Oct. 10, 2000
Truman Heads to Missouri Western To Break Tie for Second in MIAA Football Standings
THE GAME: Truman State University Bulldogs (Mid-America Intercollegiate
Athletics Association/NCAA Division II) vs. Missouri Western State College
Griffons (MIAA/NCAA DII)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 14, 2000
TIME: 2 p.m. (CDT)
LOCATION: St. Joseph, Mo.
FACILITY (CAP.): Spratt Stadium (6,000)
BROADCAST: KRES 104.7 FM, Moberly, Mo. Ken Kujawa, play-by-play, and Brad Boyer and Hank Janssen, commentary. The Pregame show begins approximately 30 minutes before the game.
TEAM LINE: Live KRES broadcast by calling 1-800-846-4700. Access Code: 6350
TRUMAN: Truman is sitting in a three-way tie for second in the MIAA with a 3-1 mark and is 4-2 on the season. Saturday's opponent, Missouri Western, along with Emporia State are the other two teams sporting 3-1 records in the conference.
While Truman will travel to Missouri Western for its homecoming, Emporia will entertain Pittsburg State which is currently 2-2 in league action. Missouri Western was one of the two teams to hand PSU a loss in the MIAA, along with defending national champion Northwest Missouri.
TRUMAN VS. CENTRAL MISSOURI-Oct. 7, 2000: The Bulldogs are relishing a 28-14 victory over Central Missouri last weekend in front of a Family Day crowd. The 'Dogs' used 93 offensive plays in beating the Mules, the most by a Truman team since a 36-18 loss to CMSU in 1993 when the same number were also used.
The Mules scored first after blocking a punt on the 'Dogs first drive and returned it nine yards for the score. But Truman would even the score before the conclusion of the first quarter when junior quarterback Eric Howe (West Des Moines, Iowa/Dowling) connected with junior wide receiver Geoff Jensen (Grinnell, Iowa) on a 9-yard pass play at 6:06. Senior fullback Steve Wilson (Mexico, Mo.) took over the team-lead in scoring for the season after punching in two TDs vs. Central Missouri, the first at 13:17 in the second period.
MIAA defensive player of the week Jake Willrich (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) then intercepted the Mule quarterback, the first of five turnovers caused by the Bulldog defense.
Wilson made his second 1-yard TD run with 23 seconds left in the half to give the 'Dogs a 21-7 lead at intermission.
Truman missed a 33-yard field goal at 5:32 in the third quarter, but forced another CMSU turnover on the very next series after senior defensive tackle Curt Cira (St. Louis/Vianney) sacked the CMSU signal-caller, causing a fumble which freshman linebacker Tameem Yehyawi (Keokuk, Iowa) recovered for Truman.
Senior defensive back Toko Nguyen (Quincy, Ill./Notre Dame) picked off his first pass on the first play of CMSU's next drive. Yehyawi also forced a fumble to cause the Mules' fourth turnover with about eight and a half minutes left to play. Central Missouri also lost a fumble on its next possession, this time caused by Willrich and recovered by freshman linebacker Derek Kent (Lucas, Iowa/ Chariton).
But the 'Dogs would also lose a fumble on their own 11-yard line on the next drive. It then took just one play, a 7-yard pass, to bring the Mules within seven points of Truman. The Bulldogs' Mike Redding (Lake Zurich, Ill.) broke loose for a 57-yard run with 59 seconds remaining in the game, the longest of his career, to give Truman its 28-14 margin of victory. CMSU failed to convert on fourth-and-six from the Truman 42 in its last possession.
WILLRICH IS MIAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jake Willrich earned MIAA player of the week honors after leading the team with eight total tackles, including six solo stops. He also stopped a Mule drive on the Truman 8-yard line by forcing a fumble. His six solos were a career high, and he charted another career-first with an interception in the second half. Willrich also sacked the CMSU quarterback for a loss of six yards.
TRUMAN IN THE NATIONAL POLLS: The American Football Coaches Association official NCAA Divison II poll mentioned Truman as receiving two votes for the top 25 this week. However, the USA Football poll has the Bulldogs listed at No. 30 this week. Northwest Missouri tops the AFCA poll while Pittsburg State is 17th.
