COPPERAS COVE, Texas – Shaquille Cooper rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown, caught two passes for another 66 yards and a score and Fort Hays State defeated Eastern New Mexico 45-12 in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl on a cool damp night at Bulldawg Stadium.
It’s the Tiger (8-4) first postseason victory in program history as they tie the school record for wins. It’s the second straight year that the Greyhounds (7-5) lost in this very same bowl game.
Chris Brown Postgame Interview
Wyatt Parker Postgame Interview
Jacob Mezera Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Jacob Mezera, who missed the final game of the regular season at Nebraska-Kearney with a shoulder injury, returned to the starting lineup and completed 14 of 25 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. His 55-yard strike to freshman Layne Bieberle on the Tigers first possession, gave them the lead for good.
Bieberle, who hauled in a 12-yard dart from Mezera in the endzone with 5:28 to play in the second quarter, had four receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns.
Cooper ripped off a 65-yard touchdown run on the Tigers second possession to push the lead to 14-0. He turned a screen pass into a 40-yard touchdown with 13 seconds to play in the second quarter to put FHSU up 35-9 at halftime.
ENMU scored their lone touchdown early in the second quarter on a one-yard run from Kamal Cass on fourth and one to pull within eight after the extra point was blocked. Fort Hays State answered with an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by DeAndre James to seize back the momentum.
The Greyhounds, who averaged 346 rushing yards per game, which was second best in the nation, were held to 319. They were also penalized 21 times for 226 yards.
Hays 51, Manhattan 49
HAYS – Shane Berens’ basket as time expired gave the Hays High Indians a 51-49 win over Manhattan and the 2016 Hays City Shootout tournament title, their eighth in program history Saturday at Hays High School.
The Hays High Indians found themselves down 12-0 to start the game and had to overcome the loss of point guard Ethan Nunnery to a knee injury but were able to come from behind to pick up the win.
After a 12-0 run to start the game for Manhattan, Hays High knocked down three of their 11 three-pointers in the first quarter and trailed by five – 14-9 after the first quarter.
The Indians from Hays High took the lead on a Xander Swayne three-pointer, part of an 11-4 run to go up 22-18. Hays took a 27-26 halftime lead on a last second put-back by Tradgon McCrea.
Manhattan opened the second half on a 10-2 run and took a 36-29 lead. They outscored Hays 17 to 13 in the third quarter but Hays got three-point field goals from Peyton Kieffer and Collyn Kreutzer late in the quarter that kept Hays close.
Down three to start the fourth quarter Hays opened the quarter on a 9-3 run to take a 49-46 lead. Manhattan’s Trevor Hudgins tied the game at 49 all with a three-pointer with under one minute to play in the game.
With the game under 30 seconds to play Hays High’s Shane Berens got the ball on the left wing, his first shot came up short but Berens pulled down the offensive rebound and as time expired Berens put up a baseline floater that dropped giving Hays High the 51-49 win.
Coach Rick Keltner interview
Berens led the Tigers with 14 points. Manhattan’s Trevor Hudgins led all scorers with 16 points. Hays is 3-0 on the season and win the Hays City Shootout for the first time since 2014 and their eighth time overall.
Highlights
Girls Hays 50, Great Bend 35
The Hays High Lady Indians battled a familiar opponent, Great Bend in the third-place game of the Hays City Shootout Saturday and it was the Indians coming up the 50-35 win.
The Indians opened the game on an 8-2 run with Savannah Schneider scoring six straight to give Hays an 8-2. Great Bend battled back and tied the game at eight at the end of the first quarter.
With the game tied a 9 to start the second quarter the Indians put together a 12-3 run sparked by seven straight points from Jaycee Dale putting Hays up 21-12 and the Indians would never trail again.
The Indians led by nine after the third quarter and build a 19 point fourth quarter lead and went on to a 50-35 win.
Dale led all scorers with 14 points and Schneider added 13. Great Bend was led by the 12 points from Carley Brack.
Kirk Maska interview
Hays clinches 3rd place at the Hays City Shootout and moves to 2-1 on the season.
Fort Hays complete the opening weekend of MIAA play in Pittsburg on Saturday looking to even their conference record following a three point loss to Missouri Southern on Thursday night.
