By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabod football team fell behind early and could not recover in a 51-34 MIAA loss to Northwest Missouri on Hall of Fame Saturday in Yager Stadium.
Former Highland Park star Tre Richardson compiled 201 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns in Washburn's 51-34 MIAA loss to Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Ichabods will be on the road next week at Fort Hays State with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
The Bearcats (4-2 overall, 4-1 MIAA) jumped out to a 20-0 lead midway through the second quarter after Northwest Missouri used two first-quarter touchdowns and two second-quarter field goals to start the game.
The Ichabods (1-4, 1-3) scored two touchdowns in the final 1:50 of the opening half to cut the lead to a one score game at 20-14 going into the break.
The first score came on a 13-yard touchdown strike from Sam Van Dyne, who saw his first action of the season, to Maury Sullivan with 1:50 to go in the second quarter.
Former Washburn Rural star JC Heim returns a fumble to the Northwest 2-yard-line in Saturday's 51-34 Washburn loss to the Bearcats. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Keller Hurla scores on a 5-yard run in Washburn's 51-34 MIAA loss to Northwest Missouri on Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
On Northwest's ensuing drive, L.J. Minner Jr. sacked the Bearcats' Chris Ruhnke and forced a fumble and freshman JC Heim, a Washburn Rural product, recovered it and rushed 58 yards before being tackled at the Northwest 2-yard-line. Two plays later Keller Hura scored from five yards out with 34 seconds to play cut the Bearcat lead to 20-14 going into the break.
The Bearcats opened the second half with a 12-play, 75-yard drive using 5:32 off the clock to go up 27-14.
On the ensuing kickoff, Washburn muffed the kick, returning the ball back to Northwest and the Bearcats scored two plays later to go up 34-14.
With the Ichabods' first play from scrimmage in the second half at the 8:42 mark of the third quarter, Hurla hit Highland Park product Tre Richardson for an 85-yard touchdown, pulling the Ichabods within 34-21.
Maury Sullivan scores one of his two touchdowns in Saturday's 51-34 Washburn loss to Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Ichabod defense forced a Bearcat punt and eight plays and 55 yards later, Van Dyne connected with Sullivan for his second touchdown pass on a 9-yard strike with under two minutes to play in the third quarter as WU cut Northwest's advantage to 34-28.
Northwest scored a touchdown on its next drive and the Bearcats went up 44-28 with 5:14 to play on a field goal beore the Ichabods' Van Dyne hit Richardson for a 32-yard touchdown pass, but the two-point Ichabod conversion was no good as was the Ichabod onside kick attempt.
On Northwest's next play from scrimmage, the Bearcats scored on a 42-yard run wrapping up the scoring as the Ichabods turned the ball over on their next drive and after a Bearcat punt ran out of time on their final drive.
Van Dyne finished 11 of 27 passing with three touchdowns for 156 yards and Hurla was 5 of 9 for 117 yards and one score.
The Ichabods were led by Richardson on the ground with 23 yards on four carries and through the air with five catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns including 73 yards after catch.
Sullivan had five catches for 61 yards and two scores. Richardson finished with 201 all-purpose yards becoming the first Ichabod since James Letcher Jr. to go over 200 yards when Letcher had 208 in 2022.
Defensively, Minner had nine tackles with six solo stops and Jordan Finnesy was also in on nine stops. Minner added two tackles for loss with a forced fumble and a sack. Christian Ashe had the Ichabods' lone interception.
The Ichabods were outgained 423 to 335 as they were limited to 62 rushing yards compared to 201 for the Bearcats.
