Ichabods seal 31-28 win over Bearcats on late kick

Oct. 8, 2005

Box Score | Season Stats

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Washburn Ichabods' Connor Sabel connected on 23-yard field goal with :04 seconds remaining as Washburn knocked off its second top-five team in a week with a 31-28 win over No. 5 Northwest Missouri. The win lifted the Ichabods to 6-1 overall and alone into first place in the MIAA with a perfect 4-0 record. The loss dropped the Bearcats to 4-1 in the MIAA and 5-2 overall. The win snapped an 10-game losing streak to the Bearcats and ended their 12-game home winning streak in the process. The Ichabods will now return home for Homecoming festivities against Truman on Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium.

Northwest Missouri scored first with a 19-yard field goal after a massive defensive stand to start the game by the Ichabods. After a mishandled snap on a punt, the Bearcats recovered the football at the Ichabod 8 yard line. But the Ichabods defense held and forced the Bearcat field goal. It was the first time the Bearcats scored first in a game this season and did not win.

After the teams traded drives, the Ichabods forced a punt by the Bearcats, but Fletcher Terrell would pick up the first of his two blocked punts on the afternoon and the Ichabods recovered the ball at the Northwest 12 yard line. Two plays later, Trent Hearn scored on a 7-yard run. Hearn would go on to score three rushing touchdowns on the afternoon.

On the Bearcats' next drive, Northwest would drive down to the Ichabod two yard line, but Washburn's Cody Huenefeld would pick off a tipped ball for the interception ending the scoring chance for the Bearcats.

The Ichabods converted the turnover into seven points and they would go on a 17-play, 94-yard drive covering 8:58 on the clock to push themselves to a 14-3 lead. The Bearcats added a field goal with under two minutes on the clock and the Ichabods took a 14-6 lead into the break.

After trading drives, the Bearcats opened the scoring in the second half cutting the Washburn lead to 14-13. Northwest added another touchdown with 44 seconds remaining in the half to lead 21-14 heading into the fourth quarter.

On the Ichabods opening drive of the fourth quarter, Jordan Brill hooked up with Mike Odupitan for a 17-yard touchdown pass and tie the score with the extra point knotting the scoreboard at 21.

After Terrell blocked his second punt of the afternoon, the Ichabods covered 37-yards in five plays as Hearn scored from 3 yards out to push Washburn in front 28-21 with 6:23 to play in the game.

The Ichabods and the Bearcats traded punts and the Bearcats Xavier Omon rushed 11-yard to tie the score with the extra point, the Bearcats again tied the score at 28 with 1:31 to go in the game setting up the Ichabods winning drive.

After taking possession at their own 20 with 1:31 left, Brill hit Hearn for an 11-yard gain. After an incomplete pass, Brill fired and hit Odupitan for a 26-yard pick up to the Northwest 43. After a false start and a Hearn gain of 3 yards, Brill hit Aaron Gardiner for 3 more yards then hit Gardiner again after a time out for 24 yards to put the ball on the Northwest 18. After a delay of game penalty, and no time outs, Brill hit a diving Cason Lehman for 18 more yards putting the ball at the Bearcat 6 yard line. After the Ichabods down the ball to stop the clock, Northwest called a timeout before Sabel's game-winning kick through the uprights with :04 seconds left.

On the Ichabod kickoff, the Bearcats downed the ball and their last second pass was knocked down, ending the game and the 10-game losing streak to the Bearcats for the Ichabods.

Hearn finished the day with 107 yards on 33 carries with three touchdowns. Brill was 21 of 31 for 261 yards and the one touchdown pass to Odupitan, who had six catches for 105 yards.

On defense, the Ichabods were led by Mike Gonzalez, who recorded nine tackles, including seven solo stops and two tackles for loss. Jarod Tetuan, starting at free safety for the second straight week and Grant Gould each had eight tackles.

The Ichabods also had interceptions by Huenefeld and Aaron Neal.