Pittsburg State ran out of the gates, taking a 15-4 lead in the first four minutes of the game. Fort Hays found traction and tied the score at 17 following their own run of 13-2. The Tigers took the lead for the first time on a Trey O’Neil three pointer at 22-20, part of a 20-6 run that pushed the Fort Hays lead as high as 12. Pitt State got back within five before a pair of free throws right before half time put the Tigers up 42-35.
Highlights
Neither team found much in the first five minutes of the second half combining for four points, but Fort Hays was able to push their lead up to nine at 45-36. The Tigers pushed their lead up to twelve at 48-36. Pitt State answered with back to back three pointers to stay in contact. Fort Hays led rest of the way with the Gorillas getting within three one time at 60-57. The Tigers hit eight of their final eleven free throws in the final four minutes to win 72-67.
Coach Mark Johnson
The Tigers shoot 49% for the game and hit 7 of 11 three pointers. Fort Hays also made 19 of 26 free throws for 73%. Kyler Kinnamon led the way with 14 points. Rob Davis scored 13 and Brady Werth scored 10 for his first double figure game in a Tiger uniform. Fort Hays moves to 5-3 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA, they return home on Wednesday to play Washburn. Pittsburg State has lost six in a row and is 1-8 overall, 0-2 in conference play.
HAYS-TMP battled toe to toe with 6A Manhattan in the championship game of the Hays City Shootout on Saturday afternoon. The two teams traded runs throughout the first half with the Lady Indians holding a 20-15 advantage after the first quarter. TMP would answer with the first five points of the second quarter to tie the game at 20.
Manhattan worked to stretch their lead to six points at 30-24 and the Lady Monarchs answered with a 6-0 run to tie the game again. The Lady Indians had another answer as they scored seven of the last nine points of the second quarter to grab a 37-32 lead at halftime. TMP came out with the first two points of the second half to make it a one possession game and that’s when Manhattan seized control of the game.
The Lady Indians outscored TMP 15-6 the rest of the third quarter. TMP cut the Manhattan lead down to single digits a couple of times in the fourth quarter but could never make a serious run. Megan Koenigsman led TMP with 14 points, Kayla Vitztum 13 and Madyson Koerner 10. TMP is off until next Friday when they will travel to Hill City.
Fort Hays State finished their first MIAA road trip of the season in Pittsburg with the #4 Pittsburg State Gorillas on Saturday afternoon. #25 Fort Hays State was looking to win just their second ever road game against a nationally ranked opponent and looking to even their conference record after a loss at Missouri Southern on Thursday night.
Highlights
Fort Hays built a first quarter lead as high as six points at 17-11 before Pitt State went on a 20-2 run to end the first quarter and begin the second quarter. Pitt State pushed their lead as high as 12 at the end of the run. Fort Hays trailed by ten at half time and fourteen on two occasions in the third quarter. The Tigers then went on their best run of the game, outscoring the Gorillas 16-4 with the first shot of the fourth quarter at 52-40. Pitt State then scored the next nine points to regain control of the game and wins 70-56.
Coach Tony Hobson
Nikola Kacperska tied a career high with 19, including five three pointers. Emma Stroyan and Kacey Kennett each scored 10. Fort Hays shot just 28% in the game while Pittsburg State shot their season average 43%. Tigers has entered MIAA as the top field goal percentage team in the nation. The Tigers fall to 6-2 and 0-2 in the MIAA. They will return to action on Wednesday versus Washburn. Pittsburg State is 8-0, 2-0.
HAYS-Olathe North took a double digit lead three minutes into Saturday’s 3rd place game and never looked back and picked up the 79-71 victory over TMP. The Monarchs were at a double digit deficit for most of the game. They cut the Eagle lead to nine at the beginning of the third quarter before North expanded the lead out to 20.
David McFarland led three Monarchs in double figures with 17 points. Creighton Renz chipped in with 14 points and Hayden Lowe with 13. TMP will travel to Hill City on Friday to take on the Ringnecks.
Hays High and Thomas More Prep Marian faced off the both the girls and boys semi-finals of the Gerald Mitchell Hays City Shootout Friday Night.
