FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2007

Lions win defensive game with Fort Hays, 6-0

Box Score

Joplin, Mo. - An Adam Hinspeter touchdown pass to Isaac Norman with 11:39 left in the fourth quarter would be the only scoring either team had and the Missouri Southern Lions defeated Fort Hays State today, 6-0 in front of more than 5,700 Homecoming fans at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Southern (5-2, 3-2 MIAA) started the game strong as Hinspeter hooked up with Norman on a 12 yard pass on the first play from scrimmage. However the Lions went three and out after that and forced an Ian Harrison punt.

After a Fort Hays' (3-4, 1-4 MIAA) punt, the Lions took the ball and both defenses came up strong. The Tigers' Cody Engle intercepted a Hinspeter pass and on the ensuing play, the Lions' Jamel Smith picked off a Shane Jackson pass.

Neither team would muster much offense the rest of the half as the score at the break would be tied at zero.

Southern's lone scoring drive of the game started late in the third quarter when Justin Cowper forced Tigers quarterback Shane Jackson to fumble the ball and Josh Woodard recovered the loose ball at the Southern 33. Hinspeter would complete four passes in a row, three to Colin Bado and one to Brandon McLaurin, before completing another two of three to Bado and McLaurin.

That put the ball on the FHSU 26 yard line when Alley Broussard rushed for six yards and a personal foul, face mask penalty at the end of the play gave the Lions the ball at the ten yard line. Hinspeter then hooked up with Norman for a ten yard catch in the endzone for the game's only score. Hays would threaten late, but a fourth down pass was tipped by Keith Wyatt, giving the Lions the ball back on downs.

Southern out gained Hays 345 to 213 in total offense, including just 274 all-purpose yards, the lowest total of the season.

Hinspeter was 24-39 with two interceptions and a touchdown for 222 yards on the night, including a long 44 yard pass to Norman. Bado caught 12 passes, just one off the Missouri Southern school record for receptions in a game, a record held by Rod Smith set against Truman State in 1993. Norman had five catches for 94 yards and a score. Broussard had 29 carries on the ground for 100 yards, his third 100 yard game of the season.

BJ Russow had ten tackles on the night, including 1.5 for a loss and two quarterback hurries. Corderial Collier had nine tackles and an interception, while Jared Brawner finished with eight stops.

The Lions will now travel to Central Missouri next week to take on the Mules at 1:30 pm in Warrensburg. Central came up just short at Northwest Missouri tonight, failing on a two point conversion that would have tied the game and falling to the Bearcats 28-26.