Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Fort Hays State Tigers used a ball control offense to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 24-7, Saturday afternoon in Kansas.

This was the 61st all-time meeting between the two schools. With the win, the Tigers improve to 6-3 while the Lopers fall to 0-9.

The top rushing team in the MIAA, Hays averaged just 3.9 yards per carry but ran 37 more plays than UNK, 84-47. Possessing the ball for 15 more minutes, the Tigers had scoring drives of 56, 67 and 77 yards. Each of those drives lasted at least 10 plays.

However, Kearney was still in the game after senior quarterback Bronson Marsh (Millard South H.S.) scored from a yard out with 7:58 left. The TD plunge made it 17-7 and was setup by a 66-yard completion to senior receiver Cougar Williams (Hanford, Calif.).

On UNK's longest play of the day, Williams caught the ball near midfield, bounced off a couple of Tigers and raced towards the end zone.

Soon after Marsh's score, Hays was facing 3rd & 14 from its own 19-yard line. Senior QB Treveon Albert managed to toss a 15-yard strike to a leaping Isaiah Maxi to keep the chains and clocking moving.

Three plays later, on 3rd & 5 from his own 39-yard line, Albert threw a shot pass to senior back Derek Kendall-Campbell, who turned down the sidelines and went all the way for the game's final score.

These two key third down conversions came soon after Hays marched 67 yards in 18 plays, taking 7:40 off the clock. The drive, capped by a two-yard run by sophomore back Shaquille Cooper with 14:56 left in the fourth quarter, featured six third down conversions and made the score 17-0.

"Defensively, we played well again. Offensively, we struggled to put some drives together and consecutive plays that could mount to first downs. We had that lull again where we had consecutive three and outs and put our defense in a bad spot," said UNK head coach Josh Lamberson.

 

Hays finished 11 of 19 on third down to tally 448 yards. Behind Albert (16 carries, 90 yards) and Cooper (28 carries, 93 yards), the Tigers ended with 233 rushing yards on 59 totes. Albert was also efficient in the air, going 15 of 24 for 212 yards, one TD and one INT.

"For the most part, I think our (defense) did a good job of staying gap sound.I thought we limited the big play; they got some chunks but they didn't have that 85 yarder they've had in previous weeks," said Lamberson. "Where we struggled defensively was getting off the field on third down."

UNK opened the game with a 12-play, 58-yard drive. However, Marsh's third down pass was picked off by redshirt freshman John Wilson at the Tiger 11-yard line. Kearney finished 3 of 12 on third down and 1 of 3 on fourth down.

"We've struggled in third and short and fourth and short all year. Those are they plays you have to convert," said Lamberson. "It shouldn't matter if they know what play you're planning to run."

The Tigers also moved the ball early but had nothing to show for it. A 62-yard drive ended with a missed field goal and then a 53-yard drive stalled when the Loper defense made a fourth down stop.

Finally some points were scored when Kendall-Campbell dove in from a yard out, capping a 77-yard drive, with 6:54 left in the half. The Tigers then moved 56 yards in 13 plays, getting a 22-yard field goal from Drew O'Brien to lead 10-0 at the break.  

For UNK, Marsh completed 16 of 23 passes for 182 yards and one INT. He also led the Lopers on the ground, carrying the ball nine times for 20 yards.

Seven different Lopers caught a pass, led by Williams with four for 81 yards. Junior QB/T Sam Brauer (Seward) had three receptions for 19 yards with senior co-captain Dalton Sealey (Hastings) totaling 30 yards on two catches.

Defensively, junior linebacker Tyke Kozeal (Sargent) had 18 tackles, including 12 solo stops. The effort gives him 137, helping him break the single season mark for a third straight year. He had 118 tackles in 2013 and 136 last season.

Next, Milford junior safety Boone Anderson (11) and Columbus senior co-captain Dillon Loschen (seven) combined for 18 tackles with Florida junior corner Darian Thomas having his first career INT. He also had five tackles (four solo) and a PBU.

"We're taking steps. The kids are battling extremely hard; they are fighting, they are crawling, they are scraping," said Lamberson.

UNK hosts Missouri Western State (4-5) next Saturday. The Griffons lost to rival NW Missouri State today, 24-10.