Football rolls over Southwest Baptist, 42-28

The Hornets traveled to Bolivar, Mo. this weekend to defeat the Southwest Baptist Bearcats, 42-28. The defense forced six turnovers and the offense racked up over 500 total yards of offense while dominating in every facet of the game. Their record now stands at 5-5 on the season.

Junior defensive back Derek Lohmann had a career high of three interceptions to go along with his eight tackles. Senior running back LeDarrian Page also had a career day as he racked up 201 rushing yards while finding the end zone three times.

Next up for the Hornets is the Northwest Missouri Bearcats. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday in Maryville, Mo.

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Junior tight end Adam Schiltz dives into end zone for a touchdown Saturday afternoon at Welch Stadium. The Hornets crushed the Bulldogs with a final score of 52-18. Chris Franklin/The Bulletin

The football team hosted the Truman State Bulldogs on Senior Day last Saturday, as 25 seniors played their last winning game at Welch Stadium.

The offense gained 436 total yards while the defense forced six turnovers. All cylinders clicked as the Hornets beat Truman 52-18. This marks the second week in a row that the Hornets have scored over 50 points.

“We are starting to get some confidence offensively,” said Garin Higgins, head coach. “We are executing better in the red zone and on third downs.”

The offense jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the first quarter. Senior running back Adrian Abner scored twice in the first quarter on two separate nine yard touchdown runs. The defense then gained the first of their six turnovers as they forced a fumble and recovered on the 13 yard line. The offense later scored two plays as senior running back Dasor Horton plunged in from four yards out.

“The defense has been playing very big,” said Kevin Gaddis, defensive back. “From our linemen to our linebackers to our secondary… when we all play as one, I feel we can’t be beat.”

The Hornets did not miss a beat heading into the second quarter. The defense played strong as they were able to force two more turnovers. The passing attack found its stride as junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode threw to junior tight end Adam Schlitz on a 13 yard touchdown pass. He also threw to junior wide receiver Shjuan Richardson on a 21yard touchdown strike.

At halftime, the Hornets lead 35-18.

“Our coaching staff does a great job with putting us in a position to make plays,” Eckenrode said. “We have been able to run and throw the ball very well these last two weeks.”

Both teams struggled against the wind in the third quarter, as neither team was able to complete a scoring drive. But the defense again stopped Truman on the two yard line to keep the Bulldogs out of the end zone and force a turnover on downs. At the end of the quarter, the score remained 35-18.

In the fourth quarter, three seniors scored the remaining 17 points as running backs Dasor Horton and LaDarrian Page had touchdown runs of six and five yards, and kicker Zak King had a 23 yard field goal. The Hornets stretched the lead to 52-18.

“I told them in the locker room after the game, let’s go win three in a row,” Higgins said. “Three in a row would be a winning streak.”

The Hornets record now stands at 4-5 on the season. Next the Hornets will travel to Bolivar, Mo., to face the Southwest Baptist Bearcats at 1:30 on Saturday.

Marcus Hix

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ESU football beats Lincoln 52-23

The Hornets traveled to Jefferson City, Mo. to face the Lincoln Blue Tigers on Saturday. In a back and forth first half, the game remained close, 21-17, with the Hornets leading.

Adrian Abner scored the first points of the game with his first touchdown run of the season. Dasor Horton scored the second touchdown of the game with a 19-yard run.

The Hornets would pull away in the second half with LaDarrian Page getting in the end zone. Then Tyler Eckenrode hit Cameron Gee on a 63-yard touchdown bomb over the middle. The defense was once again stout.

In the end, the Hornets gained a total of 563 yards of total offense as they pulled away with a 52-23 victory. The Hornets record now stands at 3-5. The team will take on Truman at 2 p.m. this Friday at Welch Stadium.

