Missouri State Bears win 4th straight, while Emporia’s 6-1: area college football

Action-packed small-college football games were once again the rule across and beyond the Kansas City metro Saturday.

Here’s a rundown of highlights from the weekend:

Missouri State 41, Illinois State 7: The Bears built a 31-0 lead and cruised to their fourth straight victory, this one in Normal, Illinois. Safety Tavier Williams picked off two passes for Missouri State (4-2). Bears quarterback Jacob Clark connected on 24 of 31 passes for 343 yards with three touchdowns, including a 62-yarder to Dvontae Key (Raytown High) that put the Bears up 7-0.

Emporia State 49, Missouri Southern 30: The Hornets (6-1) put this one away with four fourth-quarter TDs in Joplin. Each starting QB amassed over 400 yards passing: Emporia State’s Chase Ricke completed 37 of 46 passes for 485 yards with 3 TDs and an interception. Lions QB Luke Sampson completed 30 of 48 for 431 yards. Sampson threw for 4 TDs, including an 80-yarder to Dayne Herl. He also was picked off twice.

Pittsburg State 20, Nebraska Kearney 10: The Gorillas held the Lopers to 138 total yards from scrimmage in Kearney and won their third straight game. Pitt State quarterback Chad Dodson, Jr., passed for 247 yards with two TDs, both to Kuron Parchmon. The Gorillas (5-1) play host to Fort Hays State on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Upper Iowa 38, William Jewell 31, OT: The Cardinals stormed back from a 24-6 halftime deficit in Fayette, Iowa. Jewell even took a 31-24 lead with 1 minute, 53 seconds left in the game on a 47-yard TD pass from Tucker Griffin to AJ Austene. Upper Iowa, though, responded with an 8-play 75-yard drive for a TD that tied it 31-31. In OT, Upper Iowa scored a TD on its possession and the Cardinals were unable to answer. William Jewell is 3-3 after a 3-0 start. Nate Barnett caught 10 passes for 89 yards with two TDs.

Fort Hays State 38, Washburn 7: The Tigers scored four TDs in the second half on their way to the blowout victory in Hays, Kansas. Tigers QB Caleb Heavner completed 26 of 32 passes for 319 yards with 3 TDs. Jayden Horace caught 10 balls for 160 yards and two TDs for FHSU. Heavner and Horace connected on a 73-yard pass play for a score in the third quarter. Jaden Barker had two of the Tigers’ four sacks.

Central Oklahoma 48, Northwest Missouri State 20: The Bearcats’ loss at Edmund, Oklahom,a put an end to their four-game win streak. Meanwhile, the Bronchos stand atop the MIAA at 6-0 (5-0 in conference). Northwest Missouri’s Eric Richardson had five catches for 92 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown. Bronchos quarterback Jeff Huff passed for 441 yards with three TDs.

Missouri Western 38, Central Missouri 28: Missouri Western QB Branden Berwald threw four TD passes in a road win at Warrensburg. Berwald finished with 379 yards passing and 93 rushing. The Griffons’ Tyler Carey had 3 TDs among his 6 catches for 178 yards, including a 68-yarder. Jonas Bennett of Odessa had 6 catches for 131 yards and a TD for the Griffons. Mules QB Zach Zebrowski had 3 TDs and 3 picks.

Northeastern State (Okla.) 55, Lincoln 7: Lincoln got to the end zone in the first quarter but was unable to keep up in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Lincoln’s Jareese Howard gained 72 yards on 16 carries.