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FHSU lands unprecedented 21 players on 2017 All-MIAA Team

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association released the 2017 All-MIAA Football Team on Tuesday (Nov. 14). Fort Hays State had a new program record 21 players named to the team, including eight first-team selections, while three earned special honors. Nathan Shepherd earned Defensive Player of the Year, Brandon Brown earned Special Teams Player of the Year, and Chris Brown earned Coach of the Year.

Shepherd, the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, was a unanimous first-team selection on the defensive line, drawing special attention from opposing coaching staffs from week-to-week. He has had a big impact on the defensive play of the Tigers by often drawing double-team, and sometimes triple-team coverage from offensive lines. His impact up front has allowed the Tigers to hold opponents to less than 300 yards per game (292.6), helping the team rank among the top 25 in total defense nationally. Shepherd has 37 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and four sacks from his defensive tackle position. He recently has been invited to participate in the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl, held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Brandon Brown, the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year, led the MIAA in kicking points for the regular season with 91. That gives Brown a new single season record for kicking points at FHSU, breaking the record of 88 he set last year. Brown is 15-of-20 on field goal attempts this year, while knocking through all 46 of his point-after-touchdown attempts. Eleven of Brown’s 15 field goals are from 30 or more yards this year. He also averages 58.3 yards per kickoff and has 36 touchbacks this season. He was named the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week five times throughout the course of the regular season. Brown earns first-team honors at kicker this year after a third-team selection last year.

Head Coach Chris Brown earns his first MIAA Coach of the Year honor, guiding the program to its first-ever MIAA Championship in undefeated fashion. Now in his seventh year guiding the program, Brown steadily built Fort Hays State into a contender in the MIAA, improving in wins year-by-year over the first five seasons of his tenure. Last year, he took the Tigers to their second straight bowl game and first-ever bowl win, reaching eight wins for the second straight year. This year, FHSU is making its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs since 1995 with an undefeated mark of 11-0, which has the Tigers three wins past their previous program high for wins in a season. Brown now has a record of 49-30 at FHSU, but since the start of 2015, has a record of 27-8.

Joining Shepherd and Brown as first-team selections are running back Kenneth Iheme, wide receiver Monterio Burchfield, offensive lineman Travis Talley, linebacker Jose Delgado, and defensive backs Kamon Clayton and Doyin Jibowu.

Iheme is a unanimous selection at running back after a third-team selection last year. Iheme leads the MIAA in rushing yards with 1,218, averaging 110.7 yards per game. He ranks 13th in the nation in rushing yards. He averages 139.3 all-purpose yards per game, second in the conference only to MIAA Offensive Player of the Year J.T. Luper from Central Oklahoma. Iheme has 1,532 all-purpose yards for the year, adding 314 receiving yards to his rushing total. In his career, Iheme has 2,407 rushing yards and 3,300 all-purpose yards to rank eighth in school history for both categories.

Burchfield, a junior wide receiver, has made his presence known in his first year with the Tigers, hauling in 44 passes for 911 yards and eight touchdowns so far. He has the seventh-most receiving yards for a season in school history. Earlier this year, he had a 217-yard receiving game against Central Oklahoma, the fourth-highest single-game receiving yard total in program history. He has three games this year where he produced at least 173 receiving yards.

Talley is in his fifth year with the program and has been the starting right tackle for the Tigers since the beginning of the 2016 season. He has been the senior anchor on a young offensive line that helps the Tigers produce 452.9 yards of total offense per game. He has helped the team produce six 200-yard rushing games this season. This is Talley’s first All-MIAA honor.

Delgado, a junior linebacker, leads the team in tackles this year with 94. He ranks 31st nationally in tackles per game and fourth in the MIAA. He was an honorable mention pick at linebacker last year and already has 272 tackles in his career at FHSU, seventh on tackles list in Fort Hays State’s NCAA Division II history. He has added 3.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, and three pass break-ups to his resume this year.

Clayton, a senior cornerback, is in his second year with the Tigers. After seeing time as a reserve defensive back last year, Clayton shifted to cornerback for the Tigers this year and has been rock solid. He leads the team in 12 pass break-ups, while recording 36 tackles. He is fourth in the MIAA in pass break-ups.

Jibowu has put together a solid all-around season at the bandit defensive back position. He has 56 tackles to rank fourth on the team, but leads the team in interceptions and ranks second in the MIAA with five. He is third on the team in pass break-ups with nine. Now in his junior season, Jibowu has 213 tackles and seven interceptions in his career. He is now a two-time All-MIAA selection, after third-team honors in 2015 as a redshirt-freshman.

Second-team honors this year go to junior quarterback Jacob Mezera, sophomore tight end Matt Wendelberger, and junior defensive lineman Wyatt Parker.
Mezera has been steady guiding the Tiger offense this year, currently with 2,654 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, while completing 66.2 percent of his passes. He averages 241.3 passing yards per game. He has 5,207 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in his career. This is the second All-MIAA honor of Mezera’s career after an honorable mention selection last year.