Volleyball downs FHSU 3-1

The volleyball team traveled to Fort Hays State on Friday, ending up with a 3-1 record. The team had three players finish with double-doubles. The team also had 12 total blocks. They won the first two sets 25-23 and 25-18. The Tigers took the third set 25-17. The Hornets rebounded ending the match 25-16 in the fourth set.

Katie Deutschmann led the way with 23 assists and 16 digs. Paige Vanderpool had another impressive night with 16 kills and 12 digs. Morgan Buckner hit .407 for the match, ending with 11 kills.

The team will take on Northwest Missouri University at 7 p.m. Friday night in Maryville, Mo.

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Senior defensive line Kennedy Ezimako tackles the Missouri Western
quarterback for a safety on Oct. 15 at Welch Stadium. The Hornets lost
16-22 over homecoming weekend. Jon Coffey/The Bulletin

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Junior running back Derwin Hall dodges a tackle Saturday at Welch Stadium. The hornets came back from behind in the second half to win the game against the MSSU Lions 31-24. Chris Franklin/The Bulletin

Last Saturday at Welch Stadium, the Hornets came from behind to beat the Lions of Missouri Southern State 31-24.

The Hornets fell behind 0-17 before scoring 31 points in the second half to complete the comeback, adding a crucial win to the team’s overall record. The Hornets are now 2-4.

“Our kids made a great comeback,” said head coach Garin Higgins. “We got some opportunities and made some great plays there at the end of the game.”

In the first half, things did not go favorably for the Hornets. The offense struggled to make plays and did not put any points on the board. The Lions had several opportunities to put the game out of reach, but the defense responded well.

Junior defensive back Derek Lohmann came up with a huge interception in the end zone to prevent the Lions from having another scoring drive.

“We have been playing very strong,” said junior defensive back Kevin Gaddis. “From our defensive line, to our linebackers and our secondary… we know we have to play hard to go out there and win a ball game.”

In the third quarter, the offense finally showed signs of life. They were able to drive 71 yards in 11 plays to make the score 7-17. On the Lions’ next possession, once again the defense stepped up to the challenge, forcing a three and out and getting the ball back for the Hornets.

On the ensuing drive, the offense looked unstoppable. Junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode went six of eight for 57 yards, culminating with a nine yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Shjuan Richardson.

“It’s fun when you’re throwing to guys like Shjuan Richardson, Benji Love and RayRay Davis,” said quarterback Tyler Eckenrode. “Our offensive line battled hard today.”

The Lions answered back with a touchdown of their own, pushing the lead to 10 points, 14-24. That would be the last time the Lions scored.

Eckenrode threw to Richardson for a 60 yard touchdown strike to pull the Hornets within three points, 21-24.

“I just wanted to make a play for our team,” Richardson said. “I had to step up when my number was called and make a play.”

With a 1:29 left in the game, the Hornets took over on their own 16 yard line. With an improbable 84 yard drive, the Hornets drove the length of the field.

Then Eckenrode hit wide receiver RayRay Davis on a touchdown pass, grabbing the lead 31-24 with nearly 30 seconds left in the game. The comeback was complete as the remaining seconds ticked off the board.

“We needed this win,” Eckenrode said. “We have been fighting all year and it was a good win.”

Marcus Hix

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Junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode dives into the end zone for a touchdown. Washburn defeated ESU 31-17 Saturday at Welch Stadium. Jon Coffey/The Bulletin

On a bright and sunny day at Welch Stadium, the Hornets hosted Washburn in the annual Turnpike Tussle rivalry game. This marked the 108th time that the two teams squared off against one another.

In a hard fought “tussle” the Hornets came up short against the eighth ranked Washburn Ichabods, 17-31. The rivalry is now split 51-51-6.

“It’s a big rivalry,” said senior linebacker Matt Rosenhamer. “I have some buddies that play over there and it would have meant a lot to beat those guys.”

