KEARNEY, Neb. – The No. 11-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football squad put together a 27-10 road victory against the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers at Cope Stadium.
The Bearcats used a career-high 160 rushing yards from Quincy Torry and a stingy defensive unit that limited UNK to 31 rushing yards and only 11 first downs. The Lopers went 2-of-16 in third-down conversions.
Northwest improved to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the MIAA. UNK dropped to 1-7 overall and 1-5 in the MIAA. The victory clinched the 31st consecutive winning season in program history, which is the longest active streak among NCAA Div. II schools.
The first half featured 11 punts with six for UNK and five for the Bearcats. Northwest limited UNK to minus-14 yards rushing in the opening half.
Northwest cracked the scoreboard on a 66-yard passing play from Zechariah Owens to Tommy Hutsler with 3:17 left in the second quarter. Hutslter caught the pass near the 50-yard line and then sped down the Bearcat sideline for the first score of the game. Hutsler came into the game having caught four passes for 44 yards. The 66-yard score was the first collegiate touchdown for Hutsler. Mo Awaely added the extra point to give Northwest a 7-0 lead.
The Lopers were able to get on the scoreboard late in the second quarter. Former Bearcat kicker Kaden Kiernan drilled a 43-yard field goal to pull UNK to within 7-3 with :03 left in the opening half.
Northwest wasted little time in denting the scoreboard in the second half when Quincy Torry took a handoff from Owens and scampered 75 yards down the Bearcat sideline accompanied by offensive tackle Kaleb McCullough. Torry’s score was his 10th rushing score of the season and allowed him to surpass the 100-yard rushing mark for the sixth time of his career. Torry rushed the ball 19 times for a career-high 160 yards.
UNK pulled within 14-10 when the Lopers connected on their first passing touchdown of the season. UNK quarterback Devin Tate hit on a 50-yard touchdown pass to Austin Ayobamidele with 8:22 remaining in the third quarter.
The Lopers looked to pull within one with a 37-yard field goal attempt with 1:29 left in the third quarter. However, the Lopers tried to a fake field goal and pass went incomplete handing the ball over on downs to the Bearcats.
Northwest took advantage of the UNK miscue with a couple of chunk plays that included a 22-yard pass to Trevor Spacy and a 15-yard scramble by Owens. Jaron Cannon Jr. capped the drive as he took a direct snap and scored a two-yard touchdown with 11:39 left in the fourth quarter. It was Cannon’s fourth rushing touchdown of the season for the first-year running back from Omaha North High School.
Mason Shorb hit tight end Andrew Waltke for a three-yard touchdown pass with 4:14 left in the game to close out the game’s scoring. The conversion failed and Northwest held a commanding 27-10 lead that would prove to be the final.
Eli Bertz led the Bearcats in total tackles with nine. Eric Smith III secured a game-high two sacks. David Jacquez collected five tackles and a sack.
Northwest will return to action next week with its annual Homecoming contest against Emporia State. Kick is set for 2 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
Box Score: NW Missouri St v. UNK