BULLDOGS IN MIAA/NCAA AND ON TRUMAN CAREER LISTS: Junior quarterback Eric Howe (West Des Moines, Iowa/Dowling) is now sixth in passing yards among Bulldog career leaders with 4,743. Howe, who is averaging 238.2 yards passing per game, is 236 yards from the fifth spot held by quarterback Matt Heidmann with 4,979 from 1983-87. Howe also moved into the eighth spot on the Truman career total offense list with 4,686 yards. He passed legendary running back Dale "Paley" Mills with 4,502 from 1957-60, and is 132 yards from the seventh spot held by Heidmann. Howe is second in MIAA passing yards (238.2 ypg), and third in total offense (232.2 ypg) and pass efficiency (141.8). His efficiency rating is good for 16th in the nation this week, while he is also 21st among NCAA Division II total offense leaders.
Junior wide receiver Kevin Collins (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption), who is tied with Blakley for fourth in league receptions (4.17 rpg) and who is sixth in receiving yards (62.2 ypg), has also moved up the Bulldog career leaders lists. He has 1,398 career receiving yards, claiming the 11th spot at Truman. Collins needs 77 yards to tie for 10th with Benny Pardue from 1987-90. Collins has 83 career receptions since 1998 and needs six to enter the Truman career list at 12th where Larry Tisdale (1984-85) sits with 89.
Sophomore Andrew Blakley (St. Joseph, Mo./Central) is already ranked 10th all-time at Truman with 96 career receptions in the last two campaigns. Last weekend he passed Mike Berentes (1967-70) and Bill Morris (1984-87) where all three sat with 92. Blakley is tied for fourth in MIAA receptions (4.17 rpg) and is eighth in receiving yards (59.7 ypg).
Sophomore Alfonso Pugh (Galesburg, Ill.) is second in league punt returns (18.5 ypr), sixth in all-purpose yards (113.7 ypg) and third in kickoff returns (33.1 ypr). He ranks 10th in DII punt returns.
Junior Geoff Jensen (Grinnell, Iowa) is also among the league's best receivers, coming in 10th this week in receiving yards per game (51.0 ypg). He has scored the Bulldogs' first touchdowns in the last two games.
Senior fullback Steve Wilson (Mexico, Mo.) is now ranked seventh in MIAA scoring with 6.0 points per game. He has a team-high six TDs this year.
Sophomore Austin Lepper (Ames, Iowa/Gilbert) is ranked ninth in the nation this week with 41.4 yards per punt for second in the MIAA. Among conference leaders he is also sixth in scoring by kicks (5.3 ppg), seventh in field goals per game (0.50), seventh in field goal percentage (50.0) and eighth in PAT kicking percentage (85.2).
Senior defensive tackle Curt Cira (St. Louis/Vianney) is first in the MIAA in forced fumbles (3), while sophomore strong safety Adam Meyer (New Haven, Mo./St. Francis Borgia) is tied for second with two. Cira is also tied for eighth in league sacks with 2.5 this year.
MISSOURI WESTERN: The Griffons, 3-3 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA, are tied for 25th in the nation this week in scoring defense, allowing opponents 17.7 points a game. However they lost 46-27 last weekend to Northwest Missouri. MWSC opened the season with a pair of losses to South Dakota 17-13 and Fort Hays State (Kan.), 23-15. The Griffons then began conference action with three wins, beating Missouri-Rolla 63-0, Washburn 23-13 and Pittsburg State 17-7 before suffering their first MIAA loss to NWMS on Saturday.
MWSC quarterback Kasey Waterman is 30th in NCAA Division II passing efficiency (136.0) and is 18th in total offense (236.5) among national leaders. Waterman also does the punting and is ranked eighth in the MIAA (35.0 ypp).
Jerris Evans is second in MIAA receptions (5.50 rpg) and receiving yards (79.2 ypg), while Adam Ziesel is sixth in receptions (4.0 rpg) and fifth in receiving yards (67.8 ypg). Evans is also 10th in league punt returns (6.0 ypr) and eighth in all-purpose yards (98.0 ypg).
Brandon Perry leads the Griffons ground attack with 86.3 yards per game to rank fifth on MIAA rushing.
