Defense shines in Emporia State Football's 17-12 win over #24 Angelo State

September 7, 2024-Emporia State held #24 Angelo State without a touchdown on the way to a 17-12 victory on Saturday afternoon on Jones Field at Welch Stadium. The Hornets held the Rams to one of 20 on third down an had two fourth down stops in the fourth quarter.
 
Both teams struggled offensively to start the gam with punts on the first four combined possessions.  Emporia State took over at their own 34 yard line with 7:12 left in the first quarter and Gunnar Gundy's first down pass was deflected and intercepted by Eric Rascoe to set the Rams up at the ESU 24 with 7:04 left in the quarter.  The Hornet defense stiffened up and held the Rams to a 26 yard field goal with 5:12 remaining in the quarter.
 
After Emporia State went three and out on offense, the defense forced a three and out by Angelo State only to give the ball back to the Rams when Cade Fuller's punt was muffed by Ethan Schultze and recovered at midfield by Xavier Walton with 3:13 left in the quarter.  The Rams got down to the ESU nine yard line but Lavon Jones got a tackle for loss on first down before two incompletions forced another field goal.  Bradley Larson hit from 27 yards to make it 6-0 Angelo State with 50 seconds left in the quarter. The teams traded punts on the next two drives before Andrew Pitts scooped a Gundy pass just off the turf for the Rams second interception of the half. 
 
The Hornet defense forced another three and out and an Ethan Schultze punt return of 13 yards set Emporia State up at the Angelo State 48 with 11:04 left in the half.  After a three yard rush by Billy Ross Jr. Gundy hit Zion Jones for a 40 yard pass down to the Angelo State five yard line. Two plays later Gundy hit Tyler Kahmann who reached into the endzone for a touchdown and Caden Dodson's extra point put Emporia State up 7-6 with 9:49 left in the half.
 
The Rams would retake the lead with 2:20 remaining in the half when Larson hit his third field goal of the game, this one from 20 yards out to give Angelo State a 9-7 lead at the half.
 
The second half started much like the first with punts on the first four drives before Angelo State but together a nine play, 33 yard drive capped by a 34 yard field goal from Larson, his fourth of the day to give the Rams a 12-7 lead with 5:20 left in the third quarter.  The Hornets responded with a six play, 75 yard drive to retake the lead.  Gundy hit Kingsley Bennett in the endzone for a 31 yard touchdown with 3:35 remaining as Emporia State took a 14-12 lead headed to the fourth quarter.
 
The fourth quarter started with punts on the first five possessions.  Angelo State took over with 7:49 left at the Emporia State 41 yard line.  The Rams would go for it on fourth and one from the 32 when Sage Sieperda and Caleb Mondi combined to stop Braeden Fuller's keeper for a one yard loss to give the ball back to the Hornets with 5:48 left.  The Hornets drove down to the Rams 17 yard line, thanks in part to a 38 yard completion from Gundy to Kahmann, but Dodson's 34 yard field goal attempt missed wide left with 4:13 left.
 
Angelo State took over at their own 20 and had fourth and three at the 27.  Zeek Freeman slipped out of his break and Fuller's pass sailed past him to give the ball back to Emporia State with 3:30 left.  The Hornets used six plays to go 15 yards and took 2:15 off the clock before Dodson hit a 29 yard field goal with 48 seconds left to give ESU a 17-12 lead.
 
Fuller completed three passes to get down to the Emporia State 34 yard line with nine seconds left.  Arich Ansley broke up a pass into the endzone with one second left to set up one final play.  Peyton Taylor knocked down the final pass into the endzone to preserve the 17-12 Hornet victory.
 
Sage Sieperda was credited with a game high 11 tackles while Lavon Jones had eight tackles, 1.5 TFL and pass break up for the Hornets.  Tyler Kahmann had eight catches for 110 yards and a touchdown as Gunnar Gundy went 25 of 39 for 252 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
 
The Hornets will be back in action on Saturday, September 14 when they travel to southeast Kansas to take on #6 Pittsburg State.  Kick-off from Carnie Smith Stadium is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
NOTES
This was the first time since shutting out Northeastern State 38-0 on September 16, 2023 that Emporia State held and opponent with out a touchdown, a span of 11 games.
This was just the 20^th game in which Emporia State won while scoring under 28 points under coach Garin Higgins. 
The Hornets are now 60-5 when holding their opponent to 21 or fewer points under coach Garin Higgins.
Coach Garin Higgins is now 108-80 in his 17^th season as the head coach at Emporia State and needs seven wins to tie Fran Welch for the most wins in school history.
Caden Dodson set an Emporia State NCAA era record with 11 punts in the game, breaking the previous record of ten set by Justin Marcha against Fort Hays State in 2017 and Adam Hunt against Central Missouri and Missouri Western in 1992.
This was Emporia State's first win over a nationally ranked team since a 33-13 win at then #5 Northwest Missouri one year ago on September 7, 2023.
The Hornets are now 38-13 in non-conference action since joing the MIAA in 1991, with an 18-3 record under Garin Higgins.