Box Score RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – A long evening thanks to a lightning delay turned into a great night for Missouri S&T, as the Miners took the lead for good immediately after play resumed and went on to post a 27-19 victory over Arkansas Tech.

The game was stopped as a storm was approaching Russellville moments after S&T had tied the score on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Josh Firm (Lancaster, Calif./Quartz Hill) to Nick Taylor (Wichita, Kan./Southeast HS).  The touchdown wrapped up a six-play, 65-yard drive that took just barely over two minutes off the clock.

After a delay of two hours and 20 minutes, the Miners immediately stopped the Wonder Boys on a third down play, then Jon Vance (Marshalltown, Iowa/Marshalltown) blocked Trevor Pinkston's punt and Jake Schneider (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North) took the loose ball down to the ATU six-yard line.  On the next play, Scott Hendricks (Kechi, Kan./Maize HS) was stopped initially at the line of scrimmage, but reversed field and got into the end zone to put the Miners on top to stay.

Arkansas Tech scored on its opening possession, using a 59-yard pass from Tanner Marsh to Tyler Woolsey to move deep into S&T territory.  Casey Henderson finished the scoring drive for the Wonder Boys with a five-yard touchdown run.

After the 79-yard scoring drive, the Wonder Boys have been held to just four yards of total offense over their last three possessions.  But in its first full possession after the delay, they drove to the Miners' 10-yard line before settling for a 27-yard field goal by Pinkston.

S&T was able to extend its halftime lead after Billy Foster (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) picked off a deflected pass and returned it to the ATU 20.  After a run by Smook Thomas (Quincy, Fla./East Gadsden) gave the Miners a first-and-goal at the seven, the drive stalled and S&T had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Adam Peden (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington).

The Miners tacked on three more points early in the fourth quarter on an 18-yard field goal by Peden, moments after Taylor went down shy of the goal line after scooping up a low pass.

After giving up the field goal, the Wonder Boys answered back by marching 63 yards for a score.  ATU converted a fourth-and-one from the S&T 23-yard line to keep the drive going, then Cassius Washington took an option pitch 16 yards on the next play to trim the Miner lead to 20-17.

S&T responded to the Wonder Boy touchdown with a quick four-play, 66-yard drive that culminated in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Firm to Thomas, as Thomas beat cornerback Andreveus Brandon in the end zone to make an over-the-shoulder catch.

With 5:55 to play, the Miners were forced to punt, but the snap sailed over the head of punter Cole Wassner (Quartz Hill, Calif./Quartz Hill) and went out of the end zone for a safety.  The ensuing free kick allowed the Wonder Boys to take possession as S&T's 47-yard line.

However, the Miners got a loss on the first play of the possession, then Tanner Marsh threw an interception on third down to give the ball back to S&T.  The Miners also had interceptions on Arkansas Tech's last two possessions to wrap up the win, finishing with five picks on the night.

Firm completed a career-high 31 passes in 38 attempts for 308 yards, while Thomas caught 13 balls for 134 yards.  The Miners finished with 347 yards of total offense to 318 for the Wonder Boys, but the Miner defense forced the five turnovers to halt ATU's rally efforts. 

The Miners, 2-0 for the first time since 2005, will play their first Great Lakes Valley Conference game ever next Saturday when they face McKendree University in a 6 p.m. contest in Lebanon, Ill.