Girls TMP 62 – Hays 54
Hays High jumped out to their biggest lead of the first half on a 7-1 run on baskets by three different players. TMP responded back with a 7-2 run to tight the game back up at 9-8. Hays led after the first quarter 13-11. The lead swapped hands five times and the score was tied twice more before TMP gained separation with seven straight points to take a 27-21 lead. Hays scored just one point over the final four and a half minutes of the first half leaving the Indians trailing at half time 28-22.
Highlights
TMP pushed the halftime lead to 10 in the third quarter with six minutes left. Hays then came firing back with a 10-2 run to tighten the game back up at 36-34 in favor of the Monarchs. Hays took the lead back at 40-38 with 1:44 remaining in the third on a Savannah Schneider three point play. TMP tied the game back up at 40 to end the third quarter. Hays took the final lead of the game at 43-42 following a Talyn Kleweno three pointer. Kayla Vitzum then seized control of the game scoring 13 of her teams 15 points in less than three minutes. Hays tied the game one more time at 50 but TMP hit eight of their final nine free throws to win 62-54.
Coach Kirk Maska
Kayla Vitzum scored 24 to lead all scoring. Madyson Koerner added 16 and Deonna Wellbrock scored 13. Hays was led by Savannah Schnedier with 18. Kallie Leiker added a career high 11. Hays High falls to 1-1 and will play Great Bend in the third place game at Hays Middle School at 1:30 on Saturday. TMP is 2-0 and will play the winner of Manhattan and Garden City.
Boys Hays 67 – TMP 48
Hays took an early four point advantage on two occasions at 4-0 and 6-2 when TMP settled in going on a 8-3 run to take the lead for the first time at 10-9. Hays answered with Peyton Kieffer’s first career three pointer to give the Indians a 12-10 lead after the first quarter. The two swapped the lead a couple more times in the second quarter with TMP taking their largest lead of the first half at 20-17. Hays answered back with a 11-3 run to close the half and lead 28-23 going into the locker rooms.
Highlights
The Indians shot much better in the second half shooting 12 of 21 pushing their lead as high as 22 late in the fourth quarter. Hays led by two points with 5:30 to go in the third quarter but strung together 10 straight points to take their first double digit lead and never looked back. Hays led 47-36 after the third quarter and then hit 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter for the 67-48 win.
Coach Rick Keltner
Claiborne Kyles led the Indians with 17. Ethan Nunnery and Tyrese Hill each added 12 and Shane Berens scored 10. TMP was led by Hayden Lowe with 11. Hays is 2-0 and will play Manhattan in the championship game of the Hays City Shootout. It is the 19th time the Indians have made the title game. TMP is 1-1 and plays Olathe North for third at Hays High School at 1:30.
By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN FHSU University Relations and Marketing
The Fort Hays State University football coaches are making an example out of one of their players. But that’s fine with Tyler Bacon, a junior from Quapaw, Okla.
At 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Bacon is one of the smallest players on the FHSU squad. But game after game after game, he performs in a big way for the Tigers, who left town Thursday on what they hope will be a record-setting weekend.
Fort Hays State (7-4) will take on Eastern New Mexico University (7-4) in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl on Saturday in Copperas Cove, Texas.
It’s the first time in FHSU school history that the football team has advanced to postseason play in back-to-back years. Kickoff for the bowl game, which can be seen on ESPN3, is 6 p.m. And fans will probably see a lot of Bacon.
“Hard work always pays off,” said Al McCray, FHSU’s assistant head coach in charge of wide receivers. “Tyler Bacon is a great example of that. He is a young man I’m going to use as an example for years to come.”
Bacon, Fort Hays State’s primary punt returner, has the most catches on the team of any Tiger receiver this season heading into Saturday’s game. A Tiger win would give Fort Hays State football its first ever postseason victory in program history.
If FHSU’s starting wide receiver/punt returner has anything to say about it, the Tigers will be bringing home the bacon.
“I just want to go win the game and end the season on a winning note,” Bacon said. “A win in a bowl game would mean so much for our program, for Coach Brown and all our coaches.”
