TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod football team ended the season in a 45-14 win over Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon inside Yager Stadium. Washburn wraps up the season 2-9 overall and 1-9 in the MIAA as the Washburn topped Northeastern State for the 11th-straight meeting.
Washburn won the coin toss receiving and marching 44 yards in 11 plays, but the drive stalled at the Northeastern State 16 leading to a 34-yard field goal by
Trenton Brehm. On the ensuing kickoff, Brehm's kickoff was returned 99 yards by Lakedrick Holmes for a score as the RiverHawks (1-10, 0-10 MIAA) took a 7-3 lead with 10 minutes to play in the first quarter.
Neither team would score the remainder of the first quarter and the Ichabods scored on their first drive of the second quarter as
Sam Van Dyne connected with
Ty Weber on a 4-yard catch and run for a score finishing off a 62-yard drive as Washburn went up 10-7.
After forcing a RiverHawk punt, Washburn scored on its next drive when Van Dyne hit
Tyce Brown on a 9-yard strike as the Ichabods drove 90 yards for the score going up 17-7. After another punt by Northeastern State, the combo of Van Dyne and Brown hooked up again on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 1:34 to play in the first half as the Ichabods went into halftime with a 24-7 lead into the break.
The RiverHawks opened the scoring in the second half with a 75-yard drive on 10 plays trimming the Ichabod lead back to 10 at 24-14 with 9:26 to go in the third quarter, but Washburn came back with a score of its own with
Triston Johnson scoring on a 9-yard run midway through the third quarter.
The Washburn defense came up with three negative plays on the RiverHawks' next drive setting up the Ichabod offense and on a third and one from the NSU 26,
Lucas Oitker rushed 26 yards around the left side for a score and his first collegiate touchdown as the Ichabods went up 38-14.
The teams would trade possessions and then on the Ichabods' next drive,
Keller Hurla hit
Connor Searcy for a 39-yard touchdown pass out of the backfield for a 45-14 Washburn lead with 8:05 to play wrapping up the scoring for the game.
Washburn's running back by committee saw nine different runners carry the ball putting up 240 yards of rushing on the ground with two touchdowns. Van Dyne was 18 of 27 passing with 188 yards and three scores while
Grayson Sprouse was 4 of 9 passing and Hurla finished 2 for 2 for 45 yards.
D.J. Bell had 52 yards receiving on five catches and Brown finished with five catches and two scores. Overall 11 different Ichabods had a reception in the game.
Mason Capper had six tackles to lead the Ichabod defense and
Chase McCoy had five tackles with two sacks for 18 yards.
Patrick Altenor had four tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Washburn outgained the RiverHawks 511 to 172 overall as Washburn ran 78 plays averaging 6.6 yards per play compared to 51 plays and 3.4 yards per play for Northeastern State.
