By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Over his 21-year coaching career as Washburn University's football coach Craig Schurig has seen a lot of big victories as well as more than a few heartbreaking defeats.
And Schurig admitted that last Saturday's 32-30 loss at perennial MIAA power Northwest Missouri was among the toughest losses he and his team have ever had to deal with.
"I'd rank it right up there,'' Schurig said. "You don't have time right now to classify them, but I imagine after the season that will be a top-fiver.''
Washburn sophomore quarterback Kellen Simoncic ranks second in the nation with 22 touchdown passes. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn rallied to take a 30-29 lead over Northwest with 24 seconds left on a 10-yard fourth-quarter run from sophomore quarterback Kellen Simoncic, but the Bearcats traveled 43 yards in three plays after a 38-yard kickoff return and kicked the game-winning 36-yard field goal with two seconds remaining.
"We came back three different times and it made sense to win, but they did a hell of a job and didn't panic and got us. It was tough, but they're good for a reason.''
Now the key for the Ichabods, 4-3 overall and in the MIAA, will be to wipe away the sour taste left by that defeat in Saturday's 1 p.m. Homecoming game against Central Oklahoma (5-2, 5-2) at Yager Stadium. Saturday will be Washburn's first home game in three weeks.
Schurig said he feels like his veteran team has done a good job of trying to put last week in the rearview mirror.
"We alway meet on Sundays and kind of celebrate the wins and get on to the next week and we confront the losses,'' Schurig said. "I thought coach (Zach) Watkins and coach (Jeff) Schwinn did a really good job of getting the offense and defense together and saying, 'Hey, we've got to confront this. We feel terrible and you should feel terrible but Tuesday you flip a switch and you get back at it.
"The kids are awsome, they seem so resilient and we have that kind of veteran team. Their attitude was good, their energy was good. They weren't dragging.''
Central Oklahoma has won its last four games, including a 35-23 win over Fort Hays state last Saturday.
Washburn leads the MIAA in scoring offense at 35.1 points per game and is ranked eighth in scoring defense, allowing 25.0 points per game. Washburn is second in the MIAA in total offense, averaging 439.4 yards per game.
Central Oklahoma is fifth in the MIAA in scoring offense at 28.6 ppg and third in scoring defense allowing 19.1 points a game. The Bronchos are eighth in total offense at 372.0 yards per game.
Simoncic is second in the nation in passing touchdowns with 22 and 13th in the nation in total offense at 294.6 yards per game.
Washburn senior linebacker Grant Bruner (43) leads the nation in total tackles through the first seven games of the 2022 season. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn senior James Letcher became the Ichabods' all-time receptions leader in last week's game against Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
Ichabod senior linebacker Grant Bruner leads the nation in tackles at 13.3 per game and is first in solo tackles with 8.6 per game.
Senior receiver/returner James Letcher junior moved into the No. 1 spot on Washburn's all-time list for career receptions last week at Northwest and now has 198 catches as an Ichabod.
Letcher has 5,062 career all-purpose yards, which is second all-time at Washburn. Troy Slusser has the school record with 5,210 yards from 1984-88.
Washburn took a wild 29-17 win at Central Oklahoma a year ago, with Letcher returning a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and Braden Rose scoring on a 75-yard fumble recovery and return.
The Bronchos lead the all-time series with Washburn, 6-4.
Washburn will travel to Northeastern State on Oct. 29.
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