The Emporia State football team didn’t lead in the second half and fell on Senior Day 45-36 to Central Missouri at Welch Stadium in Emporia on Saturday. After forcing a UCM field goal on the first drive of the game, the #20 Hornets marched down the field quickly but turned it over at the one yard line after a pass from quarterback Gunnar Gundy to wide receiver Tyler Kahmann was dropped and intercepted by the Mules. ESU got a stop and then scored to take their only lead at 7-3 on a pass from Gundy to Kahmann. UCM scored 21 points in the second quarter including their last touchdown with 30 seconds to go in the first half.
Disaster struck on the first play of the second half on a tipped pass from Gundy that was picked off and returned for a touchdown by the Mules. ESU answered each score by the Mules in the second half but never cut it to a one-possession game. Late in the fourth period, the Hornets stuffed UCM three times inside the one-yard line, but ESU committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to reset the downs for the Mules. Finally on a second third-down try inside the one, the Mules scored to cap a back-breaking 14-play 75-yard drive that took over eight and a half minutes off the clock. On ESU’s next possession on third down after Gundy’s helmet popped off, senior Chase Ricke connected on an 86-yard score with Kahmann to give ESU a chance. ESU converted a two-point conversion to pull within nine. The Hornets stopped the Mules on the next drive but were unable to score before time expired. E-State head coach Garin Higgins said the game down to a handful of big plays.
Gundy finished 30-for-51 passing for 341 yds for four touchdowns and two interceptions while running eight times for 100 yards. Tyler Kahmann caught 12 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. In the game he became the all-time leader in ESU history in career receptions. Kingsley Bennett and Mason Ford each caught touchdowns for the Hornets. ESU (7-3, 5-3 MIAA) wraps up the season with a road trip to Central Oklahoma next week. Pregame coverage begins at noon with kickoff set for 1:00 Saturday on the Hornet Sports Network.