Midway through the first quarter Washburn broke the 0-0 tie with a field goal to take an early lead. Towards the end of the first quarter, junior defensive back Derek Lohmann intercepted a Washburn pass and ran it all the way back to the 15-yard line, seizing the early momentum from the Ichabods.

“It was a big play at the time,” Lohmann said. “It grabbed the momentum for us.”

The Hornets were able to take advantage of the short field on a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tyler Eckenrode to wide receiver RayRay Davis, and grabbed the lead,

7-3, early in the second quarter. Later in the second quarter, the Hornets were able to sustain an eight-play drive that covered 85 yards. The drive culminated in a two-yard touchdown run by quarterback Tyler Eckenrode.

“Our coaches put us in good positions,” Eckenrode said. “In the first half we executed real well.”

The Hornets held the lead and headed into halftime with a 14-9 lead over the Ichabods. But the Hornets were unable to muster one touchdown scoring drive in the second half.

With the opening possession of the second half, the Ichabods drove 73 yards to take the lead 16-14. With their backs against the wall, senior linebacker Ben Carlson, was able to force a fumble with ESU recovering at the 27 yard line. The offense couldn’t take full advantage of the great field position the defense handed them and had to settle for a field goal. This was the last time that the Hornets scored.

Washburn scored two more touchdowns to win the game. It was a tough defeat on a day in which the Hornets forced four turnovers.

“I figured it would be a hard, tough-fought game and it was,” said head coach Garin Higgins. “Our kids played well… we just didn’t make the plays at the end of the game when we needed to.”

The next game on the schedule is against Missouri Southern at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Welch Stadium.

Marcus Hix

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Hornets linebacker Kamrhan Jones attempts to tackle a Lions ball carrier Sunday afternoon at Welch stadium. ESU defeated Langston with a final score of 35-7. Chris Franklin/The Bulletin

Marking their first win of the season, the Hornets beat the Langston, Okla. Lions by a score of 35-7 at Welch Stadium last Saturday. Emporia State jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.

“It’s long overdue,” said junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode. “It feels great to come out on top today.”

Early on, the defense stepped up and forced a fumble on the Langston 13 yard line. But the offense was only able to get three points as freshman kicker Zane Guadagnolo connected on a field goal from 31 yards away. The defense proved stout en route to forcing six turnovers. With the Lions trapped on their own one-yard line, the defense forced a safety, which stretched the lead to 5-0, and gave the Hornets the ball.

“Our defense did a great job, for the first time, being opportunistic,” said Garin Higgins, head coach. “They made the best of their opportunities.”

The defense continued its dominance when they came up with a crucial stop against Langston on a fake punt attempt to take over possession at the opponents’ 22 yard line. This eventually led to a nine-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Shjuan Richardson, stretching the lead to 18-0. The defense finished off the second quarter with a string of three excellent defensive interceptions that culminated three more points.

“I was very disappointed in how we executed (offensively) in the red zone,” Higgins said. “We had some dropped balls, had some missed throws and had some protection break down. We have to improve on that.”

At the beginning of the second half, Langston marched down the field, threatening to score when senior linebacker Ben Carlson came up with an interception to swing the momentum back to the Hornets.

“(The interception) really was huge,” Carlson said. “They were driving and looking like they were going to score. Coach called some great pass coverage and we just executed it.”

The Hornets took advantage of the interception driving 55 yards and scoring a touchdown. Eckenrode hit Lion senior running back LeDarrian Page on a 21 yard touchdown strike that pushed the lead to 28-0. The Hornets put the game out of reach.

In the fourth quarter, after a long drive by Langston, the defense held strong on a fourth and goal to keep the Lions out of the end zone. The Hornets got a sack and a forced fumble as time expired.

“Today was a good day,” said defensive coordinator Bryce Saia. “We need to keep building… and from here on out, be a consistent defense like I know we can.”

The Hornets’ next opponent is the eighth ranked Washburn Ichabods in the Turnpike Tussle. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. this Saturday at Welch Stadium.

