SPECIAL TEAMS THE DIFFERENCE IN SBU LOSS

September 25, 2004

Box

WARRENSBURG, MO. . Special teams is what can make a difference in a game and on Saturday it is what gave the Central Missouri State Mules the advantage in the first quarter to set the tone for the game. CMSU scored 10 points in a matter of 10 minutes in the first quarter off of two blocked punts to take an early 17-0 lead.

After CMSU took their opening drive 63-yards for a touchdown, the Mules blocked SBU's punt on the Bearcats' first possession. CMSU's Jamison Heiskell recovered the ball at the SBU 34-yard line and returned it to the 20. Two plays later, Lee Thompson ran up the middle for a seven-yard touchdown and a 14-0 advantage.

On SBU's next possession, the Bearcats were stopped in three plays and then CMSU broke through to block their second punt of the day and took over on the SBU six-yard line.

The Bearcats defense came up big on the first play as Nathan Dunn took down CMSU's Delanie Walker for an 11-yard loss. SBU then held the CMSU offense to a 27-yard Brandon Starks field goal to go up 17-0.

Responding with their own drive, SBU shot back with an eight play, 69-yard scoring drive to cut the lead to 10. With 1:36 left in the first quarter, Robert Clardy found DeWitt Johnson across the middle for a seven-yard strike.

It was all Mules in the second quarter as CMSU added 17 points. Mike Spiegel made it 24-7 when he ran in from one-yard out and then quarterback Jimmy Sangster hit Jon Books on a three-yard pass. Starks finished off the scoring just before halftime on a 38-yard field goal as CMSU took a 34-7 lead into the locker room.

On their second possession of the third quarter, SBU's Clardy scrambled 29-yards for the Bearcats second touchdown of the day.

Late in the third quarter, the Bearcats were driving again but was stopped by CMSU's Kendal Ricketts as he returned a Clardy interception 52-yards for the touchdown and a 41-14 score.

Not giving up in the fourth quarter, SBU started on their own eight-yard line and drove 92 yards for a touchdown. Marco Kirven had a 40-yard run on the second play of the drive and then Clardy hit Nick Smart on the CMSU eight-yard line for a first and goal. On the next play, Clardy turned a broken play into a scrambled eight-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 20, 41-21, with 8:31 left in the game.

CMSU's special teams struck back again with 3:09 as Jimmy Conner returned a 33-yard punt return to extend the score to 48-21.

Finishing with 384 total yards of offense, the Bearcats had 81 more yards than the Mules. Clardy was SBU's leading rusher with 100 yards while passing for 163 yards. Dan Sundberg had a career best 71 yards receiving on five catches.

SBU will host Missouri-Rolla at 2 p.m. on October 2, in Bolivar for Homecoming.