MISSOURI WESTERN VS. NORTHWEST MISSOURI: NWMS took a 20-0 lead before running back Mike Connaker scored on a 75-yard reception from Waterman at 9:00 in the second quarter. However the Bearcats would make it 27-7 before the first half was over. Ziesel began second half scoring after taking a 24-yard pass from Waterman in to the end zone at 12:42. Northwest Missouri would again answer before the quarter was out with a 7-yard TD run, and add a 20-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth period to make the score 39-14. Wide receiver Sterling Finney brought the Griffons closer with a 21-yard pass reception from Waterman for the score just 50 seconds later, only to see NWMS finish its scoring for the day with a 2-yard TD run with 3:46 left to play. Missouri Western managed a 1-yard TD pass from Waterman to Ziesel at 1:12 to make the final margin 46-27 in favor of the defending national champion, Northwest Missouri. Waterman completed 21 of 41 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns in the loss. Ziesel had seven catches for 123 yards, while wide receiver Darwin Pitts had six receptions for 54 yards. Connaker led the Griffons with seven carries for 56 yards.
SERIES RECORD: Truman leads 12-5
First Meeting: 1972 (Truman won, 27-0)
Last Meeting: 1999 (MWSC won, 28-19)
Last Truman Win: 1998 (41-15)
Last MWSC Win: 1999 (28-19)
Biggest Truman Win: 1992 (41-7)
Biggest MWSC Win: 1993 (42-6)
GRIFFONS' STATISTICAL LEADERS
Rushing: Brandon Perry, 93/518 yds, 2 TDs
Passing: Kasey Waterman, 103 comp. in 182 att., 1,416 yards, 7 int., 12
TDs
Receptions: Adam Ziesel, 24 for 407 yards, 4 TDs
Receiving Yards: Jerris Evans, 33 for 475 yards, 4 TDs
All-Purpose Yards: Jerris Evans, 588
Total Offense: Kasey Waterman, 1,419 yards, 203 plays
Field Goals: Kevin Toms, 4 of 8
Punt Returns: Jerris Evans, 6 for 36 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Desmond Polk, 7/120 yds
Interceptions: Tyreece Whyte & Pierre Thomas, 2
Scoring: Kevin Toms, 30 pts., 4 FGs, 18 PATs
Tackles: Eric Walker, 70
COACHES RECORDS: Truman head coach John Ware is in his sixth season at the helm for the Bulldogs, and has a record of 34-26 (.567) in his first stint as a collegiate head coach. In MIAA action, his teams have posted a record of 33-16 (.673). Ware enjoyed the first non-conference win of his career in the season opener, defeating Northern Michigan, 35-24.
Jerry Partridge is in midst of his fourth season at Missouri Western where he has posted a record of 20-19 in her first stint as a college head coach.
TRUMAN COACHES PLAYERS OF THE WEEK FOR 10-9-00:
Offensive Line: Senior Josh Raaz (Columbia, Mo./Rockbridge)
Offensive Back: Redding
Receiver: Blakley
Defensive Line: Cira
Linebacker: Willrich
Defensive Back: Junior Lance Dorsey (Hannibal, Mo.)
Big Hit: Wilson
Special Effort: Nguyen, Willrich, Yehyawi, Cira & Pugh
Offensive Scout Teams: Freshman Dan Lawellin (Joplin, Mo.)
Defensive Scout Teams: Freshman Randy Bain (Bolingbrook, Ill.)
TRUMAN VS. MISSOURI WESTERN LAST YEAR: Blakley helped the 'Dogs take a 12-7 lead at halftime with touchdown catches of 24- and 40-yards in the first and second quarters, respectively. After a scoreless third period, MWSC went ahead on a 69-yard TD catch with 6:31 left to play.
Truman was then forced to punt after three downs and the Griffons returned the ball 65 yards, setting up a 15-yard scoring run on the next play from scrimmage to make the tally 22-12 in MWSCs favor. Truman struck back with a 78-yard TD bomb from Howe to senior wide receiver Tim Bussen on the first play of the next drive. The Griffons added a TD on a 2-yard keeper to culminate the next series and put the final score at 28-19 in their favor. It was Missouri Western's first win over Truman since 1994.
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