next play with a 34-yard TD to Kyrion Parker to go up 49-42 with the two-point conversion. The Mules tacked on a 18-yard TD pass to Kolby Wilkerson and a 30-yard run from Devante Turner to put it out of reach.
“I think we just beat ourselves,” said WU safety Heath Tucker, who had a game-high 16 tackles. “We need to make more plays. We had two interceptions hit us off the chest, one of them was mine. We just have to be better when the plays are presented to us. We can’t let a team score 60 points and expect to win.”
Washburn cut Central’s lead to 27-21 with just five seconds left in the first half on Carey Woods’ 15-yard catch in the corner of the end zone.
“That was huge right before half, because our guys felt, ‘Hey, we make a couple stops and we’ll take the lead,’ and that’s essentially what happened,” Schurig said. “We took the lead and had everything going in our favor. Then their offense answered and we didn’t answer back.”
Peterson tied a Washburn record by accounting for six touchdowns (three rushing and three passing). The record is shared by Barry Griffiths (against Emporia State in 1988) and Dane Simoneau (against Pittsburg State in 2009).
The Washburn Rural product finished 25 for 36 passing for 312 yards through the air, while Brania-Hopp had a career-high 139 receiving yards and Zach Willis rushed for 144 yards on 14 carries.
“We played great the first three quarters, as good as you can ask for,” Peterson said. “The fourth quarter we just didn’t get it done. When you know you’re playing an offense as potent as them, you know you have to score, and we didn’t do that. Turned the ball over twice on their side of the 50 and you know they’re going to get two scores out of that. I gotta take care of the ball.”
Turner rushed for 96 yards and three TDs for UCM (6-2). Tight end Seth Hebert had five catches for 104 yards.
Washburn has three games left, starting with a road game at Missouri Western next week.
“We need to regroup because we’ve got a football team,” Schurig said. “We’ve got to start showing it, though.”
Central Missouri … 13 … 14 … 7 … 28 … — … 62
Washburn … 7 … 14 … 21 … 0 … — … 42
FIRST QUARTER
UCM — Bolles 2 run (Langer kick), 6:44. Drive: 13 plays, 85 yard, 4:17 time of possession.
WU — Peterson 1 run (Schmiedeler kick), 5:14. Drive 4-45, 1:31.
SECOND QUARTER
UCM — Turner 3 run (kick blocked), 1:59. Drive: 10-71, 3:12.
WU — Peterson 1 run (Schmiedeler kick), 10:56. Drive: 10-42, 4:09.
UCM — Turner 5 run (Langer kick), 4:26. Drive: 11-81, 3:13.
UCM — Hebert 16 pass from Bolles (Langer kick), 0:40. Drive: 11-78, 1:51.
WU — Woods 15 pass from Peterson (Schmiedeler kick), 0:05. Drive: 5-65, 0:35.
THIRD QUARTER
WU — Brania-Hopp 23 pass from Peterson (Schmiedeler kick), 12:14. Drive: 4-85, 1:25.
UCM — Hebert 13 pass from Bolles (Langer kick), 11:31. Drive: 3-41, 0:32.
WU — Peterson 1 run (Schmiedeler kick), 6:02. Drive: 13-69, 5:21.
WU — Brania-Hopp 28 pass from Peterson (Schmiedeler kick), 0:00. Drive: 3-55, 0:56.
FOURTH QUARTER
UCM — Bolles 32 run (Langer kick), 13:23. Drive: 6-66, 1:29.
UCM — Parker 34 pass from Bolles (Bolles rush), 12:10. Drive: 1-34, 0:08.
UCM — Wilkerson 18 pass from Bolles (kick blocked), 3:55. Drive: 2-29, 0:13.
UCM — Turner 30 run (Langer kick), 3:55. Drive: 2-29, 0:13.
Attendance — 5,721.
GAME IN FIGURES
… UCM … WU
First downs … 35 … 27
Rushes-yards … 53-306 … 48-244
Passing yards … 23-36-0 … 25-37-1
Comp-Att-Int … … 23-36-0 … 25-37-1
Punts-Avg. … 3-38.7 … 5-35.6
Fumbles-lost … 3-2 … 1-28
Penalties-yards … 3-38 .. 5-42
Time of possession … 29:44 … 5-42
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — UCM: Bolles 18-117, Turner 15-96, Wilkerson 15-78, Wilkerson 15-78, Echols 2-8, Parker 1-5, Hebert 1-4, Team 1-(minus 2). WU: Willis 14-144, Stewart 14-54, Brania-Hopp 3-24, Peterson 14-9, Woods 1-7, Williams 1-3, Letcher 1-3.
PASSING — UCM: Bolles 23-36-0 356 yards. WU: Peterson 25-36-1 312 yards, team 0-1-0.
RECEIVING — UCM: Zachery 6-60, Hebert 5-104, Wilkerson 4-72, Turner 3-27, Parker 2-52, Siglar 2-17, McMullin 1-24. WU: Brania-Hopp 7-139, Hamilton 6-54, Woods 5-57, Horner 4-49, Meier 2-19, Hubert 1-(minus 6).
PUNTING — UCM: Davidson 3-38.7. WU: Schmiedeler 5-35.6.
LEADING TACKLERS — UCM: Rhodes 11 unassisted-2 assisted, Bell 7-2, Lackey 5-2, Miller 4-3. WU: Tucker 8-8, Pfannenstiel 6-3, Durham 5-3, McGreevy 4-4.
SACKS — UCM: Miller 1.5, Crane 1.0, Flagel 0.5. WU: Durham 1.5, Urban 0.2.
INTERCEPTIONS — UCM: Albertson.
