By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Washburn University fell behind early and then ripped off 28 straight points en route to a 40-32 MIAA victory at Central Missouri Thursday night, winning for the first time in Warrensburg since 2006.
Washburn senior Grant Bruner had 23 tackles and two pass interceptions in the Ichabods' 40-32 win at Central Missouri. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn sophomore quarterback Kellen Simoncic tied a school record with six touchdown passes in the Ichabods' 40-32 MIAA win at Central Missouri. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Mules (0-2, 0-2 MIAA) took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards on eight plays to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Ichabods (2-0, 2-0) responded with a seven-play, 63-yard drive, but the drive stalled at the UCM 5-yard line and the field goal attempt was tipped, coming up short.
Washburn forced a Mules punt on their next possession and after a 51-yard punt return by James Letcher Jr. the Ichabods scored on a 5-yard Kellen Simoncic touchdown pass to Washburn Rural product Collin Wilson, but the extra point was missed as the Mules continued to lead, 7-6.
The Mules went up 14-6 after an eight-play, 75-yard drive just before the end of the first quarter.
The Ichabods turned the ball over on their second play of the insuing possession setting up a 41-yard field goal by the Mules, who boosted their lead to 17-6.
After the teams traded punts, Washburn trimmed the Mule lead to 17-12 when Simoncic hit Letcher on a 32-yard pass play with 6:58 to go in the opening half. The Ichabod went for two and the pass attempt failed.
The Mules needed only two plays to score again and double up the Ichabods at 24-12, capped by a 78-yard pass play. But the Ichabods came back with a 46-yard pass play from Simoncic to Peter Afful for 46 yards to pull Washburn within five at 24-19, which was the score at halftime.
To open the second half, Washburn took a 26-24 lead when Afful and Simoncic hooked up on a 17-yard pass play. On the first play of the ensuing Central Missouti drive, Grant Bruner picked off the first of two UCM passes on the day and then three plays later, Simoncic tossed another touchdown pass, this time to Letcher, Jr., for 14 yards as the Ichabods pushed their lead to 33-24 with 11:33 to play in the third quarter.
Neither team would score until 1:50 left in the third quarter when the Ichabods' Taylon Peters pulled down a screen pass and rumbled 35 yards to push the WU margin to 16 at 40-24 as Washburn outscored the Mules 21-0 in the third quarter, outgaining them 197 to 87 including 136 to 20 in passing yards.
The Mules scored first in the fourth quarter cutting the Ichabod lead to eight at 40-32 with 12:21 to go.
After a Washburn turnover, UCM drove down to the Ichabod 25, but missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt and Washburn regained possession. Again the teams would trade punts and on the first play of the Mules' drive starting at the Ichabod 47, Bruner picked off his second pass of the day with 2:16 to go.
Washburn was forced to punt and the Mules were pinned at their 6-yard-line with 1:34 to go.
UCM had four incomplete passes and Washburn took over with a pair of kneel downs to secure the 40-32 win, snapping a five-game losing streak in Warrensburg with their first win since a 14-10 win on Sept. 16, 2006.
Bruner had a career-high 23 tackles with two interceptions for 10 yards. He tallied 17 total tackles in the second half.
The 22 tackles by Bruner were the most by an Ichabod since Casey Curran had 22 (14 solo) against Missouri Western on Sept. 19, 2009.
Jordan Finnesy had seven tackles and Channon Rosss had six tackles.
Offensively, Simoncic tied a school record with six touchdown passes, tying Dane Simoneau and Barry Griffiths atop the Ichabod record book. He finished 18 for 37 for 296 yards.
On the ground, Peters had 78 total yards on 17 carries and Rural product Hunter Browning had 66 yards on six carries.
Wilson finished with 95 yards on seven catches and one score while Letcher, Jr., had 68 yards on four catches.
Washburn finished with 445 total yards -- 297 through the air and 148 on the ground. Washburn also scored 14 points off of Mule turnovers.
Washburn will play host to Nebraska-Kearney on Family Weekend Saturday on Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. at Yager Stadium.
