Washburn sophomore running back Vershon Moore led the Ichabods to victory in their season opener Saturday against the Colorado School of Mines, rushing for 218 yards and a touchdown in the 34-29 road win in Golden, Colo.

The Orediggers jumped onto the scoreboard first with 2-yard pass from Clay Garcia to Clay Rob Vinnola with 9:21 left in the second quarter. Garcia finished the day throwing 27-for-40 for 314 yards, four touchdowns and no interception. A minute later, senior quarterback Dane Simoneau tied the score with a 30-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Joe Hastings, who finished the day with 13 receptions for 201 yards. With 7:08 left in the first half, Cody Renkin hauled in his first of two receiving touchdowns, a 75-yarder, to put the Orediggers up 13-7. Paul McVay’s PAT kick failed, but the Orediggers recorded a safety against the Ichabods to put them up 15-7.

After a 37-yard field goal by senior kicker Steve Ivanisevic, the Ichabods took the lead for the first time in the third quarter on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Simoneau to senior receiver Brody Schuler and a two-point conversion by junior running back Justin Cooper. An 18-yard touchdown scamper by Moore put the Bods up 25-15 before a Garcia pass to Jerrod Doucet brought the Orediggers within three points of the lead to finish out the third quarter.

Ivanisevic hit his second field goal of the day with 13:34 left in the fourth quarter, but the Orediggers managed to give the Bods a scare as they scored a minute later on the second Garcia-Renkin hook up, a 34-yard reception. Following the McVay PAT, the Orediggers were ahead 29-28, but the Ichabods drove 80 yards on 11 plays and finished with a Justin Cooper 6-yard rush to jump ahead 34-29. The Orediggers failed to score again as sophomore linebacker Jahmil Taylor jarred the ball loose while sacking Garcia and it was recovered by Washburn’s Marty Pfannenstiel with 2:13 left in the game.

Simoneau finished the game throwing 21-for-28 for 300 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Cooper rushed 16 times for 81 yards and a touchdown and senior linebacker Michael Wilhoite accumulated four tackles and two sacks on the defensive side of the ball. Washburn’s next game is its Sept. 4 home-opener against No. 7 Abilene Christian. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.