Wendelberger has been key with his physicality at tight end, used often as a blocker, but he has also been instrumental in the passing game. He has 22 receptions for 252 yards this year and two touchdowns, averaging 11.5 per catch. This is also his second All-MIAA honor after an honorable mention selection last year.

Parker leads FHSU defensive linemen in tackles with 51, which includes 2.5 sacks, 5.5 drops for loss, and a forced fumble at defensive tackle. He is helping the FHSU defense rank 11th nationally against the run.

Third-team honors go to Charles Tigner at running back, Donald Blackmon and Pat Kelly on the offensive line, and Dante Brown at punter.

Tigner has been a great complement to Iheme at running back this year, putting together 631 rushing and 116 receiving yards. Add in 37 kick return yards, Tigner has 784 all-purpose yards for the season. The sophomore already has nearly 1,500 all-purpose yards in just two years on the field at FHSU.

Blackmon and Kelly have also been staples on the offensive line this year, starting every game at their respective positions. Blackmon has played every game at left guard, while Kelly has played every game at left tackle. Both have been key to the Tigers’ offensive success this year of scoring at least 30 points in nine of 11 games this year.

Dante Brown is one of the top punters in the nation this season, averaging 43.5 yards per attempt. Brown currently ranks sixth in the nation in punting average. The top two punters by average nationally are the first and second team selections this year, Justin Marcha’ of Emporia State and Zach Davidson of Central Missouri. Brown has placed 18 kicks inside the 20 this year, and 19 punts that have been at least 50 yards.

Honorable mention nods go to wide receivers Tyler Bacon and Harley Hazlett, defensive backs Tanner Hoekman and Connor Shedeed, defensive lineman Luke Wright, and linebacker Kolt Trachsel.

Bacon is in his fifth year with the program and has been a steady performer for the Tigers as a slot receiver the past two years. The senior has 36 catches for 376 yards this year and two touchdowns. He has 813 receiving yards on 84 receptions in his career.

Hazlett, a sophomore, is in his first year with the Tigers after transferring from Garden City (Kan.) Community College. He has been a versatile offensive player, catching 17 passes for 225 yards and rushing for 83 yards on 17 carries. Add on 115 kick return yards and eight interception return yards, Hazlett has 431 all-purpose yards this season. He had the game-deciding touchdown and game-saving interception at Northwest Missouri State that lifted the Tigers to their first-ever MIAA Championship.

Hoekman, a sophomore playing the bandit defensive back position, ranks second on the team in tackles with 77. He has started every game at the bandit back dating back to the start of the 2016 season. He also has an interception return for a touchdown this year and two fumble recoveries.

Shedeed is a junior free safety that ranks third on the team in tackles with 65. He also has one interception and two pass break-ups this year. He has a total of 153 tackles in his three seasons on the field for FHSU. This is his first all-conference selection.

Wright, a senior defensive lineman, earns his first all-conference nod now in his fifth year with the program. He has started all games this year, putting together 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two pass break-ups.

Trachsel, a sophomore linebacker, earns all-conference honors for the first time in his career. He has 51 tackles this season, including 5.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. He also has an interception return for a touchdown and three pass break-ups.

2017 All-MIAA Football Team

MIAA Offensive Player of the Year – JT Luper, WR, Central Oklahoma
MIAA Defensive Player of the Year – Nathan Shepherd, DL, Fort Hays State
MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year – Brandon Brown, K, Fort Hays State
MIAA Freshmen of the Year – Devante Turner, RB, Central Missouri
MIAA Coach of the Year – Chris Brown, Fort Hays State

First Team (Offense)
QB – Brook Bolles, Central Missouri
RB – Kenneth Iheme, Fort Hays State**
RB – Devante Turner, Central Missouri
WR – Justin Brown, Emporia State
WR – Monterio Burchfield, Fort Hays State
WR – JT Luper, Central Oklahoma**
TE/FB – Seth Hebert, Central Missouri
OL – Kane Barker, Central Missouri
OL – Codey Funk, Pittsburg State
OL – Bob Marco, Washburn
OL – Sam Noble, Central Oklahoma
OL – Travis Talley, Fort Hays State
K – Brandon Brown, Fort Hays State
PR/PR – Corey Ballentine, Washburn
**=Unanimous selection

First Team (Defense)
DL – Austen Eskew, Northwest Missouri
DL – Jonathan Harris, Lindenwood
DL – Simanu’a Thomas, Pittsburg State
DL – Nathan Shepherd, Fort Hays State**
LB – Ben Althoff, Northwest Missouri
LB – Gabe Cleveland, Emporia State
LB – Jose Delgado, Fort Hays State
LB – Cody Lindsay, Missouri Western
DB – Kamon Clayton, Fort Hays State
DB – Doyin Jibowu, Fort Hays State
DB – Marcus Jones, Northwest Missouri**
DB – Monteze Latimore, Central Missouri
DB – D.J. Olmstead, Washburn
P – Justin Marcha, Emporia State
**=Unanimous selection
Team Reflects Tie in the Voting

