HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State have made a habit of producing instant classics the last three years. After FHSU claimed two straight wins in Maryville, each by one point, the Bearcats countered with a 36-33 double overtime at Lewis Field Stadium Saturday in front of 6.137 at Lewis Field.
Dante Brown’s 56-yard field goal as time expired tied the game 26-26 to force overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns on their first overtime possession. After the Tigers fumbled on 3rd-and one on their second possession, the Bearcats Parker Sampson hit a 38-yard field goal to lift the Bearcats to a 36-33 win which in all likelihood ends the Tiger playoff hopes.
The Tigers (7-3) came out on fire, scoring the game’s first 17 points and led 17-0 at the 13:36 mark of the second quarter. Dante Brown hit a 25-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive. Harley Hazlett crossed the goal line on a nine-yard touchdown run on the final play of the first quarter. An NWMSU fumble deep in Tiger territory set up 20-yard touchdown pass from Hazlett to Manny Ramsey.
The Bearcats (9-1) used big plays to get back in the game. Quarterback Braden Wright found Gus Gomez for a 54-yard pass that took the ball down to the FHSU one yard line. Wright then plunged into the endzone one play later to get teh Bearcats on the board.
The Bearcat defense stuffed a Tiger run on fourth and one near midfield then scored three plays later when Wright found Imoni Donadelle on a 42-yard touchdown pass to pull within 17-14.
Chance Fuller threw the first of his two interceptions near midfield on the Tigers next possession which led to a 41-yard Parker Sampson field goal which tied the game 17-17 just over six minutes after FHSU built its 17-point lead.
After a Northwest punt pinned the Tigers at their own one, the Bearcats tackled Te’Corey Tutson in the endzone for a safety to give the Bearcats a 19-17 lead at halftime.
The Tigers retook the lead on the first possession of the third quarter, getting down to the NWMSU 10 before Dante Brown booted a 27-yard field goal top put FHSU up 20-19.
The Bearcats responded with a 9-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a 9-yard pass from Wright to Justin Rankin to put Northwest back on top 26-20.
Brown’s third field goal, a 38-yarder with 12:25 to play cut the gap to 26-23. After neither team could muster much over the next five possessions, FHSU got the ball back with 1:05 to play. Three straight pass completions of 12, 24, and 15 yards moved the ball to the Northwest 30 yard line with 12 seconds remaining. A sack pushed the ball back to the 39 with five seconds to play setting up Brown’s career-long 56-yard field goal to force overtime.
Northwest scored a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Wright to Donadelle on thier first overtime possession. The Tigers responded with a 25-yard strike from Fuller to Dandre Reed.
Harley Hazlett fumbled when he reached the ball out trying to convert on third an one. The Bearcats then kicked to game-winning field goal.
Fuller had 342 passing yards, completing 30-of-54 attempts. Ramsey finished with a team-high 115 receiving yards, followed by Hazlett with 86. The Tigers struggled to just 33 rushing yards, led by Te’Corey Tutson with 26. Jordan Starks led the Tiger defense with 12 tackles and an interception, while Drew Harvey added 10 tackles.
Wright led the Bearcat offense with 279 passing yards and 96 rushing yards. Donadelle had a team-high 70 receiving yards for NWMSU. Blake Bayer and Jackson Barnes had a team-high eight tackles each.
The Tigers close out the 2019 regular season next Saturday at Northeastern State.