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FOR RELEASE: October
18, 2008
CONTACT: Rob McCutcheon, (660) 543-4312
Mules “Special” in win over Lions, 47-14
(Joplin, Mo.) – The No. 21 Central Missouri Mules had big plays in
all three phases of the game Saturday at Hughes Stadium, rolling to
a 47-14 win against Missouri Southern.
The Mules (6-2, 4-2
MIAA) special teams units blocked a punt, recovered an onside kick,
blocked a field goal, stuffed a fake punt attempt, recovered a
fumble on a punt return, smashed a 65-yard punt, and returned a
kickoff 48 yards in the game.
On offense the Mules
threw for 361 yards and five touchdowns against the No. 2 pass
defense in the nation (allowed only 123.4 ypg coming in). The
passing scores all came from big plays of at least 37 yards each.
The defense had two interceptions, four sacks, and nine tackles for
loss. It held the Lions (4-4, 2-4 MIAA) to only seven points with
the first team in the game.
Central Missouri
opened the scoring when junior quarterback Eric Czerniewski hit
junior wide receiver Tim Richmond on a third and 10 play. He made
the first defender miss and was off to the races, coasting in from
44 yards out. UCM got the next score after senior bandit backer
Steven Ehase picked off quarterback Collin Howard deep in MSSU
territory. The Lions defense was able to hold Central Missouri to a
28-yard Mark Starks field goal though.
Starks played a big
role in the next score a few minutes later when he executed a
perfect onside kick that went high into the air, giving the Mules
plenty of time to get under it and recover at the MSSU 47.
Czerniewski hit Richmond two plays later for their second scoring
combination of the day, this time it was a 47-yard catch and
run, making it 17-0 with 7:15 left until the break. Richmond had a
huge day, catching eight passes for 149 yards. It was the most
regular season receiving yards for a Mule since Todd Devoe had 152
against Emporia State in 2001
The Mules sniffed out
a fake punt on the next Lion possession and quickly made them pay
for it, going 48 yards from Czerniewski to junior Sean Thornton on
the next play. It was Thornton’s first career touchdown, and he
would double that total later, catching one from 37 yards out in the
fourth quarter from backup Tommy Corwin, who got his first career
passing TD in the process.
The Lions got on the
board just before the break on a 7-yard TD pass from Howard to Mark
Henderson, cutting the margin to 23-7 with 24 seconds left in the
half.
Central Missouri came
out in the second stanza and put it away early, scoring a touchdown
on the second possession, thanks to a heavy dose of senior running
back Glenn Milner. He carried the ball three times for 32 yards, and
capped the 6-play, 42 yard drive from two yards out. The Lions moved
down the field for a 13-play, 71-yard drive to try and answer, but
Mules senior linebacker Max Fairclough blocked the 31-yard field
goal.
The Mules answered
quickly again, this time an 80-yard scoring strike on the first play
to sophomore tight end DeMarco Cosby, making it 37-7 in the third
quarter. It was the longest play of the season for Central Missouri.
It continued to roll
for the Mules as junior strong safety Mike Stevenson picked off a
pass from Howard and returned it 37 yards into MSSU territory.
Starks would hit a career long 37 yard field goal after that, making
it 40-7 with 13:02 left in the game.
Czerniewski finished with 317 yards and matched a career-high with
four touchdown passes. The Mules offense piled up 453 yards while
the defense helped win the turnover battle 3-0. They were led in
tackles by Fairclough with nine while sophomore linebacker Cody
Scribner had seven to go with a sack.
The Mules will come
back for Homecoming to face No. 22 Nebraska-Omaha next Saturday at
1:30 p.m. in a huge game with playoff implications.
- 2008 UCM Mules Football -
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