WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Washburn Ichabods fell behind early and then ripped off 28-straight points winning for the first time at Central Missouri since 2006 in a 40-32 win over the Mules on Thursday night. Washburn improves to 2-0 on the season and will play host to Nebraska-Kearney on Family Weekend Saturday at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium.
The Mules (0-2, 0-2 MIAA) took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards on eight plays to take an early 7-0 lead. The Ichabod respond with a seven-play, 63-yard drive, but the drive stalled at the UCM 5-yard line and the field goal attempt was tipped coming up short.
Washburn forced a Mule punt on their next possession and after a 51-yard punt return by James Letcher, Jr., the Ichabods scored on a Kellen Simoncic pass for five yards to Collin Wilson, but the PAT was missed as the Mules continued to lead 7-6.
The Mules continued their scoring ways going up 14-6 after an eight-play, 75-yard drive just before the end of the first quarter.
The Ichabod turned it over on their second play of their next possession setting up a 41-yard field goal by the Mules as they increased their least to 17-6.
After the teams traded punts, Washburn trimmed the Mule lead to 17-12 when Simoncic hit Letcher, Jr., on a 32-yard pass play with 6:58 to go in the opening half. The Ichabods went for two and the pass attempt was failed.
The Mules needed only two plays to score again doubling up the Ichabod score at 24-12 capped on a 78-yard pass play. But the Ichabods came back with a 46-yard pass play from Simoncic to Peter Afful for 46 yards pulling Washburn within five at 24-19 as the Ichabods trailed by the same score heading into the halftime locker room.
To open the second half, Washburn took a 26-24 lead when Afful and Simoncic hooked up on a 17-yard pass play needing five plays moving 65 yards to go in front. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Grant Bruner picked off the first of two UCM passes on the day and then three plays later, Simoncic tossed another touchdown pass, this time to Letcher, Jr., for 14 yards as the Ichabod pushed the lead to 33-24 with 11:33 to play in the third quarter.
Neither team would score until 1:50 left in the third quarter when the Ichabods' Taylon Peters pulled down a screen pass and rumbled 35 yards pushing the Ichabod margin to 16 at 40-24 as Washburn outscored the Mules 21-0 in the third quarter outgaining them 197 to 87 including 136 to 20 in passing yards.
The Mules scored first in the fourth quarter cutting the Ichabod lead to eight at 40-32 with 12:21 to go. After a Washburn turnover, UCM drove down to the Ichabod 25, but missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt and Washburn took back possession. Again the teams would trade punts and on the first play of the Mules' drive starting at the Ichabod 47, Bruner picked off his second pass of the day with 2:16 to go.
Washburn was forced to punt and the Mules were pinned at the Ichabod six yard line with 1:34 to go. UCM had four incomplete passes and Washburn took over with a pair of kneel downs to secure the 40-32 win snapping the five-game losing streak in Warrensburg for their first win since a 14-10 win on Sept. 16, 2006.
Bruner had a career-high 23 tackles with two interceptions for 10 yards. He tallied 17 total tackles in the second half. Jordan Finnesy had seven tackles and Channon Ross had six tackles. The 22 tackles by Bruner were the most by an Ichabod since Casey Curran had 22 (14 solo) against Missouri Western on Sept. 19, 2009.
Offensively, Simoncic tied a school record with six touchdown passes tying Dane Simoneau and Barry Griffiths atop the Ichabod record book. He finished 18 for 37 for 296 yards. On the ground, Peters had 78 total yards on 17 carries and Hunter Browning had 66 yards on six carries. Wilson finished with 95 yards on seven catches and one score while Letcher, Jr., had 68 yards on four catches.
Washburn finished with 445 total yards with 297 through the air and 148 on the ground. Washburn also scored 14 points off of Mule turnovers.
