By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State moved to 2-0 on the season and 1-0 to start MIAA play with a 30-16 win over Missouri Western on Saturday night (Sept. 7) at Lewis Field Stadium. The Tigers outscored the Griffons 20-3 in the second half after trailing by three at halftime. FHSU, ranked No. 24 in the latest D2Football.com Top 25 Poll, is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2017 season.
The Tigers quickly took the lead on the first possession of the game. The Tigers needed only 1:38 to go 63 yards in four plays for a touchdown, capped on a 16-yard pass from Jack Dawson to Jabari Lewis. The Tigers had a long look at a field goal on their next drive, but could not connect and then the Griffons responded with a 5-play, 69-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 7-7. The Tigers drove the ball deep in Griffon territory toward the end of the first quarter, but had to settle for a 19-yard field goal from Carson Arndt to lead 10-7 after the first frame.
The Tigers squandered a chance for more points in the second quarter after gaining a turnover deep in Griffon territory, but they gave the ball right back. Later in the second quarter, the Griffons took their only lead of the game on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Branden Berwald to Michael Haggerty.
Good fortune broke the Tigers’ way right at the start of the second half when the Griffons fumbled the kick return and the Tigers fell on the ball at the MWSU 20. That led to a 30-yard field goal by Carson Arndt to tie the game at 13-13. The Tigers would pick up another field goal to take the lead back on their next drive, this time Arndt connecting from 35 yards to put the Tigers up 16-13. Then on their final drive of the third quarter, Shane Watts broke free for a 42-yard touchdown run as time expired. FHSU led 23-13 going to the fourth quarter.
A Cody Watson 48-yard field goal into a decent breeze brought the Griffons back within seven points on the first Griffon drive of the fourth quarter, but the Tiger defense would not surrender any more points the rest of the way, stopping three more Missouri Western drives. FHSU cashed in more points on its third drive of the fourth quarter, marching 54 yards on seven plays and capped on a one-yard touchdown run by Caleb Heavner.
Shane Watts had a big game for the Tigers with 195 all-purpose yards. He rushed the ball a career-high 24 times and came up just a yard short of his career best in rushing yardage, finishing the game at 161 yards on the ground. He added 34 receiving yards, with a 29-yard dash setting up the Heavner score in the fourth quarter. Jack Dawson threw for 158 yards on 13-of-26 passing, while Cale Cormaney led the Tigers in receiving yards with 47. Jabari Lewis finished with 125 all-purpose yards, 96 on kick returns and 29 on receptions. Arndt finished 3-of-4 on field goal attempts in the game.
On defense, Mason Perez led the Tigers with eight tackles, followed by John Johnson with seven. Myles Menges recorded the only sack of the night for the Tigers, which was a strip sack to give the Tigers a turnover. It helped set up the scoring drive with Arndt’s field goal that put the Tigers up 16-13 in the third quarter.
Both teams did the majority of their offensive damage on the ground, 208 rushing yards for the Griffons compared to 179 for the Tigers. The Griffons finished with 382 total yards, while the Tigers finished with 337.
Quarterback Branden Berwald led the Griffons in passing with 120 yards and rushing with 88. Jake Berrey led the Griffons in receiving yards with 53. Kienen Gaskin led MWSU in tackles with 10, while Jaden Brown recorded two of five sacks for MWSU.
The Tigers play their first road game of the season next Saturday evening (Sept. 14) at Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats started the season ranked No. 22 in the AFCA Top 25 Poll, but now sit at 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the MIAA after a loss at Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday night.