By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
The playing field was twice as long, and the game was played outdoors.
But in many ways, Missouri Southern’s football season opener against Harding resembled an arena league game.
Adam Hinspeter broke one school passing record and tied another as the Lions decked the Bisons 45-31 Saturday night at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.
With neither team able to establish a running attack, the crowd of 5,467 watched an aerial circus develop.
Hinspeter, the Lions’ ringmaster, completed 26 of 45 passes for 422 yards, eclipsing the former mark of 419 yards by Nathan Emert against Northwest Missouri State four years ago.
Hinspeter’s five touchdown passes tied the Lions’ record set by Matt Cook against Truman State in 1993.
“We knew from reviewing what we did last year that it had a possibility,” said Hinspeter, who threw three interceptions. “They kind of play the same uptempo that we do. There were a lot of spaces open, they are kind of a risk-taking defense, and we needed to come out and see if our guys could beat their guys one-on-one.”
The Lions’ speedster Mark Henderson, a junior transfer from Southern University, successfully beat his man most of the night, hauling in three touchdowns while snaring nine passes for 228 yards, 26 yards short of Rod Smith’s single-game record.
All three of Henderson’s scores came without a Bisons’ defender in the area. Only teammates surrounded him on a 14-yard middle screen in the first quarter, and he broke free for scores of 35 yards down the right side in the second period and 44 yards to the left side three minutes into the fourth period, giving the Lions a 45-24 lead.
“While we were watching film, they were playing a lot of cover-one and cover-zero, and what you do against that is pass the ball,” Henderson said. “As long as I help the team, that was the big thing for me.
“Of course, it was fun. There was some great blocking by the offensive line and good passes.”
“We’ve been talking an awful lot about Mark Henderson,” Hinspeter said. “Tonight he had that extra gear that their defense didn’t have. That’s something we’ve been seeing in practice and been excited to see.”
“I had a suspicion,” Lions head coach Bart Tatum said. “They have really good coaches, and they took away our short passing game and our running game ... eight or nine defenders up there, pressing our receivers. Luckily we had a weapon that we could go to and stretch them vertically. Actually we had two or three guys who had nice long catches. They forced our hand on it.”
Harding quarterback David Knighton, who finished seventh in the Harlon Hill voting last season, hit 31 of 61 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns. The 61 attempts were one short of his personal high, and he threw at least two touchdown passes for the 12th straight game.
Wide receiver Kurt Adams caught the scoring strikes covering 20 and 70 yards, finishing with six receptions for 179 yards.
Most of the Lions’ 129 yards rushing came in the second half. Renard Johnson netted 53 yards on 16 carries before leaving with a hand injury, and replacement Ronnell Newman had 42 yards on seven carries, including a three-yard touchdown in the last minute of the third period.
The Lion defense set up the first score when tackle David Benham forced a fumble that Jared Brawner recovered at the Harding 14. Hinspeter found Henderson on the middle screen on the next play.
Brian Malette’s 44-yard field goal early in the second quarter broke a 7-7 tie, and Hinspeter’s 35-yard strike to Henderson and three-yarder to tight end Chris Bingham made it 24-7 midway through the second period.
Daniel Thompson, who prepped at Carl Junction, caught a 21-yard TD six minutes into the second half for the Lions, who entertain Haskell at 6 p.m. Thursday.
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Circus game goes to Lions
Hinspeter breaks passing yardage record with 422; Henderson scores 3TDs
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