TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods went over the 60-point mark for the first time in six years and scored in all three phases of the game rolling to a 60-28 win over Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday on Family Day in Yager Stadium. With the win the Ichabods improved to 3-1 on the season and will travel to Pittsburg State to face the Gorillas.

Washburn opened the scoring on the Lopers' opening drive when Garrett Barnett-Kruger blocked UNK's punt which was recovered by Jacob Anderson who scooped and scored from eight yards out staking the Ichabods to the 7-0 lead with 12:59 to play in the first quarter.

The teams traded punts and the Ichabod offense scored with 2:45 to play in the opening quarter when Blake Peterson hit Carey Woods on an 8-yard touchdown pass. After another Loper punt, Washburn scored again on 24-yard field goal by Perry Schmiedeler with 1:57 to play as Washburn went up 17-0.

Ichabod running back Mickeel Stewart scored on a 2-yard run with 10:14 to go in the half and then on Schmiedeler scored on the two-point conversion when Washburn came out in the swinging gate and Peterson tossed it to Schmiedeler as the Ichabods went up 25-0.

After another punt by the Lopers, Ryan Peroo scored from 4-yards out with 5:57 remaining in the half as Washburn pushed the lead to 32-0. On the Lopers' next drive, Washburn's D.J. Olmstead halted a 9-play drive by the Lopers picking off a Steve Worthington pass and returned it 66 yards for paydirt sending the Ichabods to a 39-0 lead at the break.

The Washburn defense held the Lopers to 51 of total offense in the first half including seven rushes for a negative-5 yards.

The Lopers (1-3, 1-3 MIAA) broke their scoreless run with 5:14 to play in the third quarter on their first drive when Isaiah Brown scored from 1-yd out.

Neither team could get anything going offensively until the Lopers scored again on a 38-yard touchdown pass play from Worthing to Sedarius Young cutting the Ichabod lead to 39-14.
With 13:29 left in the game, the Ichabods were forced to punt and Schmiedeler's 51 yard punt was muffed by George Brown and it was picked up by Heath Tucker who landed on it in the end zone as Washburn went up 46-14.

The Lopers scored on their next possession on a 51-yard strike to Brown pulling themselves within 46-21.

Washburn scored on its net drive when Peterson hit Austen Hubert for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 5:19 to play as Washburn went up 53-21 with 4:58 to play.

After the Lopers scored with 1:26 to go on Worthing's 8-yard pass to Alex Harms, UNK came out attempting an onside kick which was returned by Will Hamilton to the UNK two yard line.
Matthew Harris scored on his third rushing attempt from the 1-yard line wrapping up the scoring and a 60-28 win.

The 60 points were the most scored by an Ichabod team since they put up 66 against Lincoln on Sept. 8, 2011 in a 66-14 win over the Blue Tigers.

Cedric Gonzalez led the Ichabods with a career-high 16 tackles making his first start at Washburn adding 2.0 tackles for loss. Derick McGreevy finished with 12 tackles with eight solo stops.

Peterson was 17 of 31 for 219 yards and two scores hitting Will Hamilton with six completions for 88 yards. Carey Woods had four catches for 38 yards and a score and Austen Hubert had two catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Mickeel Stewart had 14 rushes for 38 yards and one score.

Washburn was outgained by the Lopers 373 to 313 in the game including a 278 to 126 advantage in the second half by UNK.