Second Team (Offense)
QB – Jacob Mezera, Fort Hays State
RB – Landon Nault, Emporia State
RB – Michael Rose, Pittsburg State
RB – Koby Wilkerson, Central Missouri
WR – Shawn Bane, Jr., Northwest Missouri
WR – Gary McKnight, Jr., Northeastern State
WR – Jaylen Zachery, Central Missouri
TE/FB – Matt Wendelberger, Fort Hays State
OL – Hayden Eatinger, Missouri Western
OL – Zach Flott, Northwest Missouri
OL – Chris Gomez, Central Missouri
OL – Max Oeser, Missouri Western
OL – Thomas O’Grady, Emporia State
K – Tyler Basch, Missouri Western
PR/PR – Kendell Sparks, Lindenwood

Team Reflects Tie in the Voting

Second Team (Defense)
DL – Tre Vaughn Ammons, Emporia State
DL – Darrian Bass, Missouri Western
DL – Caleb Mather, Northwest Missouri
DL – Wyatt Parker, Fort Hays State
DL – Trey Parker, Washburn
LB – Alex Figueroa, Central Oklahoma
LB – Derrick McGreevy, Washburn
LB – Austin Miller, Central Missouri
LB – La’More Wise, Northeastern State
DB – Corey Ballentine, Washburn
DB – Marcus Brantley, Pittsburg State
DB – Anthony Lane, Northwest Missouri
DB – Jonathan Owens, Missouri Western
DB – Bakari Triggs, Lindenwood
P – Zach Davidson, Central Missouri

Team Reflects Tie in the Voting

Third Team (Offense)
QB – Chas Stallard, Central Oklahoma
RB – Calen Campbell, Lindenwood
RB – Mickeel Stewart, Washburn
RB – Charles Tigner, Fort Hays State
WR – Josh Crockett, Central Oklahoma
WR – Austin Panko, Pittsburg State
WR – Kyrion Parker, Central Missouri
WR – Deantrell Prince, Lindenwood
TE/FB – Jordan Grove, Northwest Missouri
OL – Donald Blackmon, Fort Hays State
OL – Pat Kelly, Fort Hays State
OL – Akil Williams, Lindenwood
OL – Bo Farrow, Pittsburg State
OL – Kyle Hinton, Washburn
K – Alex Langer, Central Missouri
PR/PR – Austin Panko, Pittsburg State

Team Reflects Tie in the Voting

Third Team (Defense)
DL – Carson Smith, Central Oklahoma
DL – Hinwa Allieu, Nebraska-Kearney
DL – Bobby Gruenloh, Northwest Missouri
DL – Ben Spaeth, Northwest Missouri
LB – Colton Lindsey, Central Oklahoma
LB – Nick Hess, Northwest Missouri
LB – Ethan Fugitt, Pittsburg State
DB – George Brown, Nebraska-Kearney
DB – Omari Cole, Central Oklahoma
DB – Brandin Dandridge, Missouri Western
DB – Diaron Rhodes, Central Missouri
DB – Darrius Williams, Lindenwood
P – Dante Brown, Fort Hays State

Honorable Mention
Central Missouri: Jake Heckler, OL; Connor Flagel, DL; Triphinue Taylor, DL; Garrett Cline, Long Snapper; Wes Thomas, WR; Alex Lackey LB

Central Oklahoma: Caleb Moss, TE; Noah Hammons, OL; Aaron Williams, OL; Riley Galyon, DB; Stephan Robinson, DB; Alex Quevedo, K

Emporia State: Braxton Marstall, QB; Louis Dailey, WR; Gary Woods II, DB; A.J. West, DB; Jake Warehime, OL; Estevan Arana, OL

Fort Hays State: Tyler Bacon, WR; Harley Hazlett, WR; Tanner Hoekman, DB; Luke Wright, DL; Kolt Trachsel, LB; Connor Shedeed, DB

Lindenwood: Evan Pumphrey, OL; Ace Rogers, DB; Michael Crowder, P; Lucas Beddow, OL; Antonio Davis, DL; Najee Jackson, QB

Missouri Southern: Aaron Leo, OL; Chris Williams, DE; Alex Wade, S; Carter Rees, S; Mike Dzierzega, OL; Roc Robbins, LB

Missouri Western: Shawn Rouse, OL; Austin Burau, TE; Ian McIntosh, FB; Nate Iloilo, DL; Shamar Griffith, KR/PR; Jonathan Owens, KR/PR

Nebraska-Kearney: Josh Stoltenberg, OL; Tye Spies; DL; Sal Silvio, LB; Dallas Vaughn, DB; Malik Webb, DB

Northeastern State: Brian West, OL; Zac King, WR; Caleb Hash, OL; Michael Davis, FB; T’nheous Smith, DL; La’Vonte White, DB

Northwest Missouri: Zach Martin, QB; Shane Williams, WR; Clayton Wilson, TE; Ryan Huff, OL; Tanner Owen; OL; Samuel Roberts, DL

Pittsburg State: Jovon Wilson, TE; Zach Thomas, OL; Bradley Payne, DL; Morgan Selemaea, LB; Darian Taylor, LB; Juante Baldwin, DB; Josh Hornback, DB; Carnell Lewis, DB; Jared Vincent, K

Washburn: James Brania-Hopp, WR; Peter Pfannensteil, DB; Ca

No. 6 Wichita State overpowers College of Charleston

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – Senior center Shaquille Morris had 18 points and 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes to lead No. 6 Wichita State past College of Charleston 81-63 on Monday night.

