Missouri State, Jewell, Central Missouri collect victories: 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:

Missouri State 49, Northern Iowa 42: The Bears outscored Northern Iowa 28-21 in the second half and earned the victory in a shootout a Cedar Falls, Iowa. Missouri State has won six straight and is 6-2 — 4-0 in the Missouri Valley. Bears quarterback Jacob Clark connected on 20 of 29 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Jacardia Wright rushed for 145 yards on 17 carries with two TDs for Missouri State.

William Jewell 28, Southwest Baptist 27: At Bolivar, Mo., a 4th-quarter rushing TD by Keaundre McCullough proved to be the game-winner for the Cardinals, who snapped a 4-game skid. McCullough — 2nd-team all-Great Lakes Valley Conference at RB last year — had 140 yards on 33 carries.

Central Missouri 31, Washburn 28: In a back-and-forth Homecoming game in Warrensburg, Weston King rushed for a 1-yard TD at the 14:56 mark of the final quarter, and that proved to be the deciding points. It was King’s only carry of the afternoon. LaAngelo Bell was the Mules’ workhorse, carrying it 23 times for 113 yards. QB Zach Zebrowski passed for 2 TDs for UCM (5-3, 3-3). For Washburn (2-6, 2-5), Sam Van Dyne threw for 3 TDs but was picked off twice. Tre Richardson caught 11 of his passes for 229 yards and 2 TDs.

Fort Hays State, 53, Missouri Southern 9: The Tigers dominated on Senior Day in Hays, Kan. De Soto High product Shane Watts scored on a 79-yard TD run that put FHSU up 27-3 in the 3rd quarter. He finished with 201 yards and 2 TDs on 19 carries. The Tigers’ John Johnson had 7 solo tackles and an INT.

Pittsburg State 35, Central Oklahoma 21: The Gorillas went down to Edmond, Okla., and took care of business with 28 first-half points in this MIAA showdown. Pitt State is 7-1 (6-1 MIAA). Central Oklahoma is 7-1 (5-1). Luke Niggemann’s 66-yard TD run put the Gorillas up 21-7 in the second quarter.

Tabor 41, Avila 28 (OT): Avila (1-7, 0-2) rallied for 11 fourth-quarter points to force OT. And QB Eli Williams was instrumental, passing for two TDs and running for 92 yards on 15 carries. But with the Eagles needing a TD after Tabor had gone ahead in OT, he threw a pass that Tabor (4-4, 2-0) returned for a pick-six.

Baker 62, Central Methodist 7: It was all Baker, all the time in Baldwin City, Kan. QB Truman Juelsgaard threw for two TDs and ran for a third as the Wildcats (6-1, 3-1) held their visitors to 97 total yards. Central Methodist fell to 0-8 (0-3).

Sterling 27, Ottawa 21: At Sterling, Kan., the visiting Braves (1-7, 1-1) rallied for 14 points in the final period but couldn’t catch the host Warriors (1-7, 1-1). Sterling QB Rocklin Baptista was 15 of 30 for 183 yards and 3 TDs. Ottawa’s Taylor Eggers threw for 3 TDs but was picked off twice.

Kansas Wesleyan 38, Saint Mary 19: At Leavenworth, Kan., the visitors scored all their points before halftime in doubling up the Spires (1-6, 0-2). Luke Armstrong was the hammer for Kansas Wesleyan (4-4, 2-0), rushing for 260 yards and 3 TDs on 19 carries.

Missouri S&T 63, Lincoln 21: Nico Wideman scored a 49-yard TD on a pass from Isaiah Tate, cutting Missouri S&T’s lead to 28-14 in the second quarter at Rolla, Missouri. Jareese Howard finished with 119 yards rushing on 11 carries for Lincoln.