{"id":29705,"date":"2016-11-14T08:10:36","date_gmt":"2016-11-14T14:10:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=29705"},"modified":"2016-11-14T08:15:17","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T14:15:17","slug":"tigers-grind-out-10-point-win-at-nebraska-kearney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=29705","title":{"rendered":"Tigers Grind Out 10-Point Win at Nebraska-Kearney"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT<\/em><\/p>\n

KEARNEY, Neb. – It was not pretty at times, but Fort Hays State closed out the regular season with a 27-17 win at Nebraska-Kearney. The Tiger rushing game produced nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns. FHSU moved to 7-4, while Nebraska-Kearney closed its season at 1-10.<\/p>\n

Fort Hays State reaches seven wins in a season for the third consecutive year under head coach Chris Brown<\/a>. Now the Tigers wait to see if there is any news of a postseason game, their only hope a potential bowl bid somewhere. Results around the rest of the MIAA could dictate if FHSU is part of a discussion for a bid.<\/p>\n

The Tigers gave a new look offensively to the opponent this week, lining up in a wildcat style formation quite often throughout the game. Charles Tigner<\/a> took the majority of the snaps in the formation, while Shaquille Cooper<\/a> took some as well. The duo combined for 250 of Fort Hays State’s 299 rushing yards.<\/p>\n

Tigner gave the Tigers the lead early with a 41-yard touchdown run at the 9:52 mark of the first quarter, but UNK scored a field goal in the opening frame and FHSU led 7-3 heading to the second quarter.<\/p>\n

The Tiger offense struggled to keep the momentum following the Tigner touchdown and the Lopers took advantage of a short field on a muffed punt to eventually take a 10-7 lead into halftime.<\/p>\n

Late in the third quarter, the Tigers opted to use a heavy dose of the special formation as Cooper and Tigner went to work following a short UNK punt that resulted in a short 36-yard field. Eleven plays later, Tigner leapt over his linemen for a 1-yard touchdown run giving the Tigers the lead back at 14-10.<\/p>\n

Tigner pushed the Tiger lead to 10 early in the fourth quarter with a 29-yard touchdown run out of the special formation, but the extra point was blocked. That was big considering UNK marched down the field and scored a touchdown to cut the FHSU lead to just three with 9:11 remaining in the game.<\/p>\n

Cooper dashed the hopes of a Loper comeback by rushing for 62 of his game-high 152 yards, capping a 75-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown. His 30-yard run to open the drive was big, securing the 11th<\/sup> 100-yard rushing game of his career, now the second most in school history behind Clint Bedore’s 13.<\/p>\n

UNK attempted a 56-yard field goal downwind with just over two minutes to go, but it missed wide left and the Tigers ran out the clock from that point for the 27-17 win.<\/p>\n

Tigner finished with 98 yards rushing and three touchdowns for the Tigers. Kenneth Iheme<\/a> added 59 yards on the ground. Brad Schencker<\/a> threw just 19 times and completed seven passes for just 36 yards. Layne Bieberle<\/a> led the receivers with two catches for 13 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Doyin Jibowu<\/a> led the Tigers with nine tackles, followed by Sie Doe, Jr.<\/a> with eight. Raheeme Dumas<\/a> recorded his sixth interception of the season, just one shy of the single-season record at FHSU.<\/p>\n

For the Lopers, Ryan McFarlin threw for a team-high 133 yards. Blake Holtmeier had a team-best 67 receiving yards and Luke Quinn led the Lopers in rushing with 61 yards. On defense, MIAA tackle leader Tyke Kozeal had 17 tackles.<\/p>\n

Fort Hays State gained 335 yards for the game, while holding UNK to just 236 yards.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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