By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

Hays, Kan. – Jacob Mezera passed for 309 yards and three touchdown, Shaquille Cooper rushed for 103 yards and two scores as Fort Hays State ended an 11-game losing streak to Missouri Western with a 35-27 win Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field. The Tiger defense came up big in the second half with five sacks and two interceptions and holding the high-flying Griffons below their season average for yardage and points.

Mezera connected on a 41-yard scoring strike to give the Tigers a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter. After the Griffons took the lead back on a 70-yard touchdown pass from Skyler Windmiller to Dijuan Ussery, Mezera found Layne Bieberle on a 36-yard pass which gave Fort Hays State (6-2) the lead for good. He found Charles Tigner on a 5-yard pass late in the second quarter.

Chris Brown Postgame Press Conference

Justin McPhail Postgame Interview

Shaquille Cooper Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Leading 21-19 after three quarters, Cooper scored on touchdown runs of 24 and 49 yards to push the lead to 35-19 with 2:39 to play. The first came after a Sie Doe sack and fumble recovery by Justin McPhail. The second after Rashad Dunnigan’s second interception of the second half.

Alex Schmidtberger led the Tiger defense with a career-high 21 tackles. Sie Doe and Justin McPhail each had two sacks and Kiel Simas one. Doe tied the single-season sack record now with 12.The Tigers finished with five total sacks and 10 tackles for loss, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.