By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State improved to 2-2 on the season with a 44-3 blowout win over Missouri Southern on Saturday evening (Sept. 28) at Lewis Field Stadium. FHSU held a 20-0 halftime lead and pushed it to 41-0 with 21 unanswered points in the third quarter. Head coach Chris Brown picked up his 60th win at FHSU.
Dante Brown provided all the of the scoring for FHSU in the first quarter, hitting a pair of field goals from 41 yards. The Tigers picked up their first touchdown at the 5:21 mark of the second quarter when Chance Fuller found Manny Ramsey on a 13-yard pass. Just over a minute later after forcing a 3-and-out of Missouri Southern, Harley Hazlett did some nifty footwork up the right sideline for a 51-yard touchdown reception from Fuller.
Hazlett gave the Tigers their first two scores of the second half, touchdown receptions of three and 22 yards. The first reception was set up by a Te’Corey Tutson 93-yard kickoff return to the MWSU 3-yardline. It was the first time Hazlett had three receiving touchdowns in a game in his FHSU career. He went on to finish with a team-high 123 receiving yards on eight catches.
D.J. Hickman joined in the scoring act with 9:27 to go in the third quarter with a three-yard touchdown run, pushing the Tiger lead to 41 points. Missouri Southern finally picked up its first points of the game on a 30-yard field goal by Riley Hathorn with 36 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Brown added his third field goal of the game in the fourth quarter, booting through a chip shot 18-yarder to produce the final tally of the game. Brown moved into a tie for the all-time field goals made record at FHSU with 37, matching Wes Simoneau.
Fort Hays State intercepted Missouri Southern quarterback Jacob Park four times. Hayden Kreutzer had two of the interceptions, while adding eight tackles and two pass breakups. Tanner Hoekman also had an interception with nine tackles, while Isaiah Creal-Musgray added the other interception. Drew Harvey led FHSU in tackles with 12, while adding two sacks.
Fuller finished with 255 passing yards with four touchdowns. Hickman led the Tigers in rushing with 90 yards, followed by Charles Tigner with 87.
Despite his four interception, Park still threw for 173 yards for the Lions. His backup Sean Kelly also threw for 107. Charles West had a team-high 36 rushing yards, while Dwayne Lawson had a team-best 120 receiving yards. Tyler Evans led the Lions in tackles with 10.
The Tigers hit the road next week for a clash with Central Oklahoma. Kickoff is set for 1 pm on Saturday (Oct. 5) in Edmond. Both teams enter at 2-2.