Morris was 7 of 11 from the floor and part of the Shockers (2-0) dominating the interior. Fellow senior post players Rauno Nurger (16 points) and Darral Willis (14 points) found success inside and helped Wichita State to a 44-27 rebounding advantage.

Shockers starting guards Landry Shamet and Conner Frankamp each scored 10 points.

Grant Riller scored 20 points for College of Charleston (1-1). He had 18 of those in the second half.

Joe Chealey added 14 points for the Cougars.

Wichita State led 47-22 at halftime. The Cougars went just 5 of 23 from the floor in the half. Willis and Morris combined for 24 first-half points.

Charleston shot 14 of 28 in the second half.

BIG PICTURE:

College of Charleston: The Cougars were still without Jarrell Brantley, a preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association selection, due to a knee injury. But they outscored Wichita State in the second half to make it respectable.

Wichita State: Facing a significantly better defense in its second game, Wichita State’s offense was still overpowering at times despite the absence of last season’s leading scorer, Markis McDuffie. He is out another month with a stress fracture in his left foot.

UP NEXT

College of Charleston: The Cougars play Saturday night at Charlotte before heading to the Great Alaska Shootout.

Wichita State: The Shockers have a week to prepare for the Maui Invitational. Wichita State’s first game will be Nov. 20 against California.

Brown and Iheme earn MIAA football Athlete of the Week honors

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State had two players earn MIAA Football Athlete of the Week honors on Monday (Nov. 13). Kenneth Iheme earned Co-Offensive Athlete of the Week, while Brandon Brown earned Co-Special Teams Athlete of the Week. This is the third time this season Iheme earned the Offensive Athlete of the Week honor, while it is the fifth time this season Brown earned Special Teams Athlete of the Week.

Iheme shares the offensive honor this week with Josh Crockett of Central Oklahoma. Iheme produced his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season with exactly 100 yards on the ground in a 41-7 win over Nebraska-Kearney. He also caught two passes for 14 yards, giving him 114 all-purpose yards for the day. Iheme moved up to eighth on the all-time rushing list at FHSU, now with 2,407 yards in his career. Iheme has rushed for an MIAA-best 1,218 yards this season. Crockett led UCO in receiving with six catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns in the Bronchos 62-21 win over Northeastern State.

Brown shares the special teams honor this week with Austen Eskew of Northwest Missouri State. Brown had 11 kicking points in the 41-7 win over Nebraska-Kearney and was perfect on all five PAT attempts in the game. With 91 points on the season, Brown broke his own single-season record for kicking points at FHSU, passing the mark of 88 points he set last season. Eskew blocked a pair of Missouri Western punts in a 30-0 victory in the regular-season finale. Eskew got his hands on a first quarter punt that helped set up the Bearcats at the Griffon 27 yard line. In the second quarter, Eskew again disrupted a Missouri Western punt that Northwest recovered on the 20 yard line. Five plays later, the Bearcats would score on a one-yard touchdown run.

The Tigers have now had honorees in 10 of 11 weeks this season, including Jacob Mezera (Week 1 Offensive Athlete of the Week), Brandon Brown (Weeks 1, 4, 7, 10, and 11) Special Teams Athlete of the Week), Nathan Shepherd (Week 2 Defensive Athlete of the Week), Monterio Burchfield (Week 3 Offensive Athlete of the Week), Jose Delgado (Week 5 Defensive Athlete of the Week), and Kenneth Iheme (Weeks 6, 9, and 11 Offensive Athlete of the Week).

Tigers climb another notch in AFCA Poll

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WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State moved up another notch in the AFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, released on Monday. The Tigers are now No. 4 in the nation, hopping over Midwestern State in the latest rankings. FHSU will enter the NCAA Playoffs with a record of 11-0 after running the table in conference play for an MIAA Championship.

Fort Hays State moved up one spot, while the top three remained the same. Minnesota State holds the No. 1 ranking, while Shepherd (W.Va.) is No. 2 and Indiana (Pa.) is No. 3. FHSU trailed Midwestern State by seven voting points last week, but leapt the Mustangs this week by 10 votes.

Minnesota State, the No. 1 team in the nation for three straight weeks now, received the No. 2 seed in Super Regional 4. In that regional, Central Washington is the No. 1 seed, currently sitting at No. 7 in the national rankings, and Midwestern State is the No. 3 seed, currently at No. 5 in the national rankings. The top three seeds in Super Regional 4 are all undefeated yet.

Overall in the national poll, eight undefeated teams remain as the NCAA Playoffs begin. Aside from the three undefeated teams in Super Regional 4, Super Regional 3 has two in Fort Hays State and Indianapolis. Super Regional 1 also has two (Indiana and Shepherd), and Super Regional 2 has one (Virginia State).

