Box Score
Stats |
Greg Gates missed most of 2011 with a knee injury, but he made up for lost time with a huge performance in a 34-14 victory at Central Methodist on Saturday. The junior running back had 19 carries for 104 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Pioneer defense smothered the Eagles for most of the game. The opening drive for the Pioneers ended with a CMU interception and the Eagles used the short field to score quickly and grab the early lead. But CMU would not get another first down until the second quarter.
The Pioneers got on the board late in the first quarter when MNU drove deep into Eagle territory on the back of a
Greg Gates 26-yard burst. Gates then punched in a 6-yard touchdown run, but the PAT failed and MNU trailed 7-6.
On the ensuing CMU drive, another injury-plagued Pioneer -
JD Wood - had a big moment when he picked off an Eagle pass to set up MNU in good field position. The drive stalled, but CMU muffed the punt and MNU fell on it at the 13-yard line. Gates scored from 2 yards out to give MNU the lead, and the Pioneers never looked back.
Sean Moran picked off CMU on the next drive, and
Sean Ransburg found
Branden Phillips for a 5-yard touchdown to extend the lead. MNU led 20-7 at halftime.
The Pioneers forced a 3-and-out to open the 3rd quarter, then executed a 20-play, 85-yard, 6-minute touchdown drive to put the game out of reach.
Greg Gates capped the drive with a 2-yard TD run to give MNU a 27-7 lead.
Datanion Reed iced the game with a pick-6 in the 4th quarter, and the Pioneers cruised to the finish of a 34-14 victory.
Gates led the way with a game-high 104 yards on 19 carries and 3 TDs.
Sean Ransburg was 14-26 for 144 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 40 yards.
Branden Phillips caught a game-high 7 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. And
Brett Houchen caught 4 balls for 69 yards.
Joey Oxley (7),
Justin Rhodes (6), and
Joe Camacho (5) led MNU in tackles. And
Sean Moran,
JD Wood, and
Datanion Reed notched interceptions.
The Pioneers are 1-0. The next game is Saturday the 8th at home (ODAC) vs. #9 Missouri Valley (1-0) at 6:00 PM.
