Late TD saves Pitt State homecoming; Missouri State wins 5th straight: Area college football

Action-packed small-college football games were once again the rule across and beyond the Kansas City metro Saturday.

Here’s a rundown of highlights from the weekend:

Pittsburg State, 18, Fort Hays State 17: The Gorillas saved homecoming with some late heroics in Pittsburg, Kansas. Down 17-12 late, Pitt State’s Malik Berry got a hand on a Caleb Heavner pass and safety Jordan Rogers hauled in the interception and returned it to the Fort Hays State 21-yard line with under three minutes left. A few plays later, Jack Roberts secured a diving catch in the end zone on a Chad Dodson Jr. pass that resulted in the one-point victory.

Pittsburg State, No. 7 in the NCAA Division-II coaches poll, has won four straight and stands at 6-1. The Gorillas will have a MIAA showdown on Oct. 26 at Central Oklahoma. The Bronchos improved to 7-0 with a 64-57 victory at Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on Saturday.

Missouri State 46, Indiana State 21: The homecoming victory in Springfield, Missouri, has the Bears on a five-game winning streak and 3-0 in the Missouri Valley. Missouri State quarterback Jacob Clark completed a pass to tight end Lance Mason that went for an 82-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The Bears scored 29 points in the second half while holding the Sycamores to 90 yards in the half.

Clark completed 22 of his 27 passes for 379 yards with three TDs. Clark also ran one in from 5 yards out in the fourth quarter. Caleb Dietlin had two sacks for the Bears. It is the Missouri State program’s first five-game win streak since 1996.

Central Missouri 35, Northwest Missouri State 30: The Mules won for the first time in Maryville since 2003, and on the Bearcats’ homecoming no less. And a wild one it was: Central Missouri’s Zach Patterson had 152 yards receiving, most of those on a 73-yard TD — which tied the score 21-21 — and then on a 63-yard flea-flicker that put the Mules up 35-27 in the fourth quarter. The Mules’ Isaac Montgomery picked off a Chris Ruhnke pass and returned it 100 yards for a TD in the third quarter. Central Missouri QB Zach Zebrowski finished with 325 yards passing and three TDs.

Baker 67, William Woods 28: Manowa Ngenzira returned a blocked punt 8 yards for a touchdown that put the Wildcats up 19-0 on their way to the rout in Fulton, Missouri. Gabe Martin ran for 114 of Baker’s 326 rushing yards. Martin got one into the end zone on a 38-yard run. Baker QB Truman Juelsgaard ran in three TDs. Adrion Seals (Eudora High) scored on a 68-yard pass from Sam Heggemann for Baker.

Missouri S&T 49, William Jewell 28: The Cardinals fell behind 28-0 by halftime and were unable to catch up on homecoming in Liberty. William Jewell’s Keaundre McCullough gained 161 yards on 26 carries with a TD. Jewell’s Eric Ohmer hauled in an interception. The Cardinals (3-4) have lost four straight.

Washburn 42, Missouri Southern 21: The Ichabods, who came in on a three-game skid, cracked this one open early with three first-quarter touchdowns in Topeka. Washburn defensive tackle Chase McCoy picked off a pass and returned it 20 yards to the house in the third quarter. Draper Parker had eight receptions for 69 yards for Missouri Southern.

Benedictine 48, Missouri Baptist 14: The Ravens raced out to a 31-0 lead as part of homecoming in Atchison, Kansas. It was Benedictine’s fourth straight victory. Ravens quarterback Jackson Dooley (Lawrence High) completed 23 of 36 passes for 308 yards and three TDs, including a 46-yarder to JaShawn Todd in the second quarter. Todd also scored on a run and finished with three TDs overall for Benedictine, 6-1.

Ottawa 33, Saint Mary 30: The Braves won their first game on the season at homecoming in Ottawa. Senior running back Jordan Clay ran in what turned out to be the winning TD from 8 yards out with 5 minutes, 45 seconds left in the game after Saint Mary had taken a 30-25 fourth-quarter lead. Clay finished with 155 rushing yards with four touchdowns. De’Anthony Curtis added nine receptions for 92 yards with a TD for Ottawa.

MidAmerica Nazarene 34, Missouri Valley College 7: The Pioneers improved to 6-0 with the homecoming victory in Olathe. Shawn Cherry rushed for 144 yards on 16 carries for MidAmerica Nazarene, while Pioneers QB Adrian Parsons threw four TD passes, two of them to freshman Aiyo’n Carter. There were 183 yards worth of penalties in the game (13 for 119 yards by Missouri Valley alone).

Nebraska Kearney 24, Missouri Western 23: The Lopers’ Kyle Failing booted a 33-yard field goal right through the Griffons’ homecoming with 2 seconds left in the game in St. Joseph. Tyler Carey had two receiving TDs for Missouri Western. Griffons defensive lineman Grant Finley had three sacks.

Kansas Wesleyan 38, Avila 3: Avila lost its sixth consecutive game, this one to Kansas Wesleyan in Salina, Kansas. Juan Delgado-Medina connected on a 46 yard field goal for Avila. Delgado-Medina played in high school at Bishop Ward in KCK.

Upper Iowa 31, Lincoln 3: Lincoln dropped to 1-6 on the season. Lincoln QB Isaiah Tate completed 16 of 25 passes for 156 yards despite being sacked eight times in the home game in Jefferson City. Renard Willis picked off a pass for Lincoln.