| BETHANY, Okla. — The Missouri Southern football team played its first football game in 488 days and the Lions came away victorious, holding off Southern Nazarene late, 21-20, in the only spring game of the year.
The Lions (1-0) went into the fourth quarter up 14-7, but Southern Nazarene (0-3) tied the score up at 14 with 12:52 left in the quarter. Southern got the ball back with seven minutes on the clock and with a third-and-18 situation from its own 49-yard line, Jaylon Banks hooked up with Jaedon Stoshak for a 51-yard bomb that put the Lions up 21-7 with 4:02 to go. The Crimson Storm worked its own late drive magic and drove the length of the field to get within one (21-20) with just 33 seconds left on the clock. SNU decided to go for the win and tried a two-point conversion but the Southern defense came up strong and denied the conversion to secure the win. Defense was key to the win today as both of the Lions’ previous scores came directly as the result of a stop and a turnover. Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter, Jakwan Allen forced a fumble and picked up the loose ball at the SNU 14-yard line to set up the Lions’ offense. Taylor Thomas rushed the ball three times to the SNU seven-yard line to set up a fourth and two situation. Josh Mercer came up with the first down with a rush to the two-yard line and then punched it in to tie the score at seven. With 3:33 left in the second quarter, the Lions were forced to punt, but special-teams came up huge and picked up a loose ball to give the Lions possession inside the two-yard line. Thomas rushed for no-gain but punched it in on another attempt to give the Lions a 14-7 lead at halftime. Banks was 4-of-16 on the day for 105 yards and a touchdown. Stoshak, Mercer, Jonathan Watts and Keandre Bledsoe all caught a pass each. Stoshak’s reception went for 51 yards, while Mercer’s was for 38. Mercer had 22 carries for 156 yards and a touchdown. He had a long of 67 yards on the afternoon. Banks rushed for 19 yards, while Thomas carried the ball six times for 13 yards and a score. Defensively, Colton Winder finished with eight tackles, seven solo. Malachi Broadnax had six stops and an interception, while Jamie Tago had five tackles and a sack. Allen had five tackles and a sack, including a forced fumble and a recovery, while Elden Titania had a sack, as well. The Lions will be off for spring break and then return to spring practice with the Green and Gold Scrimmage on April 24. |
