By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football took No. 5-ranked Colorado School of Mines down to the final seconds Saturday in a 31-28 loss at Yager Stadium.
Highland Park product Tre Richardson had 168 all-purpose yards, including an 85-yard touchdown reception, in Washburn's 31-28 loss to No. 5-ranked Colorado School of Mines on Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
And while the loss was tough to take for the 0-2 Ichabods, WU coach Craig Schurig felt like his team took major steps from its season-opening loss to Emporia State.
"I felt like we were more consistent on the offensive side of the ball,'' Schurig said. "We got a nice running game going and we got the ball in the hands of people who can do something with it and had some other near misses, too.
"I thought we showed some resiliency and we're dangerous if we can get some first downs and keep getting touches to guys. We saw that, and we didn't get enough points but we moved the ball much better and more consistently and defensively we toughened up when we had to and that was good to see. We gave ourselves a chance.''
WU quarterback Hayden Clark agreed.
"It was a close game,'' Clark said. "That's a good team and we played better than we did last week. We're improving each week and we've just got to connect on the little things and it will just make a big difference. This was a 3-point difference game.''
The Ichabods trailed 24-21 at the half after the Orediggers, the national runnerup the past two seasons, connected on a 47-yard field goal from Matthew Eich as time expired in the second quarter.
Colorado School of Mines went up 31-21 with a nine-play 80-yard drive in the third quarter but Washburn got back in the hunt with 10:43 left to play on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Keller Hurla to Maury Sullivan.
The Orediggers advanced the ball into Washburn territory on its ensuing possession but the drive stalled on a fourth-down pass incompletion, with Braylon Alexander breaking up the attempt.
Washburn was forced to punt the ball back away with 3:28 left in the game and CSM picked up one first down before being forced to punt after Jordan Finnesy and C.J. Callaghan combined to make a stop on a 3rd-and-3 play for only a 1-yard gain.
The Ichabods took over on their own 19 and moved the ball into Oredigger territory with a pair of 20-yard-plus passes from Clark to Keller and Sullivan.
A key play came when Clark connected with Sullivan for what potentially could have been the game-winning TD after the Orediggers jumped offsides, but the officials blew the play dead before the score.
"He said if (the defender's) unabated they try to protect the quarterback,'' Schurig said. "But we would have liked for it not to be (blown dead). You do the hard count, you want them to jump, you want the free play. Every offense has it, but (the official) felt like he was unabated.''
With time running out, the Ichabods' Trenton Brehm attempted a 44-yard field goal attempt which came up low and short and the Orediggers were able to take a kneel down on the final play to close out the victory.
Washburn (0-2) took a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter when Clark found former Highland Park star Tre Richardson down the middle of the field for an 85-yard touchdown after the Ichaboods took over at their own 5-yard-line.
Colorado School of Mines (2-0) answered right back, however, with Landon Walker rambling for a 75-yard TD to knot the score, and the Orediggers went in front 14-7 after driving 85 yards over 11 plays.
Washburn sophomore D.J. Bell returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in Saturday's 31-28 Ichabod loss to No. 5-ranked Colorado School of Mines. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
This time it was the Ichabods who responded, however, with D.J. Bell taking the ensuing kickoff out of the right side of the end zone, faking a handoff, and going untouched down the left sideline for 100 yards to tie the game at 14.
It was the second kick return touchdown for Bell's career, and the fourth of 100 yards in Ichabod history.
Two drives later Colorado School of Mines got back into the end zone to take a 21-14 advantage, but Washburn was able to even up the score again with its longest scoring drive of the day, spanning 11 plays and going 68 yards.
The drive resulted in a 9-yard touchdown catch and toe drag from Cole Keller in the back corner of the end zone on a pass from Hurla.
The Orediggers broke the tie with the field goal on the final play of the half.
Washburn redshirt freshman quarterback Hayden Clark (left) threw for 166 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 31-28 loss to Colorado School of Mines. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn redshirt freshman quarterback Keller Hurla threw for 92 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's 31-28 loss to Colorado School of Mines. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Redshirt freshmen Clark and Keller split time at quarterback throughout the game and both turned in solid performances.
"It's hard when you're using two,'' Schurig said. "But we feel they both have a skill set. They both kept their head in the game and they both were poised in what they did and both did some really good things and I'm proud of them.''
Clark, who got his first career start, finished with 166 yards and a touchdown passing on a 6 of 11 performance while Hurla was 13 for 17 for 92 yards and a pair of TDs.
"I just felt more comfortable today,'' Clark said. "There were a lot of fans out here on both sides and I just felt like the community came out and supported us and that helped me get more comfortable in this environment.''
Richardson finished with a game-high 99 yards on four receptions while Keller had 53 yards on three catches and Sullivan had three catches for 36 yards while all three players scord touchdowns. Richardson also carried the ball two times for 28 yards.
The Ichabods outgained Colorado School of Mines through the air, 258 to 255 yards, while the Orediggers held the advantage on the ground, 212 yards to 141.
The Miners finished with 467 yards of total offense while Washburn finished with 399 yards.
Walker led the Orediggers with 142 rushing yards and all four Mines touchdowns on 18 carries while quarterback Evan Foster, an Olathe South product, went 24 of 30 through the air for 255 yards.
Defensively, Finnesy led the way for Washburn with eight total tackles while L.J. Minner had seven stops with one sack and a forced fumble and Cadeden Spencer and Callaghan finished with six tackles.
The Ichabods will be back at Yager Stadium on Saturday, taking on Pittsburg State in a 1 p.m. MIAA contest.
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES 31, WASHBURN 28
Colorado School of Mines (2-0) 7 17 7 0 -- 31
Washburn (0-2) 7 14 0 7 -- 28
First quarter
Washburn -- Richardson 85 pass from Clark (Brehm kick), 5:26
CSM -- Walker 75 run (Eich kick), 5:15
Second quarter
CSM -- Walker 1 run (Eich kick), 12:37
Washburn -- Bell 100 kickoff return (Brehm kick), 12:22
CSM -- Walker 6 run (Eich kick), 3:49
Washburn -- Keller 9 pass from Hurla (Brehm kick), 0:21
CSM -- Eich 47 field goal, 0:00
Third quarter
CSM -- Walker 8 run (Eich kick), 7:38
Fourth quarter
Washburn -- Sullivan 8 pass from Hurla (Brehm kick), 10:43
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing -- Colorado School of Mines: Walker 18-43, Tate 9-42, Foster 6-22, Barnes 1-3, Mickelsen 1-3. Washburn: Hurla 7-32, Carter 4-28, Richardson 2-28, Sullivan 1-20, Robinson 2-18, Bowden 4-12, Garnett 4-9, Clark 5-(minus)-6.
Passing -- Colorado School of Mines: Foster 24-30-0, 255 yards. Washburn: Hurla 13-17-0, 92; Clark 6-11-0, 166.
Receiving -- Colorado School of Mines: McLeod 8-94, Schiele 7-90, Walker 4-19, Stones 3-27, Tate 1-14, McCurdy 1-11. Washburn: Richardson 4-99, Keller 3-53, Sullivan 3-36, Bell 2-25, Carter 1-12, Oitker 1-12, Brown 1-8, Haynes 1-7, Harmison 1-6, Robinson 1-2, Bowden 1-(minus)-2.
Punting -- Colorado School of Mines: Doud 5-43.0. Washburn: Zeller 4-41.2; Wilhelm 1-53.0.
Tackles -- Colorado School of Mines: Ramsey 4 solo-3 assists-7 total; Barker 4-3-7. Washburn: Finnesy 4-4-8, Minner 5-2-7.
Attendance -- 6,442.
