Oct. 23, 2004
"Old Hickory Stick" Game Has Dramatic Finish, Northwest Escapes Truman With A 45-42 Win.
The #3 ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats needed a goal line plunge from running back Xavier Omon with :24 seconds left to play to retain the oldest trophy in Division II and keep the Truman Bulldogs winless on the season. The Bearcats, now 9-0 overall and 7-0 in the MIAA, put together an eight play, 70 yard drive in 2:37 for the victory, after the Bulldogs (0-9; 0-7) took their first lead of the day with 3:01 left to play.
Truman senior quarterback Jake Czeschin (Fulton, Mo.Fulton) broke the MIAA single-game passing yards with 479 on 35 completions. Czeschin had four touchdowns including a 50 yard strike to junior wide receiver Justin Bodenhausen (Cosby, Mo./Savannah) to give the Bulldogs the lead. Bodenhausen finished with five catches for 99 yards. Sophomore receiver Jeff Amundson (Windom, Minn./Windom Area) led all receivers with 14 catches and 188 yards.
The Bearcats scored twice in the first quarter with Omon picking up a 52 yard touchdown run, followed by Morris White's 16 yard pass reception from Josh Mathews. Truman answered back in the second quarter with a one-yard run from Jerard Leverson (Dolton, Ill./Thornridge).
Northwest took a 21-7 lead on a 14-yard pass from Mathews to Jamaica Rector, but freshman running back Michael Patnode (Princeton, Minn./Princeton) caught a three-yard pass from Czeschin to cut the deficit to seven. With ten seconds left in the first half, Bearcat place kicker Luis Berlanga made a 27-yard field goal that hit the left upright and bounced through for the 24-14 halftime lead.
Each team traded scores in the third quarter with sophomore Richard Mayson (Mexico, Mo./Mexico) catching a two-yard pass, while Aaron Froehlich caught an eight-yard pass from Mathews.
Truman got it back to three points early in the fourth on another Czeschin touchdown pass, this time a 25-yard reception to junior James Walton (Hinsdale, Ill/Hinsdale South). However, the Bearcats extended the lead back to ten when Mathews rushed up the middle for a one-yard run.
After a nine-yard pass play to Bodenhausen, Leverson went over the top to cut the Northwest lead to 38-35. Northwest then went three and out on the next possession and had to punt back to the Bulldogs with 4:55 left. The punt pushed the Bulldogs back to their own 27 yard line. Four plays later, Bodenhausen caught the 50 yard pass and gave Truman the 42-38 lead.
The Bearcats started their final drive at their own 30 yard line, Mathews completed four passes, including a 35-yard pass to Andre Rector that took the ball down to the Truman five. Omon took the ball from their and on fourth and goal from the one scored for the win.
Omon rushed for 169 yards on 28 carries, while Mathews was 22 of 31 for 252 yards. Jamaica Rector had three punt returns for 88 yards and two kick returns for 39 yards to give Northwest good field position throughout the day.
The Bulldogs will head to Missouri-Rolla next Saturday to try and snap the nine game loosing streak. Game time is 1:00 p.m.