By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post
WARRENSBURG, Mo. - The Fort Hays State football team led at halftime against No. 11 Central Missouri, the Mules shutout the Tigers in the second half and won 47-28 Saturday at Walton Stadium. The victory coupled with Pittsburg State's loss at Missouri Western gave UCM a share of the MIAA title and kept their playoff hopes alive.
The loss ended Fort Hays State's five-game win streak, their longest since winning seven-straight in 2019.
Fort Hays State (7-3, 6-3 MIAA) battled blow for blow with the nation's top offensive attack in the first half. FHSU had three leads including a 28-24 lead at halftime.
UCM (9-1, 9-1 MIAA) scored the game's first touchdown when the MIAA's leading receiver Arkell Smith broke a tackle and sprinted 68 yards for a touchdown on a pass from Zach Zebrowski but the Tigers answered on the following possession when Jack Dawson found true freshman Jabari Lewis on a 25-yard touchdown pass.
After getting a pair of stops, FHSU grabbed a 14-7 lead on a 29-ayrd touchdown run from Travis Dixon with 4:33 remaining in the opening quarter.
A 63-yard pass from Zebrowski to Derrick Rose set up a two-yard Zebrowski 2-yard touchdown run to tie the game 14-14. FHSU would answer with an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 29-yard touchdown pass from Dawson to Trevor Watts.
Zebrowski's second touchdown pass of the first half tied the game 21-21 early in the second quarter. The Tiger defense stopped the Mules on their next possession, and then the Tiger offense went on a long 13-play, 72-yard touchdown drive capped by a 1-yard plunge by Dixon with 2:07 remaining before the half.
UCM drove down the field and kicked a field goal on the final play of the second quarter to pull within four.
The Mules dominated the second half. After an interception on the Tigers first possession, they marched 43 yards and took the lead 31-28 when Zebrowski found Price Morgan for an 8-yard touchdown pass.
The Tiger offense was held to only five yards on the third quarter and also yielded a safety which pushed the Mules' lead to 33-28.
UCM scored again on TD pass from Zebrowski to Jack Pospisil to make the score 40-28. They put the game away with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Zebrowski to Rose.
Dawson finished the game with 261 passing yards for FHSU. Dixon led the Tigers with 84 rushing yards and Trevor Watts had a team-high 11 receptions for 113 yards. John Johnson led the Tiger defense with 15 tackles, followed by Benyon Williams with 10 and Makel Williams with nine. Parrish Terry had two sacks and Myles Menges added one.
Zebrowski lived up to his billing as the nation's top passer. The UCM signal caller threw for 459 yards and five touchdowns. Smith finished with 149 receiving yards, followed by Rose with 118. The Mules generated 531 yards of total offense.
Fort Hays State will close out its regular season next weekend at home when it plays host to in-state rival Emporia State. Both teams will enter the contest at 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 11) at Lewis Field Stadium.