By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabod football team wrapped up its home slate on Saturday at Yager Stadium, falling 37-23 to the No. 4-ranked Pittsburg State Gorillas in WU's Senior Day contest.
Washburn outscored Pittsburg State 10-7 in the second half but couldn't overcome the 30-13 hole it dug itself in the first half.
"I'm proud of the way our kids responded at halftime,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said. "The defense did a great job and kept giving us chances and we finally got some points and got it to a one score game but then we just couldn't turn the table on it.
"That's why they're undefeated in conference. They're undefeated for a reason and they made the plays when they needed to. We obviously needed to play cleaner and play better.''
The Ichabods (6-4 overall, 6-4 MIAA) opened the scoring on their first drive of the game when Jared Taylor, making his first Washburn start, connected on a slant pass to James Letcher Jr., who scampered 84 yards to give WU a 6-0 advantage after the extra point went off the upright.
James Letcher Jr. (13) celebrates his 84-yard touchdown with Washburn lineman Andrew Funk during Saturday's 37-23 Senior Day loss to Pittsburg State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn quarterback Jared Taylor threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns in his first start for the Ichabods. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Pitt State scored the next nine points, getting an 8-yard TD run by Caleb Lewis with 10:30 to go in the first quarter and a safety with 5:50 left in the period after the Ichabods held the Gorillas on a fourth down from the Washburn 3.
After the Ichabod free kick, the Gorillas (9-0, 9-0 MIAA) marched 34 yards on eight plays, going up 16-6 just before the end of the opening quarter.
The Ichabods cut into the PSU lead on their first drive of the second quarter when Talon Peters scored from 6-yards out to trim the Washburn deficit to 16-13 with 13:07 to play in the half.
The Gorillas stretched the lead to 10 at 23-13 on their next drive with 8:59 to play in the half. The Ichabods turned it over on their next drive and PSU needed seven plays to push its margin to 30-13.
Washburn scored on its second drive of the third quarter when Taylor hit Matthew Simmons on a 2-yard toss as the Ichabods pulled back within 10 points at 30-20 with 5:34 to play in the third.
Pitt State was picked off on its first play by Channon Ross and Kameron Lake connected on a 44-yard field goal to pull Washburn within seven points at 30-23.
The Gorillas finished off the scoring early in the fourth quarter, pushing their lead back to 14 at 37-23 with 14:02 to play.
Taylor finished 20 of 38 passing for 251 yards with two touchdowns while Letcher had five catches for 127 yards.
With his yardage total Letcher went over the 1,000-yard mark for the year, pushing his season total to 1,005 to become the first Ichabod since James Brania-Hopp had 1,144 in 2018.
Grant Bruner had a game-high 14 tackles for Washburn, giving him 127 on the season (ranking sixth on the single-season chart). Derrick McClenton had 11 tackles.
Washburn was limited to 11 yards rushing and was outgained by the Goriilas, 425 yards to 262.
Washburn will finish-off the regular season at Missouri Southern on Nov. 12.
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