Mules fall just short in MIAA opener

              The battle of top 25 teams was as advertised today at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field, but the 25th ranked Ichabods knocked off the No. 19 Mules 14-10 in a defensive battle.
            Neither team could find the endzone in the first quarter as the defenses stiffened on three drives by each team. Washburn struck first in the second period though, driving 70 yards in 13 plays. Running back Trent Hearn finished off the series with a two-yard plunge with 9:17 on the clock. The Ichabods had 10 rushing plays on the drive.
            CMSU came back on the next drive with an eight-play, 63-yard series that was capped off by a 19-yard Toby Korrodi touchdown pass to Matt Jacobsen. Korrodi came back to guide the drive after getting shaken up in the first quarter. Mike Spiegel pulled double duty, playing quarterback and wide receiver. Both teams had one more drive in the half, but nobody could score, going into the break tied 7-7.
            CMSU took the opening drive of the second half all the way to the WU 12 yard-line but Cody Huenefeld sacked Korrodi for a 10-yard loss. The Mules lined up for a field goal on fourth and 15 but CMSU faked it with Spiegel completing a pass to Ted Maxwell. He couldn’t stop himself, however, and went out of bounds four yards too short. The drive took up much of the third quarter, spanning 7:09.
            Central Missouri got the ball back and drove it to the Washburn one-yard line but the Ichabods defense stopped Will Caldwell on third and one. It got worse for the Mules as Spencer Webb hit the left upright on a 17-yard field goal attempt to come away with no points on two consecutive trips to the red zone.
            After the third, it was still 7-7. The Ichabods took full advantage by scoring the first drive of the fourth quarter. The drive was highlighted by two big plays. The first was a 41-yard run from Ra’Shawn Mosely to the CMSU 28 yard line. The Mules forced the ‘Bods into a 3rd and 15 situation but quarterback Jordan Brill connected with Jake Lebahn for a 31-yard completion to the two-yard line. Hearn punched it in from there with 13:36 remaining in the game.
            Central Missouri drove to WU territory on the ensuing possession but punted. WU went three and out and got off only a 20-yard punt. CMSU could only gain eight yards but got a 44-yard field goal from Webb with the stout 20 mph wind at his back with 4:25 remaining.
            The Mules defense did its job on the next possession, forcing the Ichabods to go three-and-out. Punter Ben Boswell booted a 51-yard punt into the wind however, pinning the Mules back inside their own 20.
            The Washburn defense got pressure on Korrodi on the next three plays and forced the Mules to turnover on downs. Brill downed it three times in a row to run out the clock.
            Central Missouri out-gained the Ichabods 298-to-249 with 229 yards in the air. Washburn had the bulk of its yards on the ground with 138 on 36 rushes.
            Korrodi finished with 200 yards in the air while nine different receivers caught passes. Rod Washington was the player of the day on defense with 10 tackles (two for loss) and a sack.