ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabods held the ball for the final 8:04 of the game picking up a 21-7 win over Missouri Western spoiling the Griffons' homecoming. Washburn returns home for its own homecoming on Saturday against Central Oklahoma at 2 p.m. in Yager Stadium.

After neither team scored in the first quarter, Bryce Chavis hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Derek McGinnis in the back of the end zone for the 7-0 lead. It would be all the scoring in the first half as the Ichabod defense held the Griffons to 135 yards on 27 plays while the Ichabods had 43 plays for 208 yards.

Washburn (4-3, 4-3 MIAA) increased its lead to 14-7 after Cody Heiman picked off a pass from TJ LaFaver and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Western (4-3, 4-3 MIAA) returned it 84 yards to the Ichabod 16 and would score four plays later cutting Washburn's lead to 14-7 with 12:16 to play in the third quarter.

Two possessions later Heiman picked off his second pass of the game of the game returning it to the Western 49 yard line. 

The Ichabods drove down to the Griffon 9, but the field goal was missed.

In the fourth, Chavis pulled down his second touchdown reception on a 46-yard pass from McGinnis with 10:09 to play going up 21-7.

After a three-play, five yard drive, Missouri Western punted and would not see the ball again as the Griffons ran 17 plays going 81 yards using the remaining 8:04 of the clock sealing the victory for Washburn.

Heiman led the Ichabods with nine tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions including 42 yards in return yards. Austin Tillman had seven tackles and Dwane Simmons had four tackles and an interception returning it 55 yards.

Brandon Bourbon had 78 yards on 22 carries on the ground and Mickeel Stewart had 61 yards on 16 carries and Hayden Groves had 17 carries for 52 yards. 

McGinnis finished 12 of 25 for 224 yards and two touchdowns.

Jake Horner led the Ichabods with five catches for 84 yards and Chavis finished with 101 yards receiving on four catches and two touchdowns.

Overall the Ichabods had 414 yards holding Missouri Western to 245 yards on 59 plays while Missouri Western had 414 yards on 82 plays. In the second half the Ichabods defense held the Griffons to only 110 yards.