Quick start fuels Gorillas in win over Griffons
Oct. 24—ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Pittsburg State set the tone on the game's opening play and never looked back from there.
A 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Dallis Flowers on the first play of the game marked the start of a 27-point surge as PSU claimed an eventual 34-14 win over Missouri Western on Saturday at Spratt Stadium.
The Gorillas (6-2, 6-2 MIAA) took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter and then erupted for 17 more points in the final 7:26 of the first half.
A 5-yard touchdown run by Tyler Adkins capped an 11-play, 91-yard drive before PSU scored five minutes later on a 50-yard field goal by Cross Holmes. PSU added another touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the half on a 14-yard TD pass from Mak Sexton to Jalen Martin.
Holmes, who went a perfect 2 for 2 on field goals and 4 for 4 on extra-point kicks, split the uprights on a 27-yard field goal that gave PSU its largest lead, 27-0, with 9:28 remaining in the third quarter.
Missouri Western (3-5, 3-5) broke its scoring lull at the 4:40-mark of the third quarter when Shen Butler Lawson Jr. bulldozed his way into the end zone for a 1-yard TD run that trimmed the Gorillas' lead 27-7.
PSU capped its scoring in the game with a 12-yard TD pass from Sexton to Devon Garrison with 14:51 remaining. The Griffons reached paydirt two minutes later on an 8-yard rush by Reagan Jones to bring the game to its eventual final score.
Sexton completed 19 of 29 passes for 224 yards and two scores. His top target, Martin, hauled in four passes for 70 yards and one TD.
Adkins was the leading rusher for PSU, totaling 74 yards and one TD on 15 carries.
Kaden Roy paced the PSU defense with 10 tackles, including nine solo. Jordan Hendy, P.J. Sarwinski and Jack Barkley logged six tackles apiece, and Hendy recorded one interception.
The Gorillas amassed 362 yards of total offense while the Griffons totaled 354 yards.
Jones completed 7 of 11 passes for 142 yards and threw one interception, while Anthony Vespo completed 7 of 19 attempts for 55 yards. Cooper Burton was the game's leading receiver, finishing with 135 yards on six receptions.
PSU plays host to Central Oklahoma at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg, Kan.
