From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
EMPORIA, Kan. — Pittsburg State had little difficulty in finishing its regular season football schedule with a victory on Saturday.
The Gorillas, keyed by Mark Smith’s three scoring passes, beat Emporia State 52-7 at Welch Stadium.
PSU, which scored the last 45 points in the game, boosted its record to 10-1 and 8-1 in the MIAA. The Hornets wound up 4-7 overall and 2-7 in the MIAA.
PSU, ranked 10th nationally in NCAA Division II, is expected to find out its opponent today in the 24-team playoff field.
The bracket will be released at 2 p.m. on ESPNews. PSU will host a watch party at Carnie Smith Stadium with the West Stadium gates opening at 1:30. The announcement will be aired on the “Jungletron.”
Smith, a senior out of Pittsburg St. Mary’s-Colgan, started the PSU scoring with an 8-yard run in the first period. His scoring passes covered 10 yards to Baxter Springs graduate Martin Burke in the second period and 26 and 6 to Harrison Kush in the third.
Smith threw for 138 yards on 13-for-19 accuracy and rushed 10 times for 60 yards. Prep teammate Caleb Farabi, who tallied on a 3-yard run in the second quarter to give PSU the lead for good, was the Gorillas’ leading rusher with 101 yards on 18 carries.
Carthage’s Caleb Sanders’ 23-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Gorillas a 21-7 lead.
PSU also got a 45-yard field goal from Jared Witter in the second period to help it lead 31-7 at halftime. The last PSU score came on John McCoy’s 1-yard run early in the fourth.
The Gorillas piled up 407 yards with 254 on the ground. Their defense limited the Hornets to 112 yards of total offense and just 45 rushing. Emporia State mustered just 52 yards after its initial offensive series.
Lucas Sullivan grabbed a 7-yard scoring pass from Andre SloanEl to cap a 70-yard drive for ESU
PSU’s Rusty Morgan logged a team-leading five tackles (four solo) with three stops for losses. Sanders had three tackles to go with the interception and Carl Junction’s Chadd Snyder had three stops, a pass breakup and an interception.
Sports
November 8, 2008
Gorillas hit 10-1 in romp
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Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
Continued ... - Stanton’s homers fuel Marlins’ surge in May
- Five sign to join Missouri Southern women's track team
- Whisner ignites Joplin Miners past Webb City
- Venus Williams joins Serena on sideline in Paris
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- Pittsburg State Sports
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- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
- Ethan Cordray signs with Pittsburg State
- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
- Three finalists named for PSU head baseball coach position
- Lions qualify 10, PSU 15 for Division II outdoor track meet
- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
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Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
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