QUINCY, IL -- Missouri S&T came up just short in a heartbreaker Saturday afternoon, falling 31-30 to Quincy at QU Stadium. The Miners led for much of the contest and outgained the Hawks 424-368 in total offense, but a late Quincy touchdown proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth GLVC battle.
The Miners came out firing early. On their first drive, quarterback Jake Farrell (Scottsdale, AZ/Notre Dame Prep) connected with Sam Ryan (Columbia, MO/Father Tolton) on a 30-yard touchdown strike to cap an 88-yard march that only took 6 plays. After Quincy tied it moments later on a drive that included several big runs from Collin Parsons, S&T went to work again with another lengthy drive — with Farrell connecting on a long catch and run play to Sam Ryan (Columbia, MO/Father Tolton) to set up a one-yard touchdown plunge by Cade Grimm (Branson, MO/Branson).
Quincy leveled the score again on a 23-yard rushing touchdown from Parsons, leading to four consecutive punts between the teams. S&T was the first to break the offensive lull, scoring on a 28-yard drive set up by K'Vion Bills' (Country Club Hills, IL/Hillcrest) 32-yard punt return. Farrell found Reid Weber (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell) from six yards out to put the Miners ahead again, though the Hawks would even the score once more before halftime, sending the teams into the locker room tied 21-21.
The Hawks grabbed their first lead of the game with their opening drive of the second half, taking advantage of a failed S&T 4th down conversion with a 39-yard field goal. The Miners' passing attack continued to click though, with Farrell hitting Evan Wells (Roxana, IL/Roxana), Ryan, and Weber to go 61 yards in three plays and retake the lead on a 25-yard touchdown.
The Miners defense picked up a couple of stops late in the third, setting up an opportunity for the offense to extend their lead twice, once with a 44-yard field goal and once with a trip to the redzone, but both attempts failed. A turnover on downs at the 1-yard line set Quincy up in a difficult position, giving the Miner defense the opportunity to further the lead to 30-24 with a safety. However, the Hawks would answer with a punt block that gave them a short field to score from a yard out with just over nine minutes remaining. The Quincy defense would hold up in the final minutes, as S&T failed to convert a pair of 4th downs late resulting in a 31-30 victory for the Hawks
Farrell finished 25-of-43 for 354 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the ball to nine different receivers. Ryan caught six passes for 93 yards and a score, while Weber added 88 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Seneca Bradley (Clarksville, TN/Rossview) led the charge with two sacks, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble, while Cameron Sturgell (Lamar, MO/Lamar) and Justin Gniedziejko (Chicago, IL/Taft) each tallied seven total tackles.
What's Next
The Miners (4-5, 2-4 GLVC) will return home next Saturday for Military Appreciation Day against William Jewell at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.
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