Box Score | Final Season Stats | Photos
CANYON, Texas – The Washburn Ichabods had their season come to an end with a 40-39 loss to No. 4 ranked West Texas A&M. The Ichabods finish the season 8-4. The No. 4 ranked Buffaloes continue on to the second round of the playoffs as they will travel to take on Northwest Missouri next weekend in Maryville.
Washburn took the early lead as Eric Bulter scored from 1-yard out to give the Ichabods a 7-0 lead with the extra point. Neither team was able to score the remainder of the first quarter and no one scored again until there were nine seconds left in the half as Jordan Brill hit Jake Lebahn from 19-yards out to give the Ichabods a 14-0 lead entering the halftime break.
To open a wild third quarter which the team combined for 43 points, the Buffaloes jumped on the board with a 33-yard field goal cutting the lead to 14-3.
Brill connected with Brad Cole on a 26-yard reception putting the Ichabods up 21-3. The Buffaloes scored on back to back possessions cutting the lead to 21-15, but Ra'Shawn Mosley went around right end for a 30-yard run and Washburn added a two-point conversion to take a 29-15 lead.
Again the Buffaloes scored back to back touchdown scored cutting the lead to 29-28 with 1:00 left in the third quarter.
With 11:07 to go in the game, Michael Wilhoite picked off a Keith Null pass and returned it 27 yards to go up 36-28.
With 7:41 to go in the game, Null hit B.J. Vickers on a 13-yard strike to draw the Buffaloes within two at 36-34. On the ensuing kickoff, the Ichabods drove 33-yards in seven plays and Kyle O'Neal put the Ichabods up five at 39-34 with 3:56 to go in the game.
However, the Buffaloes drove 37 yards in four plays to take the lead for good at 40-39 with 2:27 to play.
The Ichabods were unable to convert any first downs and West Texas took possession and ran out the clock.
Mosley led the Ichabods with 89 yards on 21 carries and the one touchdown. Brandon Walker had 68 yards on 14 carries.
Brill passed for 267 yards completing 13 of 30 passes with two touchdowns. Lebahn finished with 117 yards on six receptions with the lone touchdown.
Defensively, the Ichabods were led by Zach Watkins who had 13 tackles, with 11 assisted tackles. Bruce Ringwood also had double-digit tackles with 11 including seven solo stops. Brandon Jackson had two tackles for loss and Jarod Tetuan had eight tackles and an interception. D.J. Frommothelydo had a blocked extra point.
Ben Boswell averaged 47.6 yards per punt with four inside the 20 and two for more than 50 yards. He also placed one at the 4-yard line.
The Ichabods finished with 18 first downs and 131 rushing yards compared to 28 first downs and 65 yards rushing for the Buffaloes.
The Buffaloes passed for 498 yards while the Ichabods were limited to 274 for the game.
The game was also chalked full of penalties with the teams combining for 30 yellow flags for 245 yards with the Ichabods picking up 14 for 101. The Ichabods had a punt return by Casey Curran for a touchdown called back for an illegal block.
Notes:
*The loss dropped the Ichabods to 483-541-44 all-time after 117 years of football.
* The loss dropped the Ichabods to 0-2 in the NCAA Playoffs and 4-4 all-time in postseason appearances.
* The senior class at Washburn in the last four seasons have gone 32-15 - (8-4, 2007), (7-4, 2006), (9-3, 2005), 8-4 (2004).
* Ra'Shawn Mosley rushed for 1199 yards this season, the second highest single-season total in school history – the record is Trent Hearn's 1203 in 2005. Mosley finished with 3416 yards – the most in school history for a career at Washburn.
* With 267 yards, Jordan Brill finished the season with 2376 yards for his senior season and with 7,041 yards to move on top of the Washburn all-time passing charts. Brill also finished No. 2 on the all-time total offense chart with 6766 career yards.
* Zach Watkins finished the season with 143 tackles, the second highest single-season total in school history. He has 243 for his career entering his junior season in 2008 – which is sixth on the WU career tackle chart.
* Jake Lebahn finished his career with team-high 719 yards with five touchdowns this season. His 37 receptions also led the team. For his career, he recorded 74 receptions, which is 11th all-time at Washburn and his 1,384 receiving yards is 10th all-time at Washburn.