Bacon was referring to Chris Brown, whose teams improved by one win every single season his first five years, all while playing in the MIAA, one of the toughest NCAA Division II conferences in the country.
That he would earn a spot on an MIAA roster, let alone become a starter as a sophomore, didn’t seem possible for Bacon, a self-proclaimed “scrawny little dude, maybe 140 pounds soaking wet” when he entered high school.
“I grew a lot since then,” he said with a chuckle.
A multi-sport athlete in high school, Bacon actually had dreams of playing a different sport in college.
“I really wanted to play basketball,” he said, “but coming from a small school — and I didn’t play on any AAU team — I didn’t think I had much of a chance to do that.”
So Bacon continued to work hard at summer football camps put on by his native Quapaw Tribe in northeastern Oklahoma.
Coincidentally, Justin Iske, an FHSU assistant coach at the time, attended those camps and was impressed with Bacon’s work ethic from the time he was a freshman in high school.
“Coach Iske watched me grow and get faster and stronger, and the summer going into my senior year, he started recruiting me,” Bacon said.
Bacon knew Division II was a big step coming from a town of about 900. But he welcomed the challenge.
“I’m not the biggest player on the team. I’m not the strongest. I’m not the fastest,” Bacon said. “But when you work hard and do what the coaches ask, good things happen.”
It turned out to be a good fit for everyone involved.
“When we talk about the game of football, we look at the touchdowns and the big play,” McCray said. “But what’s really great about football is that it teaches these guys what hard work is all about.”
Bacon, who has one more year of football eligibility remaining at FHSU, wants to be a history teacher and coach when he graduates.
McCray has no doubt that goal will become reality.
“He told me he wants to coach, and he’ll be a good one,” McCray said. “Tyler Bacon is going to be successful in life, period.”
Bacon has taken lessons learned on and off the field at Fort Hays State to heart.
“This coaching staff has given me more chances than any other,” he added. “They preach hard work will get you results, and they’ve kept their word.”
FHSU Sports Information
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Fort Hays State senior defensive end Sie Doe, Jr., has been named the D2CCA Super Region 3 Defensive Player of the Year for the 2016 season. In the process, Doe was named to the All-Super Region 3 First Team, while teammate Raheeme Dumas was named to the Second Team at cornerback. The teams are voted on by sports information directors from schools in Super Region 3.
On the heels of being named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, Doe has been tabbed the best among four conferences in one of the most competitive super regions in NCAA Division II. Conferences included in the super region are the MIAA, Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), Great American Conference (GAC), and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC).
Doe was hands down the most dominant defensive lineman in the Super Region in 2016, posting 15 sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles in 11 games. The closest MIAA player in sack count to Doe in the regular season was eight behind with seven. The closest to Doe in the super region is Beau Bates of Minnesota-Duluth, the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, who is a linebacker with 13 on the season. Doe is also tied for the national lead in forced fumbles with five. Put all that together with 76 tackles (third-best on the team), an impressive number for a defensive lineman, Doe set himself apart as not only one of the most dominant defenders in the region, but also the nation. He currently ranks third nationally in total sacks. Doe is the first-ever Tiger football player to earn a super region player of the year honor.
Dumas has enjoyed a big senior year as well for the Tigers, recording six interceptions so far from his cornerback position. He also has seven pass break-ups, one forced fumble, and 32 total tackles. Dumas is just one interception shy of the FHSU single-season record and he has 11 in his career to tie for third-best in school history. Dumas was an All-MIAA First Team selection this season.
FHSU Sports Information
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State wrestling dropped its season-opening dual on Thursday (Dec. 1) by the score of 25-18 to Lindenwood.
Lindenwood’s Carlos Jacquez put the Lions up 3-0 right out of the gate in the 125 pound match with a 13-6 decision over Conrad Cole. In the ensuing 133-pound bout, Hunter Haralson extended the Lions lead to 8-0 with a technical fall, 16-0, in the second period over Josh Martinez.
At 141 pounds, Brandon Ball closed the lead to just two when he managed to pin Chase Kelley 3:52 into the match. Ball was in full control of the match leading 4-0 when he got Kelley on his back to earn the quick pin. With the victory, Ball improves to 12-2 on the season for the Tigers.
