TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Mules scored in every quarter and used a second quarter surge to distance themselves from Washburn in a 38-28 win at Yager Stadium on Saturday afternoon. UCM scored 17 straight points to go from 7-0 down to 17-7 up in the second quarter.
The Ichabods (3-3, 3-3 MIAA) got on the board first when Derek McGinnis hit Anthony Daniels for a 34-yd touchdown midway through the first quarter. The Mules (4-2, 4-2 MIAA) responded with a touchdown drive of their own. UCM drove all the way to the Washburn one-yard line where they faced fourth and goal. On that fourth down,
Garrett Fugate hit
Ian Toalson in the back right corner of the end zone for six and the Mules tied the game 7-7.
After the defense forced a punt, the Mules got the ball back at their own 30 yard line. They drove 70 yards in 12 plays for the go ahead score. Fugate hit
Jaylen Zachery for a 24-yard gain on the drive and later found
Clayton Cooper for 14 more yards to the WU two. On second and goal, Fugate rushed it in from a yard out and UCM led 14-7.
On the first play of the ensuing drive
Alex Lackey forced a fumble and
Austin Miller recovered it, giving the Mules great field position at the Washburn 34. Fugate hit
Tyler Jones for a 24-yard gain on the first play after the turnover, but the drive stalled and the Mules got a 29-yard field goal from
Billy Greco to make it 17-7.
Late in the first half, Washburn put together a 10-play drive, spanning 59 yards to pull within 17-14. Derek McGinnis scored from a yard out to pull WU within a field goal. The Mules responded with a touchdown scoring drive right before the half to go up 24-14. Fugate scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, this one from two yards out and UCM led by 10 at the intermission.
Both teams turned the ball over on their first possessions of the second half and then had three and outs. On their third drive of the half, the Mules hit paydirt again when Fugate broke free, thanks to a key block from Toalson, for a 30-yard score and the lead was 31-14.
Washburn responded with a touchdown drive of their own to pull back within 10 at 31-21. McGinnis hit Jake Horner for a 26-yard score.
UCM put the game away early in the fourth quarter when
Markel Smith found the endzone from three yards out to make it 38-21 with 10:24 to play in the game. Washburn added a late score, a 30-yard pass from McGinnis to Daniels, to make it 38-28 but the Mules recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
Fugate ended the day 24-of-38 for 295 yards with one touchdown. He rushed 21 times for 72 yards and three touchdowns. Smith had 25 carries for 77 yards and a score. Zachery hauled in seven passes for a game-high 107 yards.
Tevin Teamer and Lackey led the defense with eight tackles each. Teamer also had an interception that bounced off two other UCM defenders before ricocheting into his hands.
Travion Vaughn,
Monteze Latimore and
Jason Venckus all had six tackles each, while Venckus also added 1.5 tackles for loss.
McGinnis ended his day 22-of-50 for 264 yards with three scores and an interception. Hayden Groves rushed 14 times for 74 yards and Bryce Chavis hauled in eight passes for 81 yards. Peter Pfannenstiel led the WU defense with 15 tackles.
The Mules are back in action next Saturday at Central Oklahoma. Kickoff from Edmond and Wantland Stadium is set for 2 p.m. The game can be heard live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler on the call.
