The Griffon News

Still No. 5 seed for playoffs

The Western football team came together in a circle of prayer and defeat as the Washburn University marching band sang its lulling victorious anthem in nearby stands.

With a final score of 16-3, the Griffons surrendered its six game winning streak to the Washburn Ichabods at Yager Stadium in Topeka, Kan., last Saturday afternoon in front of 6,010 mixed fans.

The Western men are now 9-2 overall, and 7-2 within the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

Washburn moves to 7-4 overall, and 6-3 in the MIAA. Nevertheless the Griffs are still playoff material, and the No. 5 seed set to play next Saturday afternoon in a one-and-out playoff game.

Head Coach Jerry Partridge feels that the loss can be contributed to the fact that Washburn has an excellent defense, and Western failed to take advantage of certain opportunities such as dropped passes, over throws and missed kicks. Partridge said that the team had not faced a defense like Washburn’s in a long time.

“You’ve got to give Washburn credit for the job that they did,” Partridge said.

After the 1:00 p.m. kick off, the Griffons and Ichabods fought relentlessly throughout the first quarter with neither team unable to penetrate the defensive lines for a score.

Western ended the scoreless game after more than five minutes of play in the second quarter. Freshmen kicker Dustin Strickler’s 24-yard field goal sailed through the yellow posts for the only three points Western would be able to get during the entire game.

Although the Griffons gained 270 total offensive yards while the Ichabods fell short at 250- yards, the Ichabods averaged a 4.7 gain per play while the Griffs only averaged 3.8 per play. Senior Gijon Robinson feels that there is no one else to blame but themselves.

“We beat ourselves,” Robinson said. “They didn’t do anything to us that we didn’t allow them to do.”

Through a series of unfortunate plays that statement was proven. WU made its way onto the scoreboard when Western fumbled a punt snap and recovered it in the end zone just to be tackled by a WU player for a safety, which set the score at 3-2 for the first half.

In the third quarter Washburn broke through the Western defensive line for a touchdown, and follow it by with a completed two-point conversion.

Only minutes later Washburn marched into the Western end zone to set the final score at 16-3, due to the fact that Griffon defenders denied their second attempt at a two-point conversion.

The defense tried its hardest to limit the Ichabods scoring opportunities, and succeeded by not letting them back into the end zone for the remaining nine minutes of the third quarter, and the entirety of the fourth quarter.

Senior linebackers John Matthew Fisher and Ahmad Spry lead the Griffs in tackles with eight a piece. Fisher had five solo efforts while Spry had four solos.

Junior Chauncey Mayfield followed Fisher in the number of solo tackles, and a total of six. Senior Michael Cobbins also had six tackles with senior Sirraj Muhammad following close behind with four tackles.

Senior Jonathan Miller, freshman Chris Pulver and junior Jacob Schoonover assisted the team with three tackles apiece.

Schoonover felt the jaws of defeat just the same as his fellow teammates, but looked to the optimistic aspects of the game.

“Everybody makes mistakes,” Schoonover said. “We can’t put the blame on them; that’s what tears teams apart and that’s what keeps you from going further in the season.”

Going further is exactly what the Griffon men have in mind. Western will take the time to mend offensive wounds before leaving for Witcha Falls, Tex., to play in their playoff game scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 18. Western (No. 5) will show its strength starting at the 12:00 p.m. kick off against the No. 4 seed Midwestern State (9-2), whom Western has never played before. Partridge has a positive forecast.

“As soon as you count us out that’s when we probably rise up,” Partridge said.