Shepherd, ranked No. 2 nationally, is also a No. 2 seed in Super Regional 1. You have to go to the No. 3 ranked team in the nation to find the first No. 1 seed in a Super Regional bracket, that being Indiana (Pa.) of Super Regional 1. Fourth-ranked FHSU is the second-highest ranked No. 1 seed in the playoffs at No. 4, right behind Indiana (Pa.). Interestingly, West Alabama, the No. 1 seed in Super Regional 2, is the 17th-ranked team in the nation.

Fort Hays State will take a week off with the bye as the No. 1 seed in Super Regional 3. The Tigers will await the winner of Ferris State vs. Ouachita Baptist for a second-round game on November 25 at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays.

Below is the AFCA Top 25 Poll for November 13, 2017.

Rank School (1st votes) Record Points Previous
1. Minnesota State (22) 11-0 834 1
2. Shepherd (W.Va.) (7) 10-0 800 2
3. Indiana (Pa.) (2) 11-0 778 3
4. Fort Hays State (Kan.) (3) 11-0 730 5
5. Midwestern State (Texas) 9-0 720 4
6. Indianapolis (Ind.) 11-0 672 6
7. Central Washington 11-0 661 7
8. Texas A&M-Commerce 9-1 602 8t
9. Ashland (Ohio) 10-1 584 10
10. Ferris State (Mich.) 9-1 542 11
11. Virginia State 10-0 514 15
12. Winona State (Minn.) 10-1 471 17
13. Northwest Missouri State 9-2 359 18
14. Bowie State (Md.) 9-1 353 19
15. Assumption (Mass.) 9-1 333 8t
16. Wingate (N.C.) 9-1 285 12
17. West Alabama 9-2 272 22
18. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 9-2 268 13
19. Shippensburg (Pa.) 10-1 261 25
20. Colorado State-Pueblo 9-2 223 23
21. Humboldt State (Calif.) 8-2 174 16
22. Colorado Mesa 9-2 147 14
23. Minnesota-Duluth 9-2 108 NR
24. Eastern New Mexico 8-2 90 20
25. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 9-2 72 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Findlay (Ohio), 49; California (Pa.), 40; Catawba (N.C.), 35; Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 18; Delta St. (Miss.), 12; West Georgia, 10; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 9; Harding (Ark.), 9; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 4; West Florida, 4; Central Missouri, 3; Kutztown (Pa.), 1; LIU-Post (N.Y.), 1; Ohio Dominican, 1; Tuskegee (Ala.), 1.

Strong support from fans, community help lift FHSU football team to new heights

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FHSU University Relations

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN
FHSU University Relations

A collective cheer went up from the crowd in Gross Memorial Coliseum Sunday afternoon when fans saw “Fort Hays State University” pop up on the new interactive scoreboard with the numeral 1 before its name.

But the FHSU basketball teams were nowhere in sight.

While both the Tiger men’s and women’s basketball squads have each played two games this year, it’s still football season at Fort Hays State as well.

Following a perfect 11-0 season, the Tigers learned Sunday at a viewing of the selection show in GMC that they are the top seed in Super Region 3 for the 2017 NCAA Division II Football Playoffs.

That’s a lot to say in one breath, but it sure is a sweet sound, says anyone associated with FHSU football.

“Fort Hays State football is the talk of the town,” said Mike Karl, a former FHSU football player who has lived in Hays for nearly 50 years. “Even people who haven’t really been associated with Fort Hays football are talking about it. It’s such a positive thing for our university, a great thing for the entire community.”

While working their way through a grueling schedule in the MIAA – widely known as one of the top two Division II conferences in the country – the Tigers have drawn fans to Lewis Field Stadium in droves.

A new tailgating program with reserved spots for the entire season, implemented for the 2017 season, has been well received. Game attendance for the NCAA Division II era of Tiger athletics has far surpassed the former record for home games. Average attendance this season is 4,800, with a season-high 6,875 for Homecoming.

No one might be more thankful for those numbers than Chris Brown, the Tigers’ head coach, who is well aware of the “12th-man” effect on his team.

FHSU University Relations

“Our fans are a huge part of our success at Lewis Field,” Brown said. “Our players feed off their energy and excitement. They want to do anything they can to win games for the university, the Hays community and for each other.”

The Tigers hope to give fans something to cheer about for weeks to come. Their first playoff game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 – two days after Thanksgiving – at Lewis Field Stadium. Ticket information can be found at fhsuathletics.com.

Brown said the team has plenty to be thankful for this year, making the Division II playoffs for only the third time ever and the first time since 1995, when many of this year’s players weren’t even born.

“Our fan support has been tremendous this year,” Brown said. “We really appreciate the support from our Tiger fans and the atmosphere they bring to Lewis Field.”

The team’s success not only has helped boost attendance at home games. It also has helped put a lot of black and gold in the stands at road games.

