Football Finishes With Three Tied for Title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The 2013 regular season came to a close with three teams tied for the Heart of America Athletic Conference football championship on Saturday afternoon.

Football Game Recaps - November 16

MidAmerica Nazarene 64, Central Methodist 23
OLATHE, Kan. - MidAmerica Nazarene scored on three of its first four offensive plays on the way to a 64-23 win over visiting Central Methodist at the Olathe District Activities Center. Greg Gates scored on a 35-yard run, Michael Lindsey scored on a 80-yard end around, then Jabari Harris rushed in from 11 yards following a 45-yard run by Gates for a 21-0 lead. The Pioneers scored twice more in the first quarter and held a 42-10 lead at halftime. Central Methodist (4-7, 3-6 HAAC) scored on the opening drive of the game and recovered the ensuing kickoff after the wind pushed the ball back into CMU territory. However, the Pioneers forced a punt and began the scoring stretch on the first play from scrimmage. Gates finished the game with 129 yards on 13 carries, pushing his school-record career rushing total to 3,692 yards. Trent Hedlund was 8-of-10 for 141 yards and three touchdowns while Jabari Harris was also 4-of-5 for 75 yards and three touchdowns (two rushing). LaDon Hudson had game-highs of 7 receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown for MNU (5-5, 5-4 HAAC). Maurice Coon carried 17 times for 104 yards for Central Methodist.

Missouri Valley 26, Avila 0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Missouri Valley claimed a share of its third-straight conference championship after earning a 26-0 win over host Avila at the Zarda Multisport Complex. The Vikings (8-2, 8-1 HAAC) limited the Eagles to 137 total yards for the game, including 45 yards on 29 rushing attempts. Bruce Reyes completed 14-of-24 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing seven times for 43 yards and a touchdown. The shutout was the first recorded by the Vikings since a 33-0 win over Central Methodist on October 23. Malachi Daniels led the ground attack for Missouri Valley, carrying 12 times for 107 yards as the Vikings rushed for 228 yards on 41 attempts (5.6 per rush). Jacob Hicks completed 15-of-25 for 92 yards for Avila, hitting both Da'Veion Sullivan and Kelwin Burke Jr. for four passes apiece. Burke also rushed 19 times for 60 yards and finishes the regular season with 1,336 yards on the ground.

Benedictine 38, Evangel 24
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Senior RB Cameron Fore carried 34 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns as No. 9-ranked Benedictine claimed a 38-24 win over host Evangel at John F. Kennedy Stadium. Fore edged out Kelwin Burke Jr. of Avila for the conference rushing title, finishing the regular season with 1,342 yards. Bill Noonan was picked off three times and finished 10-of-21 for a season-low 117 yards, but the Ravens (10-1, 8-1 HAAC) recorded a pair of interceptions and limited Evangel to 65 rushing yards on 27 attempts. Andrew Brimhall completed 22-of-40 for 292 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for Evangel (4-6, 4-5 HAAC) with Jesse Vaughn leading all players with 10 receptions for 93 yards. Jordan Jackson led the Benedictine receiving corps with four catches for 67 yards while Brock West paced Evangel on the ground with 35 yards on eight totes.

Culver-Stockton 20, Graceland 10
CANTON, Mo. - Tyrique Gordon ran for 118 yards and a touchdown to lead Culver-Stockton to a 20-10 win over visiting Graceland at Ellison Poulton Stadium. With the Wildcats clinging to a 13-10 lead midway through the 4th quarter, Gordon sprinted 34 yards to give his team its only offensive touchdown of the game. Culver-Stockton (2-9, 2-7 HAAC) trailed 10-3 after the third quarter, but a 19-yard field goal on the first play of the quarter by Erik Zamudio was followed up by a 84-yard punt return for a touchdown by Andy Smith with 10:17 remaining. The Wildcats took advantage of a short punt to take over at the Graceland 41-yard line, where Gordon carried seven yards on first down before scoring on the next play. Graceland (1-10, 0-9 HAAC) committed five turnovers in the game and tallied just 154 total yards. Jake Tipton finished 10-of-17 for 85 yards and a touchdown with one interception while Mathis Thomas carried 21 times for 81 yards for the Yellowjackets.

Baker 38, Peru State 13
BALDWIN CITY, Kan. - Dillon Baxter ran for a career-best 210 yards and scored one touchdown to lead No. 4-ranked Baker to a 38-13 win over 19th-ranked Peru State in the regular season finale at Liston Stadium. Baker (10-1, 8-1 HAAC) won its 8th-straight game to capture a share of the conference championship for the first time since 1993. Baxter spearheaded a Baker rushing attack that amassed 274 yards on 57 attempts as the Wildcats posted a 443-320 advantage in total yards. Jake Morse was 12-of-23 for 169 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, including the go-ahead throw to Alex Stebbins for a 12-yard touchdown at the 9:23 mark of the second quarter. The Wildcats scored 21-straight points to take a 24-7 lead after three quarters, then added two late scores after the Bobcats had cut the deficit to 24-13 following a 2-yard scoring run by Ethan Bray with 12:56 remaining. Bray led Peru State (7-4, 5-4 HAAC) with 18 carries for 76 yards while Tyler Audsley rushed for 44 yards and completed 7-of-18 for 76 yards and two interceptions.