Mules shut down Southwest Baptist, roll to 45-7 win

Senior wide receiver Delanie Walker caught 12 passes, 11 in the first half, to lead the Central Missouri State University Mules to a 45-7 win over Southwest Baptist University here today. Walker tallied 108 yards in pacing the Mules, who registered 429 yards of total offense, 291 in the opening half.

Perhaps more impressive was the performance of the defense. Southwest Baptist (2-5, 0-4 MIAA) came into the game ranked second in the MIAA in rushing offense, averaging 247.5 yards per game. But the Mules had other ideas, and held the Bearcats to just 142 yards on 34 carries.

Head coach Willie Fritz said his team came out and played more aggressively than it did in falling 13-10 to Missouri Western last Saturday.

“We needed to get that good feeling back,” he said. “We had a tough loss last week. I believe we are a good football team. We have a lot of knew guys, but I think we are starting to mesh together.”

Central Missouri State (4-2, 2-2 MIAA) carried a 28-7 lead into the half. At first it looked like the game might turn into a shootout.

After taking the opening kickoff, the Mules drove 93 yards on 12 plays. Junior Will Caldwell capped the drive by diving over the pile from a yard out for a 7-0 lead.

But Southwest Baptist responded. Robert Clardy found Rony Santil from 15 yards out to finish off a seven-play, 65-yard drive and knot the score at 7-7.

From then on, though, it was all Central Missouri. The Mules, who had the ball more than 20 minutes in the first half, put together a 70-yard drive that took 6:05 off the clock to end the first quarter and start the second. Junior QB Toby Korrodi drilled sophomore wide receiver Jason McCartney from six yards out for the score.

After senior defensive end Danny Tuttle dropped into coverage and intercepted a pass at midfield, the Mules needed just four plays to cover 24 yards. Caldwell got his second touchdown of the half with a two-yard plunge for a 21-7 CMSU lead.

“It’s been a while since I had my hands on a ball,” Tuttle said. “I didn’t know what to do with it at first.

“We came out being a little too aggressive on the run (to start the game), but then we got a feel for what they were doing, slowed it down, and were able to stop them.”

Korrodi connected with Walker for a 10-yard score with 5:24 remaining and that is how the half ended.

“Our game plan was to get Delanie involved early and often,” Fritz said. “He is a tremendous talent. I think this is going to him a lot of confidence.”

“We scouted them and knew we were going to get single coverage,” Walker said. “Coach said ‘We’re going to get the ball in your hands and you get upfield.’ Once I got the ball, I didn’t want to stop.”

In addition to his 12 receptions, Walker had four carries for 27 yards and returned two kickoffs 50 yards.

In the second half, junior cornerback RoShawn Marshall got in on the act. He scored the only points of the third quarter on an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was his fourth of the season, breaking Kevin Nickerson’s school and MIAA record, set in 2000.

“Once I got the ball I just wanted to get upfield and put our offense in good field position. I saw the end zone, and I wanted to get in there,” he said. “I didn’t even know about the record, I just wanted to score.”

The Mules added two more scores in the fourth quarter, one on a fake field goal. Mike Spiegel hit Ted Maxwell from four yards out on the fake. Spencer Webb added a 19-yard field goal with 7:35 left, and from their CMSU hunkered down to play defense and run out the clock on offense. For the game, the Mules held the ball for 36 minutes, 39 seconds and effectively kept the Bearcats’ vaunted rushing attack off the field.

Korrodi completed 20-of-24 passes for 167 yards and Caldwell finished with 85 yard rushing on 19 carries. Sophomore Jim Bouknight added 67 yards rushing on 14 carries.

Sophomore free safety Kendall Ricketts recorded double-digit tackles for the second consecutive weeks. He had 12 stops vs. SBU (seven solo, five assists). Freshman strong safety John Samia tacked on eight tackles, and junior linebacker Rodrick Washington had six tackles and a sack.