TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn football opened its home slate Saturday afternoon with a 31-28 loss to No. 5 Colorado School of Mines in a contest that went down to the final seconds. The Ichabods will be right back in Topeka next week taking on Pittsburg State on Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium.
After the Ichabod (0-2, 0-1 MIAA) defense forced the Orediggers (2-0) into punts on the first two possessions Washburn took over on its own five-yard line. They needed only four plays to go 95-yards and get on the board first after Hayden Clark found Tre Richardson down the middle of the field for an 85-yard touchdown throw and run.
Colorado School of Mines answered on the next drive with a rushing touchdown to knot up the score. The next drive for the Orediggers went into the second quarter as they took the lead going 85 yards over 11 plays for another touchdown rush to go up 14-7.
This time it was the Ichabods who responded one play later. D.J. Bell took the ensuing kickoff out of the right side of the end zone, faked a handoff, and went untouched down the left sideline for 100 yards to make it a tie game once again. It was the second kick return touchdown for Bell's career, and the fourth of 100 yards in Ichabod history. Two drives later Colorado School of Mines got back into the end zone on the ground.
Washburn was able to even up the score again with its longest scoring drive of the day spanning 11 plays and going 68 yards. It resulted in a nine-yard touchdown catch and toe drag from Cole Keller in the back corner of the end zone on a pass from Keller Hurla.
The Orediggers went into the half leading 24-21 after connecting on a 47-yard field goal as time expired on the second quarter.
After a punt from the Ichabods to open the second half Colorado School of Mines went up by double digits with a nine-play 80-yard drive. Washburn got back on the board with 10:43 left to play on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Hurla to Maury Sullivan in the corner of the end zone.
One drive later the Orediggers advanced the ball into Washburn territory until the drive was stalled on a fourth down pass attempt that was broken up by Braylon Alexander. Washburn was forced to punt the ball back away with 3:28 left in the game. Colorado School of Mines picked up one first down but were forced to punt it back after Jordan Finnesy and C.J. Callaghan combined to make a third and three stop for only a one yard gain.
The Ichabods took over on their own 19 and moved the ball well into the other side of the field with a pair of 20+ yard passes from Clark to Keller and Sullivan. With time running out the 44-yard field goal attempt came up short and the Orediggers were able to kneel the game away with one more play to hold on.
Hayden Clark finished with 166 yards going 6 for 11 with one touchdown while Keller Hurla was 13 for 17 with 92 yards and a pair of scores. Five players finished with at least four rushing attempts for the Ichabods with Hurla racking up a high of 32 across seven attempts. Overall on the ground Washburn gained 141 yards on 29 attempts.
Tre Richardson finished with a game-high 99 yards on four receptions. Cole Keller had 53 yards on three catches and Maury Sullivan had three for 36, each finished with a touchdown.
The Ichabods outgained Colorado School of Mines through the air, 258 to 255, while the Orediggers held the advantage on the ground, 212 to 141. In all the visitors accumulated 467 yards of total offense and 22 first downs while Washburn finished with 399 and 19 chain moving plays.
Defensively, Jordan Finnesy led the way with eight total tackles. L.J. Minner had seven stops with one sack and a force fumble added on. Both Caeden Spencer and C.J. Callaghan finished with six tackles.