Marcus Hix

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Senior running back Dasor Horton is tackled from both sides during the first home game against Central Missouri last Saturday. The Hornets lost, 38-45. Jon Coffey/The Bulletin

The Emporia State football team lost its home opener against 24th ranked Central Missouri last Saturday at Welch Stadium.

But Hornet fans showed great support as there was a huge turnout to watch the team. In a close, back-and-forth contest, the Hornets were edged out by a score of 38-45.

“We are beating ourselves,” said senior running back Dasor Horton. “We have to be able to finish games and have to play more soundly as a team.”

The Hornets captured the momentum early when they successfully completed an onside kick to open the game.

“We noticed that they were lining up their special teams outside of the hash marks,” said head coach Garrin Higgins. “We wanted to try it early on.”

Taking advantage of the onside kick, the Hornets drove right down the field to set up a field goal attempt. UCM blocked the attempt.

On the ensuing possession, junior defensive back Kevin Gettis once again captured the momentum for the Hornets as he intercepted a UCM pass. Then, senior running back LaDarrian Page broke a 50-yard touchdown run. The Hornets led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode, got the Hornets on the board again with a two-yard touchdown run to put the Hornets ahead 14-3. ESU continued to move the ball efficiently when Eckenrode hit junior wide receiver Shjuan Richardson on a 62-yard touchdown strike to give the Hornets the lead, 21-10.

“The coaches noticed a weakness in (UCM’s) defense,” Eckenrode said. “Shjuan ran a good route and I was able to get it to him. From there, he did the rest.”

At the end of the first half, the Hornets were ahead 21-17, allowing UCM to keep the score close. Several times in the first half, the Hornets were able to seize the momentum but could never stretch the lead.

The Hornets opened the second half impressively. They marched the length of the field on a nine play, 80-yard drive that culminated with a 20-yard touchdown run by Dasor Horton, stretching the lead to 28-17 with 11 minutes left in the third quarter.

The Hornets then held UCM to a three and out, forcing them to punt the ball. To start the next drive Eckenrode threw a 69-yard touchdown bomb to wide receiver Shjuan Richardson, putting the Hornets ahead 35-17.

It looked as if the Hornets had delivered the knockout blow, but a scrappy UCM team would not fall. UCM tied the score at 38-38 with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the game, eventually taking the lead 38-45 with about two minutes remaining. The Hornets were unable to recover turning the ball over twice on their last two possessions.

“We put it together offensively today,” Higgins said. “We need to execute better there at the end. We need to go get a win.”

The Hornets will face Langston University at 1 p.m. this Saturday at Welch Stadium.

Marcus Hix

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The Emporia State football team opened up its regular season against rival Fort Hays State. The Hornets lost 17-27, falling short in a close contest.

Although ESU led by a score of 17-7 in the third quarter, they failed to finish off the Tigers in the fourth quarter.

Even though the Hornets lost the season opener, the team proved they will be a force to reckon with in the league.

But in last week’s game, the Hornets did not capitalize when it was needed most. The team committed three turnovers in the fourth quarter, which is the most crucial point in the game. This not only allowed the Tigers to stay close, but it eventually cost the Hornets a game to a conference opponent.

To quote arguably the greatest coach in the history of football, Vince Lombardi, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.”

This is just one step in a long season for the Hornets. This team, under the guidance of coach Higgins, will be very successful and will not let this one game deter them from their overall goals.

ESU showed many signs of improvement from last season. The team out gained the Tigers in total yards 512-416. They also showed quick strike capability with a 64-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. This is reason enough for ESU fans to be optimistic for this season.

“The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling,” Lombardi said, “but in rising again after you fall.”

All teams will falter at some point during the season. The Hornets have stumbled early on, but have plenty of room to improve.

The road will not get any easier for the Hornets with the next opponent being the Pittsburg State Gorillas. The Gorillas accumulated a 6-6 record last season.