About 500 FHSU fans were in attendance in Maryville, Mo., on Nov. 4 as the Tigers pulled out an exciting 13-12 victory over two-time defending champion Northwest Missouri State University. It was Brown’s first win over Northwest Missouri State since he took over as the Tigers’ head coach before the 2011 season, and it clinched FHSU’s first MIAA football title.

The scene on the Bearcats’ field following the game was full of electricity as fans took photos of the team and its new MIAA championship trophy. Many of those fans traveled the 300-plus miles to Maryville for the game, and many more were from the strong FHSU alumni base in and around the Kansas City area.

Some of them were former players of Brown’s who helped build the foundation for returning a winning tradition to FHSU. Before Brown took over, the program recorded just one winning season in six years. Under Brown, the Tigers improved their record by one victory in each of the first five years and have advanced to postseason play three years running.

“We never imagined they would get to this point this fast,” said Layton Hickel, who was a senior in Brown’s first season as FHSU, then served as a graduate assistant coach for the Tigers for two years. “As a former football player, this has just blown my mind.”

Hickel now works and coaches at a high school in Independence, Mo., and he attended both the game in Maryville and the one vs. Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph in October.

“My wife and I are both Fort Hays grads,” Hickel said, “so this is really special.”

About 400 more fans watched the game vs. Northwest Missouri State at a watch party at Big Creek Crossing in Hays. The game was live streamed onto a large screen in the former Midwest Drug business space.

Nancy Stramel from Hays, a fan who couldn’t make the trip to Maryville, said the watch party was the next best thing to being there in person.

“It was decorated with balloons and posters, and we had great temperature and great seats,” said Stramel, a longtime season ticket holder at Lewis Field Stadium. “It was great to be with a whole group, cheering on the Tigers.”

Melissa Dixon – executive director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, which sponsored the event – said another such watch party might be organized for an away playoff game.

But that will be a while. If the Tigers keep winning, they will be at home for at least two more games, and possibly one more before heading to Kansas City, Mo., for the national championship game on Dec. 16.

Whether it be in Lewis Field Stadium, some field far away from Hays or live-streaming it in their living room, the importance of that kind of fan support is not lost on Brown or his players.

“Without their encouragement and support,” Brown said, “none of this would be possible.”

Running back Kenneth Iheme, in his sixth year with the Tiger program, agreed.

“When we were down 17-0 to Pittsburg State on Homecoming, I was looking at the crowd and thinking, ‘All these people are here to see us win. We can’t let them down.’ ”

Iheme and the Tigers made a comeback and won that game – and the next five games as well en route to their perfect regular season.

“We definitely have our fans and the crowd behind us,” Iheme said. “We know they’re here for a reason, and it helps us try harder.”

Karl, who played for the Tigers in the late 1960s and early ’70s, has followed the Tigers ever since. His son, Scott, was a part of the last FHSU team that qualified for the Division II playoffs in 1995.

“This is so much fun right now,” Karl said. “I wake up on Monday morning and can’t wait until Saturday to get here. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that way.”

Nathan Shepherd selected to play in NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

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On Sunday, Fort Hays State senior defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd was given a notice from Head Coach Chris Brown of his selection to play in the National Football League Players Association Collegiate Bowl at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The game will take place on January 20, 2018.

Shepherd will get to display his talent before an audience of NFL scouts and general managers. He will have an opportunity to compete with the top college players in the nation at the legendary Rose Bowl Stadium. The game will air nationally on Fox Sports 1. Last year, nearly 200 scouts, general managers, and head coaches representing NFL teams were present. Over 60 percent of the participants in the game were on opening day NFL rosters this season.

Shepherd was an All-America Honorable Mention selection by the Don Hansen Football Committee last year and is a two-time All-MIAA selection, earning second team honors last year and third team honors in 2015. In his three years at FHSU, he has 167 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks.

Brady, Patriots send Broncos to fifth straight loss

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DENVER (AP) – Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and the New England Patriots matched their own AFC record with their 12th consecutive road victory, pummeling the Denver Broncos 41-16 on Sunday night.

These teams have represented the AFC in the last four Super Bowls, and the Broncos (3-6) were hoping a visit from their rivals would help shake them from their funk, one that included a 28-point loss at Philadelphia a week earlier. With a win, “the swag, the energy in this locker room, it’ll skyrocket,” suggested Aqib Talib.

Instead, the Broncos fizzled.

They saw their losing streak reach five games, their longest skid in seven seasons, and they lost back-to-back games to the Patriots (7-2) in Denver for the first time since 1966.

Avoiding Von Miller all night and throwing for 266 yards on 25-of-34 passing, Brady improved to 8-9 against the Broncos, the only team he has a losing record against, and won for just the fourth time in 11 trips to Denver.

His 86th regular-season road win broke a tie with Peyton Manning for most all-time.

The Patriots also won a dozen consecutive road games from 2006-08. The NFL record is 18 set by the Joe Montana-led San Francisco 49ers from 1988-90.

