By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Washburn Ichabod football battled back from a 21-point deficit in the second half to mount a strong upset bid Saturday at nationally-ranked Northwest Missouri, but fell short in a 31-24 MIAA loss.
Washburn sophomore quarterback Logan Madden passed for 366 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's 31-24 MIAA loss at Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn, now 1-1-1 overall and 0-1 in the MIAA, trailed 24-3 deficit midway through the third quarter, but scored three straight touchdowns to pull within seven points, but could not complete the comeback at Bearcat Stadium.
Washburn returns to Yager Stadium next Saturday, facing Central Oklahoma in a 12 p.m. MIAA contest.
Northwest Missouri struck first Saturday with a 76-yard drive, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Zechariah Owens to Cooper Warren with 7:06 left in the opening quarter.
Washburn answered with a 36-yard field goal from Aidan Battle early in the second quarter after a 10-play, 51-yard drive, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
The Bearcats (2-0, 1-0) created separation late in the first half.
A 45-yard touchdown run by Jaron Cannon Jr. extended the Northwest lead to 14-3 with 3:59 left in the second quarter, and after Northwest intercepted a Washburn pass and returned it to the Ichabod 4-yard line, the Washburn defense stiffened and forced a field goal, trailing 17-3 at halftime.
Northwest opened the second half with a four-play, 75-yard drive to take a 24-3 lead, highlighted by a 64-yard quarterback scramble by Owens before he found Jaidyn Doss for a six-yard touchdown pass.
Washburn responded immediately as quarterback Logan Madden connected with Tre Calhoun for a 45-yard gain and then a 25-yard touchdown pass, capping a four-play, 76-yard drive.
Later in the quarter, Madden led an eight-play, 65-yard march that ended with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Calhoun, trimming the margin to 24-17.
After Northwest answered with a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to go up 31-17, the Ichabods mounted one more charge.
Early in the fourth quarter, JC Heim forced a Owens fumble, with Jayson Green recovering at the Bearcat 32-yard-line.
Seven plays later, Madden found Calhoun from three yards out to pull Washburn within 31-24 with 8:12 remaining.
The Washburn defense gave the offense another opportunity after forcing Northwest to go three-and-out on its next possession.
The Ichabods drove to the Bearcat 11-yard line in the final minutes, but were stopped on fourth down after a pass into the end zone went incompete, allowing Northwest to run out the clock.
Washburn outscored Northwest 21-14 in the second half, outgained the Bearcats 270-215 and held the ball for 18:20 compared to 11:40 for Northwest.
Washburn converted six of eight third-down attempts after halftime while Northwest was just two of five.
In the fourth quarter Washburn limited the Bearcats to only 36 total yards and no points while possessing the ball for 10:29 of the final 15 minutes.
Calhoun caught nine passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first Ichabod since J.J. Brainia-Hopp in 2018 to have three touchdown receptions in a game.
Madden threw for 366 yards and three scores, completing 27 of 48 passes.
Cam Robinson added 140 all-purpose yards, rushing for 58 yards on 13 carries and catching four passes for 82 yards.
Nathan Lewis Jr. hauled in five catches for 53 yards, while former Topeka High standout Jayden Norman added four receptions for 46 yards.
Defensively, Heim led the Ichabods with 11 tackles, forced a fumble and added a tackle for loss.
Brody Hayes recorded nine tackles, while Reece Watkins finished with five stops and Gage Depee totaled five tackles with a tackle for loss. Elijah Clark-Boyd recorded Washburn's lone sack.
