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Mules cap 2007 season with home victory
over Fort Hays State

Mules defense celebrates one of their five forced turnovers on the day.

The University of Central Missouri Mules celebrated senior day with a 31-10 win over the Fort Hays State Tigers in the 2007 season finale. Fittingly, senior running back Jeremy Braden led the way with three touchdowns on 93 yards rushing.

The Mules (7-4, 6-3 MIAA) led from start to finish after taking their first drive of the game 73 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Braden toted it in from a yard out to cap the possession. The drive was highlighted by trick play as Damond Berry took a reverse but looked up and threw a 36 yard pass to Jason McCartney to get into FHSU territory.

The Mules defense got in the mix the next possession though as senior bandit backer Justin Brown stripped the ball away from Jordan Hickel. It would be the first of five Tiger turnovers on the day.

The Mules used that and five punts inside the 20 yard line to win the field position battle. Their average drive started on their own 45 yard line.

UCM got its first ever field goal from junior kicker Mark Starks to extend the lead to 10-0 in the first quarter. A few minutes later the Tigers missed a 41 yarder that set up the Mules next score.

The Tigers pinned the Mules back on third and 15 but Eric Czerniewski went for the big one on the next play. He hit Berry on an 81 yard bomb (longest play of the season) to make it 17-0 with eight minutes remaining in the half.

The Tigers got a field goal before the break after Glenn Milner fumbled it deep in Mules territory on a 20 yard loss. The UCM defense held FHSU to only 113 yards in the period and picked up two fumbles while the Mules gave it away two times as well (one was an interception just before the break).

The second stanza started out with another big Mules play on defense as LaVance Dotson picked off Ryne Salyer at the FHSU 28 and returned it to the 13. Braden took care of it from there, going in for his second score of the day from a yard out.

The Mules put it out of reach a few minutes later when Braden scampered in from 42 yards out on the swinging gate quick snap play. That made it 31-3 with eight minutes remaining and the rout was on.

Central Missouri picked off Salyer a couple more times and the Mules ran out the clock from there.

The UCM defense was led by Randy Shepherd and Kendall Ricketts with 11 and nine tackles, respectively. Central Missouri had nine tackles for loss and three sacks to go with their five forced turnovers. They also broke up six passes and had four quarterback hurries.

Czerniewski finished with 180 yards and a touchdown while Anthony Parks had five grabs.

Central Missouri reversed its MIAA record from 3-6 last year to 6-3 this season, while securing a 7-4 record overall after going 5-6 a year ago.