Tigers receive No. 1 seed in Super Regional 3 of NCAA Division II Playoffs

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INDIANAPOLIS – Fort Hays State received the No. 1 seed in Super Regional 3 of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs, announced on Sunday (Nov. 12). With the No. 1 seed, the Tigers receive a bye past the first round and will host a second-round game at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays on Saturday, November 25 at 1 pm.

National Bracket

Fort Hays State’s opponent will be the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup in the Super Region. Ferris State (Mich.) is the No. 4 seed and plays host to No. 5 seed Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) on Saturday, November 18. Ferris State is 9-1, while Ouachita Baptist is 9-2.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 seed Indianapolis (11-0) hosts No. 7 seed Harding (8-3), while No. 3 seed Ashland (10-1) hosts No. 6 seed Northwest Missouri State (9-2). Both of those games are on Saturday, November 18.

With the No. 1 seed, Fort Hays State has home field advantage within the Super Region. If the Tigers win on November 25, they will host the Super Regional Final on Saturday, December 2. After that, the NCAA reseeds the national semifinals, so the chosen No. 1 and No. 2 seeds by the NCAA will host national semifinal games on December 9. The national championship game is on Saturday, December 16 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, home of Major League Soccer club Sporting KC.

This is Fort Hays State’s first NCAA Playoff appearance since 1995 and third overall. Fort Hays State will play its first-ever home game in the NCAA playoffs. In 1993 and 1995, the Tigers went on the road in the opening round of the playoffs and lost both times. In 1993, FHSU lost 37-34 at California-Davis, and in 1995, FHSU lost at Texas A&M-Kingsville 59-28. The Tigers will be looking for their first-ever NCAA Playoff win on November 25.

Ticket Information for Playoffs
Season ticket holders will be able to reserve their seats for the first home playoff game on Monday, November 13 from 8 am to 4:30 pm by calling the Athletic Department at 785-628-4050 or stopping by the office in Cunningham Hall 138. Tickets not reserved on Monday will be released to the public on Tuesday.

Tickets for the general public will go on sale Tuesday, November 14th at 8 am. The tickets for the general public will be available online at www.fhsuathletics.com, by phone at 785-628-4050, or in the Athletic Department located in Cunningham Hall 138. Ticket sales will be week-to-week, pending the advancement of FHSU in the playoffs. There is no package for the entire playoffs.

Ticket prices will be $14 for a reserved seat (west side), $10 for a general admission seat (east side), and $5 for youth K-12. The tailgating rules will remain the same as they have all year, with the lot opening up 4 hours before kickoff and closing at kickoff. The reserved tailgating spaces and the VIP parking lot will also continue throughout the playoffs.

Texas closer to bowl-eligible with win over Kansas

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Shane Buechele connected with Lorenzo Joe on a 49-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and the Texas defense forced four first-half turnovers in a 42-27 win over Kansas on Saturday night.

Texas got a small measure of revenge for the Longhorns’ shocking loss at Kansas last season, a defeat that doomed former coach Charlie Strong, who was fired a week later. Texas’ struggles have continued under new coach Tom Herman, but the victory got Texas (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) a step closer to becoming eligible for their first bowl game since 2014 with two games left.

Antwuan Davis returned a first quarter interception for a touchdown and Toneil Carter and Lil’Jordan Humphrey added scoring runs as Texas built a 35-17 lead by halftime.

Texas set up three first-half touchdowns with turnovers and ended another Kansas drive in the end zone with an interception. Carter Stanley passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns, but had three turnovers in the first half. The Jayhawks (1-9, 0-7) have just three Big 12 wins over the past seven seasons.

Buechele passed for 249 yards.

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas: The Jayhawks had been shut out in their previous two Big 12 road games, but fought to stay in this one if not for the disastrous first half of turnovers. The defense even knocked around Buechele and dropped an interception that would have been a sure-fire touchdown. Of Texas’ first four touchdown drives, only one started beyond midfield.

Texas: The Longhorns offense still struggled for long stretches and the defense had one of its more uneven outings in weeks, giving Herman something new to worry about in a late-season fight for a bowl game. The secondary clearly missed suspended cornerback Holton Hill, who will not return this season. A change at kicker resulted in another missed field goal.

UP NEXT

Kansas plays at No. 5 Oklahoma next Saturday.

Texas plays at West Virginia next Saturday with a chance to earn a sixth win to become bowl-eligible.

Sioux Falls comes from behind to beat Tigers in overtime

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EMPORIA – The Fort Hays State Tiger men’s basketball team is used to battling tough with Sioux Falls in the MIAA/NCIS Challenge and Saturday was no different with the Tigers falling in overtime 96-92 at White Auditorium in Emporia.

The Tigers opened the game on 11-4 run and built their largest lead at 34-18 with 6:19 to play in the first half but Sioux Falls answered with a 20-6 run the end the first half and cut the Tigers lead to 42-38 at halftime.

Sioux Falls took a 53-52 lead with 16:10 to play in the second half and lead by as many as eight at 62-54 with just under 14 minutes left in the second half.

The two teams traded baskets for much of the rest of the game with neither team lead by more than six.

The Cougars took a two point lead with just eight second left but Kyle Kimmamon made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 87 and force overtime.

