FHSU Sports Information Department
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State squandered three offensive opportunities in the fourth quarter to overtake Missouri Western, coming up short each time in a 26-21 loss on the road. FHSU and MWSU each moved to 4-2 on the season with the result.
Fort Hays State scored a touchdown with 11:36 remaining in the game to pull within five at 26-21 and then had three golden opportunities to potentially end a long losing streak to Missouri Western, but the hopes were dashed in a game that came all the way down to the final play.
FHSU forced a fumble on the ensuing drive at the Missouri Western 37-yardline. With a short field, the Tigers gained only nine yards and turned the ball over on downs, coming up short on 4th-and-2.
The Tigers forced a 3-and-out on the next Missouri Western drive and got the ball back at their own 34-yardline with 6:31 remaining. At the MWSU 36-yardline, FHSU converted a 4th-and-6 as Treveon Albert found Shaquille Cooper for a seven-yard gain to keep the drive alive. However, three plays later, Albert was intercepted. MWSU got the ball back with 2:30 to go. The Tigers were able to force a 3-and-out one more time and got the ball back at their own 35-yardline with just 45 seconds left.
Chances looked bleak on 4th-and-4 at the MWSU 48-yardline, but Albert scrambled a bit and found a wide open Evan Jennings about 15 yards away. Jennings turned and dashed all the way down to the MWSU 7-yardline. Albert spiked the ball on first down with 11 seconds remaining.
The Tigers were unable to complete their first couple of pass attempts, but had one last chance with one second remaining. Albert threw a nice ball to the left side of the endzone that was right on the money to Jennings, but as Jennings adjusted to the ball, there was plenty of contact from the defensive back before the ball reached Jennings’ arms. Jennings nearly made a miraculous catch with the defender’s arms draped all over him, but unfortunately it fell incomplete and no flags were thrown. It was a tough pill to swallow for the Tigers who just could not capitalize on any of their late opportunities, seeing Missouri Western’s win streak in the series grow to 11 games.
FHSU held a lead of 7-3 at the end of the first quarter after Shaquille Cooper had a 67-yard touchdown run early in the game. Missouri Western took control in the second quarter by scoring 16 points to take a 19-7 lead. The Tigers cut the lead to 19-14 when Albert found Cooper with a 17-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the second half. MWSU scored later in the third quarter to make it 26-14, but Albert cut the lead back to five with a 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth. That turned out to be the final score for either team in the game.
Albert finished with 290 yards passing and 76 yards rushing in the game. He found Andrew Flory seven times for 118 receiving yards. Shaquille Cooper went over 100 yards on the ground for the fourth time this season with 114, while adding 45 receiving yards.
Raphael Spencer of Missouri Western finished with 160 rushing yards, while quarterback TJ LaFaver had 163 passing yards.
Defensively, Brock Long led the Tigers with 17 tackles, which included 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Doyin Jibowu added 15 tackles and a sack. Daniel Lindsey had nine tackles and his fourth blocked kick of the season.
The Tigers find themselves in a four-way tie for third place at 4-2 in the MIAA now with Central Missouri, Missouri Western, and Pittsburg State. All are two games back of first place teams Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State, each at 6-0. The Tigers look to bounce back and shake up the top of the standings as they host Emporia State next week before going to Northwest Missouri State the following week.