TOPEKA – Quarterback Keller Hurla tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aden Canty with 1:19 to play to lift Washburn University to a 16-9 victory over Pittsburg State University Saturday (Oct. 10) at Yager Stadium.
The Ichabods (4-1-1, 3-1 MIAA) game-winning drive covered 75 yards on 15 plays and consumed 8:08 of play clock.
The Gorillas (1-5, 1-3 MIAA) drove to the WU 42 on the game's final possession, but WU's Reece Watkins came away with a game-sealing interception of Pitt State quarterback
Bobby Bacon.
The game featured a defensive battle. Both squads settled for field goals throughout the game. WU's Aidan Battle converted a pair of 25-yard kicks as well as a 34-yard try. Pitt State's
Austin Schmitt missed a 29-yard try on its opening possession, but recovered to make 41, 21 and 27 yard tries.
The Pitt State defense came away with three key takeaways in the contest as linebacker
Zach Coenen and safeties
Quintin Kirby and
Jorian Guinn Jr. each intercepted errant passes from WU quarterback Logan Madden.
Coenen's interception came in the final minute of the first half and his 30-yard return allowed Bacon and the Pitt State offense to drive 23 yards and set up Schmitt's 41-yard kick to send the game to the intermission deadlocked at 3-3.
Bacon completed 24 of 39 passes for 199 yards in the game. He was sacked four times. Wide receiver T.J Starks had a 54-yard scamper on a jet sweep to lead the Gorillas ground game. The Gorillas had 27 carries for 52 net yards in the game.
Wide receiver
Kuron Parchmon caught seven passes for 69 yards and tight end
Luke Niggemann added five catches for 47 yards. Parchmon and wide receiver
Greyson Holbert, who made three grabs for 27 yards, each eclipsed 100 career receptions in the game.
Safety
Jasper Ogburn made a team-leading nine tackles, while Kirby added eight stops. Linebacker
Blake Carr added five tackles, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss.
Pitt State will return home for the first time since Sept. 5 to play host to MIAA rival Missouri Western State University next Saturday (Oct. 17) for the Gorillas' Homecoming game.
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