The Tigers took their only lead of the overtime at 92-91 on an Aaron Nickolson three-point but the Cougars scored the final five points of the game on their way to the 96-92 win.

Mark Johnson postgame

Highlights

Brady Werth lead the Tigers with a new career-high 30 points and Hadley Gillum added 15.

Drew Guebert led all scorers with 32 for Sioux Falls and Trevon Evans added 31.

The Tigers fall to 1-1 on the season and will host Central Christian College Nov. 15.

FHSU completes undefeated regular season with win over Lopers

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HAYS, Kan. – One week after clinching their first MIAA title, the Fort Hays State Tigers wrapped up their first undefeated regular season in 100 years after beating Nebraska-Kearney 41-7 in front of 5,128 on a cool, damp day at Lewis Field. The Tigers picked up 450 yards of offense and turned three UNK turnovers into 14 points to move to 11-0.

Chris Brown Postgame Interview

Layne Bieberle Postgame Interview

Tanner Hoekman Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Senior Trae Regier returned the opening kickoff 50 yards setting up the Tigers first touchdown, a two-yard run from fellow senior Kenneth Iheme. Harley Hazlett hauled in a one-yard shovel pass from Jacob Mezera to push the lead to 20-0 with 7:25 to play in the second quarter.

Tanner Hoekman returned in interception 33 yards for a touchdown with 35 seconds to play in the quarter to give the Tigers a 27-0 lead at halftime.

Matt Wendelberger caught a three-yard pass for a touchdown and Isaiah Blackmon capped a 15-play, 76-yard drive to cap the scoring. The Tigers closed out the game with a 21-play, 90-yard drive that ate the final 11:08 off the clock.

The Tigers rushed for 205 yards led by Kenneth Iheme who has 100 on 14 carries. Jacob Mezera completed 25 of 34 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Layne Bieberle and Harley Hazlett both had eight receptions. Bieberle had 105 yards and Hazlett 64.

FHSU will find out their playoff fate Sunday when the pairings are announced at 4pm.

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Grier, Crawford help No. 23 Mountaineers beat K-State

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MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Grier threw for 372 yards and four touchdowns, Justin Crawford added 113 yards rushing and No. 23 West Virginia overcame its early mistakes to hold off Kansas State 28-23 on Saturday.

Ka’Raun White had eight catches for 168 yards and two scores, and David Sills V also had a pair of TD catches, helping the Mountaineers (7-3, 5-2) stay alive in the race for the Big 12 title game.

The Wildcats (5-5, 3-4) closed to 28-23 early in the fourth quarter, but an offense down to third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson couldn’t get its team all the way back.

Thompson threw for 159 yards with two interceptions in his first career start for the Wildcats, who still need a win to become bowl-eligible for the eighth consecutive year. Dalvin Warmack added 96 yards rushing and bruising fullback Winston Dimel reached the end zone twice.

The nip-and-tuck game was indicative of the series: The last three meetings had been decided by eight points total, including the Mountaineers’ 17-16 comeback win in Morgantown last year.

They tried to fumble this one away early on, coughing it up twice in the damp, cold weather. Grier also threw a pair of first-half interceptions, one of which was returned inside their 5.

But Kansas State stumbled while trying to take advantage of the mistakes.

The Wildcats had to settle for a pair of early field goals, which West Virginia wiped out with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Grier to White, and struggled to put together sustained drives.

Sills added his two TD catches as the Mountaineers finally hit their stride.

Still, Kansas State got within 21-20 and had the ball in the closing seconds of the first half when Thompson was picked off on a poorly designed screen play. West Virginia had time for one play, and Grier scrambled long enough to find White in the end zone with a 30-yard touchdown pass.

The Wildcats’ defense stiffened in the second half, but their offense still couldn’t do much. Matt McCrane missed a 32-yard field goal — coach Bill Snyder argued in vain that it went through the uprights — before hitting from 29 yards to make it 28-23 with 12:44 to go.

Kansas State was trying to take the lead when Thompson was picked by Kenny Robinson deep in West Virginia territory. And even though the Wildcats’ defense forced a quick punt, the turnover flipped the field with about 6 minutes remaining, emboldening the Mountaineers’ defense.

They forced a punt of their own, and Grier converted on fourth down with 2:29 left, allowing West Virginia to run out the clock at the Kansas State goal line.

TAKEAWAYS

West Virginia overcame four turnovers and some uncharacteristic dropped passes. Gary Jennings was a big part of the success, catching 13 passes for 115 yards as the Wildcats tried to take White and Sills away in the passing game. The Mountaineers’ defense also made life miserable for Thompson, sacking the freshman four times and piling up 11 tackles for loss.

Kansas State’s defense, which had surrendered at least 400 yards passing in three straight games, was good enough to keep it close. But the offense struggled behind an inexperienced quarterback who made several poor decisions and often held onto the ball too long.

UP NEXT

West Virginia heads home to face Texas on Saturday before a trip to No. 5 Oklahoma.

Kansas State plays its road finale against No. 12 Oklahoma State on Saturday.

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