However, one of those loses was to ESU, the final score being 17-14. Pittsburg State won their first game of the season over a good Missouri Western team 34-7. This game will prove to be a good challenge for the Hornets.

The Hornets will need to show their mental toughness, their ability to move forward and their capacity to learn from their mistakes. The next game will start at 7 p.m., Sept. 10, in Pittsburg.

Marcus Hix

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Courtesy photo from ESU athletic department.

The Hornets football team will see many familiar faces this season, including junior quarterback and team captain, Tyler Eckenrode.

Eckenrode said his passion came from his first year of tackle football in the fifth grade, and his love for the game has evolved ever since.

“I played my first year of tackle football in the fifth grade, and have been involved ever since,” Eckenrode said. “I grew up watching my Uncle play football for Southwest Baptist, and since then I knew I wanted to play football.”

Eckenrode is originally from Houston, Texas, where he began playing football. He competed in both football and baseball in high school and achieved success in earning honorable mention, academic all-state honors while leading his team to the thirteenth consecutive Texas 5A playoffs. He threw for 1,580 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior year.

“We finally have a guy who is steady,” said head coach Garin Higgins. “He knows how to prepare for the game and does everything we ask of him. I can trust him.”

Last season, Eckenrode had an impressive year in which he threw for over 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns, including a solid outing against Northwest Missouri State. He totaled 207 yards passing with 2 touchdown passes, while he added another touchdown on the ground.

“He’s a smart, calm and composed quarterback,” said senior offensive lineman Ben McKaig. “He is such a good decision maker and is really good at getting the ball to our playmakers.”

Eckenrode believes this season will have many successes due to the camaraderie of the football team, and said the team is clicking on all cylinders.

“We have a good solid group of returning players this season,” Eckenrode said. “Both the offense and defense are playing well together. We have some talent and can’t wait to get out there and compete this season.”

Marcus Hix

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Courtesy photo from ESU athletic department.

Although this year marks Garin Higgins’ fifth season as head football coach, he has been a Hornet for more than 20 years, and he was even a four-year letterman under former Emporia State football coach Larry Kramer.

“(Kramer) taught me about being tough and how to handle adversity,” Higgins said. “I always thought that if you could play for Coach Kramer and make it through four years, I could handle any obstacle in life.”

In his first four seasons as the Hornet’s head coach, Higgins compiled a record of 14-30. He is confident that the team is in the process of reversing the trend.

“It’s truly a blessing to come back home,” Higgins said. “It is a big challenge because expectations are high. We are doing everything in our power, the things we can control, to get the program headed in the right direction.”

When Higgins played football for ESU, he helped lead the 1989 Hornets to a national runner-up finish. He has been a part of four teams that have played for or won national championships as a player, head coach or as a coordinator.

“He is a player’s coach,” said junior quarterback Tyler Eckenrode. “He cares about us as more than just players and helps us to succeed in not only football but life as well.”

His first head coaching position was at Northwestern Oklahoma State University where he amassed a record of 51-9 over five seasons. All five of those seasons, he coached his team to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics playoffs, with two national runner-up finishes.

“I have known all of my life that I wanted to coach football,” Higgins said. “Some people grow up wanting to be firemen or police officers, but I always knew I wanted to coach football.”

Higgins said he grew up in what he calls a “coaching family.”

“My dad coached for 30 years and I was a field rat,” Higgins said. “I followed him around everywhere just trying to be around football.”

The rest of the coaching staff said they are confident in Higgins’ ability to bring back the “winning tradition” of ESU football.

“Coach brings composure,” said defensive line assistant coach and former MIAA all-conference linebacker Nathan Linsey. “He gets the most out of his players (and) he is a hard worker… the players know that if they listen to Coach Higgins that the desired results will come.”

The Hornets will face the Fort Hays State Tigers in the first game of the season at 7 p.m. tonight in Hays.

Marcus Hix

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