(Maryville, MO) — The No. 14-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team won its eighth straight home game with a 42-20 dispatching of the No. 24-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Saturday at Bearcat Stadium.
The Bearcats benefited from a three-touchdown game from running back Quincy Torry, a two-touchdown performance from tight end Trevor Spady and a 37-yard pick six from defensive back Baruch Hasabu to power past the Mules. Northwest is 4-1 overall and 3-1 in MIAA action. UCM is 4-2 overall and 3-1 in MIAA play.
The Bearcats are 10-1 when facing UCM with both teams ranked in the AFCA Top 25 poll. The Bearcats ran for 279 yards and three touchdowns while their defense limited Central Missouri to 29 rushing yards. Northwest has yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season.
Northwest built a 14-0 first-quarter lead behind two Quincy Torry rushing touchdowns and a defense that forced three Central Mo. punts before the visitors’ late drive. After an early stop and a 50-yard Davis Barr punt, Northwest moved 65 yards on its second possession, with Zechariah Owens completing passes of 25 yards to Trevor Spady and 9 yards to Erwin Nash before Torry converted fourth-and-1 with a 16-yard touchdown run at 6:35. The defense answered with a three-and-out, helped by DeKarai Weaver’s pass breakup on third down, and the offense followed with another scoring march from the Northwest 48, using gains from Owens, Jaron Cannon Jr. and Te’Shaun Porter before Torry scored from four yards out at 2:17. Central Mo. reached the Northwest 9-yard line on the final play of the first quarter, but Northwest still finished it ahead 14-0.
The Bearcats answered Central Mo.’s short-field touchdown with a 75-yard drive, using an 18-yard third-down run by Te’Shaun Porter and a 12-yard completion from Owens to Torry before Owens hit Spady for a 21-yard touchdown and Mo Alwaely’s extra point made it 21-7. Earlier, Central Mo. opened the second quarter inside the Northwest 10, but Kaden Lutjen-Williams broke up a third-down pass before a missed 39-yard field goal, then later added another breakup and a sack to help force a punt. Central Mo. got its score after Desmond Dhaenens muffed that punt at the Northwest 9, with the visitors recovering at the 7 and finishing the short drive to make it 14-7. After the Bearcats’ touchdown response, Eric Smith III and Ray Smith III combined on a third-down sack, and Torry’s 32-yard run created one last chance before an interception at the goal line as halftime arrived with Northwest ahead 21-7.
Northwest opened the third quarter with an eight-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that moved the lead to 28-7, with Owens hitting Gatlin Samuel for 40 yards and Cooper Warren for 17 before Torry scored from the 1. Central Mo. answered with a 75-yard drive, converting once on fourth down and scoring on a 14-yard pass before missing the PAT to leave Northwest ahead 28-13. After Northwest was forced to punt, the defense halted Central Mo.’s next possession when Elijah McFadden intercepted a third-down pass at the Northwest 27 and returned it 4 yards. The offense then converted third-and-14 on Torry’s 23-yard run and added a 17-yard completion from Owens to Porter, reaching the Central Mo. 31 as the third quarter ended with Northwest leading 28-13.
The Bearcats opened the fourth quarter in scoring position and converted, using a pass-interference penalty and Cannon’s 17-yard run to set up Owens’ 5-yard touchdown pass to Spady at 14:08, with Alwaely’s extra point making it 35-13. Less than a minute later, Baruch Hasabu intercepted Jordan Pachot and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, and Alwaely’s extra point pushed the score to 42-13. It was Hasabu’s first career pick-six. The defense added another takeaway when Jack Jansen sacked Pachot and Nathan Baudry recovered the fumble at the Central Mo. 32, though Northwest turned it over on downs after the short-field chance. The Bearcats also forced a punt on Central Mo.’s next series before Central Mo. put together a late touchdown drive, and Northwest kneeled out the final seconds to finish a 42-20 win.
Torry rushed 12 times for 98 yards and three touchdowns and added a 12-yard reception. Owens completed 12 of 18 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 12 times for 58 yards. Spady caught three passes for 51 yards and two touchdowns after entering the game with one career touchdown reception. Hasabu recorded five tackles and returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown. Kaden Lutjen-Williams led the Bearcats with nine tackles, a sack and two pass breakups.
Next Saturday, Northwest will travel to Hays, Kan., to face the Fort Hays State University Tigers. Kick is set for 7 p.m.
Up next, the Bearcats travel to Hays, Kan., to face Fort Hays State on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m.
