MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 11-ranked Northwest Missouri State Univeristy football squad hammered the No. 8-ranked Emporia State University Hornets on Homecoming, 59-14.
The Bearcats scored three defensive touchdowns and rushed for 321 yards while extending their home-field winning streak to nine in a row. Northwest’s win pulls it into a tie for the lead in the MIAA standings with the Hornets. Northwest is 7-1 overall and 6-1 in MIAA play. ESU is 8-1 overall and 6-1 in league action.
Running back Quincy Torry was honored as the Don Black Award winner, given to the Bearcat MVP of the Homecoming game. Torry rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns. It is his third 100-yard rushing game this season and seventh of his career.
Cody Simoncic scored Northwest’s first defensive touchdown of the game when he fell on a fumble in the end zone with 6:01 left in the first quarter. Bearcat punter Davis Barr had put the Hornets on the one-yard line with a punt that went out of bounds.
Torry put the ‘Cats up 17-7 on a 12-yard touchdown scamper with 13:46 left in the second quarter.
Jayden Welch scooped up another ESU fumble and rumbled 33 yards for another Bearcat defensive score with 13:10 left in the second quarter. Welch’s touchdown gave Northwest a 24-7 cushion.
Zechariah Owens delivered a 35-yard touchdown with 3:00 left in the first half to stake Northwest to a 31-7 lead.
David Jacquez ripped an interception away from the Hornets with 12:46 remaining in the third quarter. Jacquez then ran 63 yards for a touchdown to up the Bearcat margin to 38-7.
Torry punched in his second rushing score of the game from two yards out wtih 9:36 left in the third.
ESU ended the Northwest scoring run at 35 in a row when the Hornets were able to take advantage of a short field. The Hornets scored a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jamison Sarver to Ethan Schultze with 8:14 left in the third quarter to slice the Northwest lead to 45-14.
Northwest added a pair of big-play touchdowns to close out the scoring that included a 65-yard touchdown run by quarteraback Mason Shorb and a 51-yard scoring strike from Shorb to Trevor Spaedy for the 59-14 victory.
Northwest will travel to Missouri Western next week for a 2 p.m. kick at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo.
NOTES: Northwest honored 15 senior players and five staff members prior to Saturday’s game as a part of Senior Day … Northwest extended its home-field win streak to nine in a row … head coach John McMenamin is 9-0 at home with the Bearcats … Northwest increased its series lead to 39-3 vs. Emporia State … Northwest is 22-2 in games played in Maryville, Mo. … head coach John McMenamin is 5-4 vs. ranked opponents in his coaching career … Northwest is 22-2 when the Bearcats allow 29 or fewer points … Northwest is 12-0 when scoring 30 or more points under coach McMenamin … Northwest is 310-55 all-time as a ranked team … Northwest has scored five defensive touchdowns this season … Bearcat punter Davis Barr punted six times for a 46.0 average and four of his punts were downed inside the 10-yard line.
