Dave Steckel gets first win as Missouri State coach, 21-13 over Chadron State
Dave Steckel’s second game as Missouri State’s coach went a lot better than his first.
Missouri State’s 21-13 win over Chadron State in the home opener Saturday gave Steckel, the former Missouri defensive coordinator, his first victory with the Bears. Missouri State lost 63-7 loss at Memphis in its opener.
The Bears stopped Chadron State on fourth down at the Missouri State 28 with less than 4 minutes left to preserve the victory.
Calan Crowder ran for 164 yards in 23 carries for a Bears offense that gained 279 yards on the ground.
Missouri State quarterback Breck Ruddick completed 19 of 34 passes for 128 yards and one touchdown, and ran for another touchdown.
Chadron State pulled within 14-13 in the third quarter on a 36-yard field goal by Randy Wentz. On the Bears’ next possession, Ruddick engineered a 75-yard, six-play drive that was capped by his 55-yard scoring run.
Derek Jackson led Chadron State with 133 yards in 18 carries, including a 73-yard dash for a second-quarter score.
OTHER AREA COLLEGES
▪ At EMPORIA STATE 45, CENTRAL MISSOURI 34: Emporia State’s Brent Wilson passed for 446 yards and five touchdowns in a game that resumed on Saturday after it had been suspended by storms on Thursday night. Justin Brown had 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns for Emporia State, and Kavaski Ervin added 100 receiving yards and a score.
Central Missouri quarterback Garret Fugate passed for 371 yards and two TDs, and added 113 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
▪ At MISSOURI WESTERN 26, CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 16: Josh Caldwell and Raphael Spencer ran for 129 and 113 yards, respectively, for Missouri Western. Dee Tolliver caught three passes for 162 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown pass from Skyler Windmiller.
▪ At WAYNE STATE 21, TRUMAN STATE 20: Wayne State scored 14 unanswered points in the final quarter. The Bulldogs had a punt blocked in the fourth quarter, and Wayne State had to drive only 18 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
Quarterback Devonte Black led Truman State with 102 passing yards and a touchdown, and ran for 27 yards.
▪ MISSOURI VALLEY 34, at BENEDICTINE 31, OT: Missouri Valley’s Darrian Turk took a reverse 16 yards for the game-winning touchdown on his only carry of the game. Turk also caught two touchdown passes. Missouri Valley quarterback Joseph Murial threw for 214 yards and two TDs.
Benedictine’s Tyler Henness ran for 87 yards and a touchdown, and Jacob Koester threw for 202 yards and a TD.
▪ COLORADO MINES 42, at WILLIAM JEWELL 7: Thomas Cook ran for 130 yards and the Cardinals’ lone touchdown. He also caught three passes for 20 yards.
▪ ST. FRANCIS (ILL.) 13, at LINCOLN 10: Lincoln pulled within a field goal midway through the fourth quarter but couldn’t get any closer. Lincoln’s Miles Drummond ran for 83 yards and a touchdown.
▪ AT PERU STATE 44, AVILA 10: Avila quarterback Calvin Jacobson threw for 286 yards and a touchdown, but also had three interceptions. Luke Oldham had 74 receiving yards and a touchdown. Avila led 3-0 after the first quarter.
| Todd Engle, Special to The Star
This story was originally published September 13, 2015 at 12:16 AM with the headline "Dave Steckel gets first win as Missouri State coach, 21-13 over Chadron State."