By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
HAYS - Fort Hays State lost five fumbles, the last coming inside the Missouri Southern 10-yard line with under a minute to play and lost to the Lions 25-24 Saturday night at Lewis Field.
The Lions (3-1) took the lead on a three-yard touchdown pass from Dawson Herl to tight end Trace Willhite with just under two minutes to play. It capped a 13-play, 99-yard drive that came after the Tigers Adrian Soto fumbled at the MSSU one-yard line.
Jack Dawson connected on passes of 19 and 14 yards to Manny Ramsey which moved to ball to the Lions 27. Dawson had to leave the game after his helmet came off when being tackled. Forrester entered and had a 21-yard run up the middle but fumbled at the end of the play which was originally ruled down by contact. The Lions challenged and the call was overturned.
Southern raced out to a 9-0 first quarter lead, scoring a safety when a snapped when over punter Ethan Sossen's head and out of the back of the end zone. Ezekiel Lang hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Luke Sampson which was set up following an FHSU fumble.
The Tigers (1-3) responded with 21-straight points to build a 21-9 lead. Ethan Forrester got the Tigers on the board with a two-yard run which came after Jeremiah Jackson-Trotter intercepted a Dawson Herl pass folllowing a deflection from Makel Williams.
The Tigers took a 14-0 lead on a four-yard touchdown pass from Jack Dawson to redshirt-freshman tight end Leyton Cure which was set up by a Layke Heimerman interception.
Mason Perez blocked a punt on the Lions following possession and recovered it in the endzone to push the lead to 21-9.
MSSU kicked a 24-yard field goal on their next possession to cut the gap to 21-12. They took advantage of a Tiger fumble to score another touchdown before halftime to close within 21-19.
Hunter Budke hauled in a 29-yard pass down to the MSSU one yard-line but two runs were stuffed at the line of scrimmage and FHSU had to settle for an 18-yard field goal from Emanuel Aguilar as time expired in the second quarter.
Neither team scored in the third quarter.
STREAK SNAPPED
The Lions ended an eight-game losing streak to the Tigers and a four-game Lewis Field losing streak.
HOME, NOT SO SWEET, HOME
The Tigers have lost five straight home games dating back to 2021. Their last home win came against Nebraska-Kearney on Oct. 2, 2021.
UP NEXT
Fort Hays State: at Nebraska-Kearney on Oct. 1
Missouri Southern: at Pittsburg State on Oct. 1