FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State made two defensive stops inside the five yard line including one in the final minute to hold off No. 21 Emporia State 22-17 on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field. The Tigers closed their season at 4-7 overall, 3-6 in the MIAA, and may have potentially spoiled a playoff bid for the 8-3 overall, 6-3 MIAA Hornets who have lost three-straight after an 8-0 start.
Fort Hays State held Emporia State to three scores in six red-zone trips while forcing an interception, recovering a fumble and recording a safety. Donovan Guyton's interception in the endzone with 46 seconds remaining stopped a Hornets after they had driven to the four yard line.
Emporia State possessed the ball for 10:42 in the first quarter. They were stopped on fourth down at the FHSU two yard line on their first drive. The Tigers nearly had a second goal line stand on the Hornets second possession but ESU scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1. The Tigers bounced right back with a 71-yard touchdown pass from Major Cantrell to Kolton Coleman but missed the extra point and trailed 7-6.
The Hornets kicked a 24-yard field goal to push their lead to 10-6 but backup quarterback Mason McMinn, in for Cantrell who left for concussion protocol, led the Tigers down the field and connected with Keyshawn Dooley for a 4-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers up 13-10 by halftime.
The second half was a defensive struggle early as Fort Hays State scored the only points of the third quarter. After pinning the Hornets deep in their own territory, Parrish Terry and Shadryon Blanka combined on a safety to push the Tiger lead to 15-10.
In the fourth quarter, Fort Hays State leaned on the run, totaling 108 rushing yards, highlighted by AG Floyd's 67-yard touchdown to push the Tiger lead to 12 at 22-10. The Hornets countered with a touchdown drive capped at 8:28 on an 11-yard touchdown pass, but the Tiger defense kept the Hornets from any more points the rest of the way. ESU made it all the way to the FHSU 4-yard line with under a minute, but the Guyton interception on 3rd-and-goal sealed the win. AG Floyd put the game away for good with a 28-yard rush that allowed the Tigers to run out the clock.
Floyd posted his third 100-yard rushing game of the season with 112 yards, while McMinn had 80 passing yards and Coleman finished with 91 receiving yards. Shadryon Blanka led the Tigers in tackles with 14. Cody Abston and Jaden Barker each had sacks in the game.
Jamison Sarver led the Hornet offense with 290 passing yards on 37 completions. Ethan Schultze was his top target with 109 yards. Gabe Roland recorded eight tackles for ESU.