Ichabod offense rolls in win at Missouri Southern

For immediate release - Nov. 6, 2004
Box Score | Season Stats

JOPLIN, Mo. - The Washburn Ichabod offense put up 490 yards of total offense in a 58-43 win at Missouri Southern Saturday afternoon.

The win gave Washburn a 7-4 record for the first time since 1988 and a 6-3 record in the MIAA for the first time in school history. Washburn finished third in the MIAA, their top mark in school history, and will likely be extended a Mineral Water Bowl invitation. The Mineral Water Bowl is Dec. 4 between the top MIAA and Northern Sun teams not to make the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The Ichabods got on the board first on Tyler Schuerman's 3-yard touchdown to Jeff Scott just over five minutes into the game. Mike Odupitan gave WU a 14-3 lead later in the first quarter with his first of three touchdowns from Schuerman with 2:39 left.

After Southern pulled within 14-6, Washburn reeled off 20 straight points by scoring three touchdowns in the second quarter. Odupitan had two touchdown catches and Rawshawn Bland added a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 34-6 with 3:50 left in the opening half.

Southern responded with an 85-yard touchdown on Demarcus Mathes' punt return and added a field goal as time expired to make it 34-17 at the half.

The Lions scored first in the second half to pull within 34-23 on Nathan Emert's 15-yard touchdown pass to Cody Hilburn on their opening drive.

Ra'Shawn Mosely scored on Washburn's first offensive play of the second half by scampering 63 yards for a touchdown. Sam Sissom added a punt return for a touchdown with 1:50 left in the third. Sissom's return went 66 yards for the score to make it 51-29.

Southern responded again with back-to-back touchdowns on passes by Emert. Dustin Bromley caught a 7-yard touchdown before Hilburn added a 36-yard score to pull the Lions within 51-43.

Sissom closed the door on the Lions at the 5:38 mark by hauling in his 14th touchdown reception of the season on a 14-yard strike from Schuerman to help Washburn pull away 58-43.

Schuerman finished with 257 yards on 13 of 20 passing and five touchdowns, while Odupitan had 138 yards in five catches with three scores. Schuerman broke Barry Griffiths record for touchdowns for a season (23) with his mark of 24. Moseley rushed 31 times for 168 yards and a touchdown and became the third Ichabod to rush for 1,000 yards with 1,054 this season.

Fletcher Terrell led the Washburn defense with 14 tackles, four pass break ups and a fumble recovery. Evin Beck added 10 tackles and recorded his first career interception.

Other notes on the game:

Washburn's win
•Lifted the Ichabods to 458-530-44 in its football history
•Gave the Ichabods' second straight win over Missouri Southern
•Improved the Ichabods to 14-20-2 all-time against the Lions
•Gave the Ichabods seventh win in the last 11 seasons in Joplin
•Gave the Ichabods sixth win in the last seven games over the Lions
•Gave the Ichabods a 7-4 overall record and 6-3 record in the MIAA
•Was the first time the Ichabods recorded seven wins in a season since 1988
•Secured third place in the MIAA for the Ichabods, their highest finish since joining the MIAA - the previous high finish was a tie for fifth in the 1990 season (4-6/4-5 MIAA) and the 1999 season (6-5/4-5 MIAA)