By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn defense held Northeastern State to 54 yards in the second half, forcing six punts, and Taylon Peters scored on a 3-yard run with 1:49 to go as the Ichabods notched their 10th win in a row over Northeastern State in a 21-17 win on Saturday in Tahlequah, Okla.
Washburn senior Grant Bruner and the Ichabod defense shut down Northeastern State in the second half as WU rallied for a 21-17 MIAA victory. [File photo/TSN]
Junior running back Taylon Peters scored the game-winning touchdown in Washburn's 21-17 MIAA win at Northeastern State on Saturday. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
After trailing 17-6 at halftime, Washburn (6-3, 6-3 MIAA) had the first possession of the third quarter, but an interception on the first play of the drive returned the ball back to the host RiverHawks.
But the Ichabod defense forced the first of their six punts in the half and Washburn took over. On the drive, Peters had rushes for 22, 3, 2, 9 and 22 yards for the score with 10:27 left in the third quarter cutting the NSU lead 17-12. Peters would then catch the 2-point conversion from Kellen Simoncic trimming the lead to 17-14.
On the go-ahead drive, Jared Taylor connected with James Letcher Jr. on a 25-yard strike converting a 3rd and 7 and after two rushes by Peters, with a pass from Taylor to Letcher in between, Peters rushed for 2, 7, 4, 7 and the 3-yard touchdown with 1:49, putting the Ichabods up 20-17 following the extra point by Kameron Lake.
The RIverHawks moved the ball to the Ichabod 50 with 33 seconds to go, but did not complete the 4th and 6, turning the ball back to the Ichabods and a kneal down by Taylor finished the game, recording Craig Schurig's 15th winning season at the helm of the Washburn program in his 20th season on the sidelines.
Grant Bruner and Derrick McClendon each had nine tackles and Jordan Finnesy had seven stops – all solo -- and Peyton Lane had six. The Ichabods had seven tackles for loss for 26 yards, with Phoenix Smith recording the lone sack for nine yards.
Peters became the first Ichabod since he accomplished the feat himself on Nov. 13, 2021 to go over 100 yards rushing in a game, recording 108 yards and two scores on 20 carries to lead the Ichabods' 171-yard rushing attack. Tyler Bowden had five carries for 49 yards.
Letcher, Jr., had 11 catches for 77 yards giving him 69 receptions this season for 888 yards. Peter Afful scored Washburn's first touchdown of the game with 13:50 left in the second quarter on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Simoncic and finished with four catches for 68 yards.
Washburn outgained the RiverHawks (1-8, 1-8 MIAA) 378 yards to 277 in the game, holding NSU to 37 yards in the third quarter and 21 net yards in the fourth quarter.
The Ichabods will close out its home slate with undefeated Pittsburg State on Senior Day next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium.
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