With playoff hopes gone, the Washburn Ichabod football team finished strong upsetting the No. 11 Missouri Western Griffons 16-3 on Senior Day Saturday at Yager Stadium. The win moved the Ichabods’ record to 7-4 overall, 6-3 in the MIAA.

Two interceptions by Fletcher Terrell, Washburn senior cornerback, keyed the Ichabods’ strong defensive effort.

“It was a nice way to end my playing career,” said Terrell.

He even joked about the legacy the seniors left behind.

“It was nice to show the juniors how to do it,” said Terrell. “I had fun in this game.”

The first half yielded little offensive production for either team. The Griffons got on the board first with a 25-yard field goal with 8:30 mark of the second period, capping an 11-play 46-yard drive. The Ichabods sliced the lead to 3-2 when the Griffons’ punter mishandled a snap and was tackled in the end zone for a safety.

Early in the second half Brandon Walker, Washburn sophomore quarterback, threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Sam Sissom, senior receiver. The touchdown capped a three-play 44-yard drive. Trent Hearn, senior running back, rushed up the middle to convert the two-point conversion, putting the Ichabods up 10-3. This was Sissom’s 40th career receiving touchdown, an MIAA career record.

“It was a big game, you always want to end your college career on a high note but it was too bad we didn’t make the playoffs,” said Sissom. “The record was a whole team effort. Football’s the grittiest team sport there is, and it’s great that I got the record.”

Washburn regained possession at the Missouri Western 44-yard line after the Griffons failed to convert a fake punt. The Ichabods cashed the opportunity in two plays with Hearn bowling his way in from the two-yard line giving the Ichabods a 16-3 lead with 9:21 remaining in the third quarter. The extra point failed.

With seven minutes left in the game Terrell picked off Matt Landess, Griffons quarterback, near midfield. With Washburn unable to move the ball, the Griffons blocked a punt and recovered at the Ichabod 10-yard line. On fourth and goal from the five, Terrell intercepted Landess’ pass in the endzone, sealing the Ichabods’ victory. Terrell finished the season with a team-leading five interceptions and had 22 for his career.

“We haven’t really thought too much about next season but we do return a lot of good players again,” said Craig Schurig, Washburn head coach. “Our seniors are leaving the program in very good shape, and we have a very good junior class that should be able to take hold of the leadership. We’re at the stage now where some guys that were good enough to play at a young age in our program two, three years ago, had to wait their turn and now it’s going to be their turn. We feel like we could be very good next year, we just have to work for it.”

Washburn returns Jordan Brill, junior quarterback, who missed the latter part of the season with a shoulder injury. Other key starters the Ichabods return include Ra’Shawn Mosley, junior running back, Jake Lebahn, receiver, Cary Williams, junior defensive back, and Zach Watkins, freshman linebacker.