In the 149-pound bout, Fort Hays State’s Jacob Kay battled with Lindenwood’s Ronald Gentile. Gentile got the better of Kay and increased the Lions lead to 12-6 with an 18-6 major decision.
Greg Tooley cut the Lions lead to just one (12-11) in the 157 pound weight class with a 21-5 technical fall 5:47 into the match over Shea Spradley. Tooley started with a takedown but then surrendered a reversal immediately. Tooley then managed to get an escape but was taken down shortly afterwards, but then got a reversal of his own to take a 5-4 lead into the second period. After starting in the top position in the second, Tooley allowed a quick escape but then went to work. He proceeded to record a take down and then two, four-point near-falls to extend his lead to 15-5 in a hurry. In the third, Tooley one again recorded a takedown and finished with a four-point near-fall.
After the Tigers gave up a forfeit in the 165-pound bout they trailed 18-11 heading into the 174-pound bout between Micquile Robinson and Lindenwood’s Batchuluun Zulkhuu. Robinson struggled to get any momentum going as Zulkhuu was in control for the entire match and walked away with an 11-2 major decision.
With the Tigers trailing 22-11, David Hamil of Lindenwood defeated Rakim Dean 8-3 to clinch the win for the Lions.
At 197 pounds the Tigers sent the No. 4 wrestler in the nation, Jon Inman, to the mat to face off against the No. 8 wrestler from Lindenwood Dillon Archer. Archer got an early shot on Inman and had his leg elevated for a long time in the first period, but was unable to get him to the mat. Inman then took a turn at a shot of his own and succeeded. After an escape from Archer, Inman once again took him to the mat only to allow an escape before the period was up. In the second period Inman chose bottom and escaped immediately and turned in two more takedowns and a four point near-fall to blitz out to a 13-3. Toss in a stalling point and a riding time point in the third for Inman and he moved to 12-0 on the season with a 15-3 major decision.
Christian Lance took to the mat for the Tigers with something still to prove as he looked to remain unbeaten on the year at heavyweight. Standing in his way was Lindenwood’s Jacob Borgmeyer. It was a slow moving first period as the wrestlers looked to be feeling each other out with no points scored. In the second period Lance surrendered an escape to Borgmeyer and wound up trailing 1-0 heading to the final period. In the third Lance recorded an early escape of his own to even the score at 1-1. With neither wrestler recording a takedown in the final minute and a half, the two headed to a sudden death overtime period. With time running out in the one-minute period, Borgmeyer took a shot at Lance’s left leg that he was able to sprawl away from. Then with two seconds remaining in the period Lance was given a take down as he was able to gain position by twisting around Borgmeyer after the failed shot attempt to claim the 3-1 decision and move to 16-0 on the season.
Next up for the Tigers is the annual Bob Smith Open on Saturday (Dec. 3) that is hosted at Fort Hays State. The wrestling is set to begin at 9 am.
JOPLIN, Mo. – Fort Hays State put together a 12-2 run in the final six minutes to close an 11-point deficit to one but couldn’t overcome a season-high 23 turnovers and lost 84-81 to Missouri Southern Thursday at the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center.
Rob Davis and Trey O’Neil both missed contested 3-point attempts in the final 10 seconds as the Tigers (4-3-, 0-1 MIAA) drop the conference opener for the second straight year.
Mark Johnson Postgame
Game Highlights
FHSU led by six with just over five minutes to play in the first half, but the Lions (5-2, 1-0 MIAA) scored 11 straight to go up five and led by two at the half. MSSU hit 10 of their first 12 shots in the second half to build the lead to nine which they eventually extended to 11 with 6:08 before the Tigers put together a final push.
The Tigers shot 53-percent but their 23 turnovers turned into 29 Missouri Southern points and hit only 14 of their 22 free throw attempts.
Rob Davis scored a game-high 27, his fifth straight game of 20 or more points. Hadley Gillum added 14, all in the second half. Brady Werth scored a career-high nine points along with eight rebounds and blocked three shots. Payton Stephens had a career-high eight points along with seven rebounds.
Listen as the ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus recaps last week’s overtime win in Denver and previews Sunday’s game at Atlanta.
