The Tiger football team fell to the 7th-ranked Griffons of Missouri Western by a score of 21-3 in Hays on Saturday evening. It was the third straight ranked opponent for the Tigers, who fell to 0-4 overall and 0-4 in the MIAA with the loss. Missouri Western moved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA.
Chris Brown Postgame News Conference
Coaches Interview
Addie Brown Postgame Interview
Player Interview
Game Highlights
Game Highlights
Fort Hays State did a much better job of keeping its defense off the field by putting together time-consuming drives in the first quarter. They had the ball for 9:22 in the opening frame of the game to keep the high-powered Griffon offense off the field. Missouri Western scored a touchdown on its first drive of the game on a 19-yard pass from Travis Partridge to Kyle Knox and led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Fort Hays State freshman kicker Drew O’Brein pulled the Tigers within four at the 11:51 mark of the second quarter with a 48-yard field goal, the longest of his young college career. It also tied the eighth-longest field goal in FHSU history.
After the field goal, the Griffons put together a methodical 11-play drive that took 5:29 to push its lead to 14-3. Partridge found Tarrell Downing for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 6:18 remaining in the opening half.
The Tigers moved inside the Griffon 40-yardline three times in the second half, but every time fumbled the ball ending in turnovers. Missouri Western sealed the game with a 1-yard run for a touchdown by Partridge at the 11:32 mark of the fourth quarter, ending a 12-play, 81-yard drive.
Addie Brown led the Tiger rushing attack with 87 yards on 11 carries. Tarean Austin completed 17-of-30 passes for 112 yards and ran for 45 yards on 11 attempts. Grant Brown and Addie Brown each had three receptions.
Layton Hickel led the Tiger defense with 10 tackles. Aaron Burton, Basil Bandy, Austin Hubert and Tyler Richards and all had sacks in the game and Keke Paul had the lone Tiger interception. The Tigers held Missouri Western to 427 yards of total offense, the first opponent the Tigers have held under 500 yards this year.
Michael Hill, one of the top rushers in Division II, had 198 yards on the ground for the Griffons on 26 carries. Travis Partridge was 13-of-24 passing in the game with two touchdowns and a rushing touchdown to his credit. Mike Jordan and Marc Harrison led the Griffon defense with six tackles.
Fort Hays State goes on the road next week to Truman (3-1, 2-1 MIAA). The game is set for 1 pm on Saturday (Sept. 29) in Kirksville, Mo.
– FHSU Sports Information –