TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team came up on the wrong end of a shootout on Homecoming Saturday in Yager Stadium in a 62-42 loss to Central Missouri. The Ichabods will look to snap their two slide at Missouri Western next weekend in St. Joseph.
 
In a battle of 5-2 teams on a windy Kansas afternoon, the Mules took an early 7-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Brook Bolles, but the Ichabods needed only 90 seconds to tie the game up when Blake Peterson scored on a 1-yard plunge tying the score at 7-7 with 5:14 to play in the opening quarter.
 
Central Missouri came back to go up 13-7 with 1:59 to play on a 3-yard run by Devante Turner, but Corey Ballentine blocked the extra point try.
 
Peterson recorded his second 1-yard touchdown run with 10:56 to play in the half as Washburn took the lead 14-13. Back to back scores by the Mules pushed Central Missouri's lead to 27-14.
 
On the final drive of the half, Peterson hit Carey Woods in the back of the end zone for a 15-yard score sending the Ichabods into the break down 27-21.
 
Washburn (5-3, 5-3 MIAA) went in front in the third quarter with a 23-yard pass from Peterson with 12:14 to play in the quarter staking the Ichabods to a 28-27 lead. But again the Mules (6-2, 6-2 MIAA) answered with a 13-yard pass from Bolles to Seth Hebert as the Mules regained the lead 34-28.
 
Peterson scored again on a 1-yard reach across the goal line putting the Ichabods up 35-34 with 6:02 to go in the third quarter.
 
Washburn ended the scoring in the third quarter with a Peterson to Brania-Hopp on a 28-yard touchdown pass as the Ichabods took a 42-34 lead into the final 15 minutes.
 
However the Mules scored 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter going on to the 62-42 win.
 
Peterson tied a Washburn record accounting for six touchdowns on the day with three through the air. He tied the record shared by Barry Griffiths (vs Emporia State in 1988) and Dane Simoneau (vs Pittsburg State in 2009). He finished 25 for 36 passing for 312 yards and rushed for three scores.
 
Brania-Hopp had 139 receiving yards setting a career high for the second straight-week with seven catches and two scores.
 
Zach Willis rushed for a career high 144 yards on 14 carries with 10.3 yards per carry.
 
Heath Tucker led the Ichabods on defense with 16 tackles with eight solo stops and a forced fumble. Peter Pfannenstiel had nine tackles and Jalen Durham and Derrick McGreevy had eight.
 
Washburn was outgained 662 to 556 in the game by the Mules.