With a fast start to impressive defensive performances last time around at Yager Stadium, the Ichabods looked to continue their defensive prowess with a victory over winless Missouri Southern State University Lions.

WU football continued its streak with the team’s fourth consecutive win Oct. 7 in a home game against the Lions.

The Ichabods put on another fast start to their defense, with a third and out offensive drive for Missouri Southern on their first try. The Ichabods would jump on top of the game by that point as the offense made their way down the field for 68 yards.

Blake Peterson, the starting quarterback for the Ichabods, put on an offensive show on the first drive with a smooth pass to the end zone to wide receiver Jake Horner past the defense. The Ichabods took an early lead as Perry Schmiedeler added on the extra point to make it 7-0.

The Ichabods did not stop there. On the second drive for Missouri Southern, D.J. Olmstead continued his intercepting abilities and picked off a pass to the Missouri Southern 45 yard line to start the second drive for the Ichabod offense.

“You know we got out there and did it again,” said Zach Willis, running back. ”We just have to come out and play our game every week.”

With the Ichabod offense back on the field, the fast start for both sides of the ball continued. Washburn football steamrolled down the field on six plays for 45 offensive yards to the end zone to earn a 14-0 lead as Zach Willis found his way past the pylon.

Eventually, the game settled for both teams as Missouri Southern put up some resistance against the Ichabods to end the first quarter.

To start the second quarter, the Lions finally found a groove on offense with a drive towards the end zone. The Lions journeyed all the way down below the Washburn 10 yard line for six points punched in by Missouri Sotuhern’s Scott Brayden for a 81 yard drive.

With the score set at 14-7, the Ichabods got the ball back on the 25-yard line and drive all the way down the field for 75 yards of offense and another score in the end zone to settle the score at 21-7.

The Lions answered back, however, and the Ichabods saw another scoring drive pass their defense to the end zone. Before halftime the Lions put up seven more points to make the score 21-14 with 1:07 remaining in the first half of the game.

The score held for the first half and the Ichabods went into the locker room up by only seven points after their fast start to the game.

“We definitely had a couple chances we would have wanted back, but that is just all about the in game development,” said Jake Horner, wide receiver.

To kick off the second half of the game the Ichabods started on their own 25-yard line. Looking to start fast out of the gate once again, the Ichabods moved the chains over and over again for another touchdown by running back Zach Willis setting the score at 28-14 with 10:20 left in the third quarter.

After Washburn football added on to the scoreboard, the Lions had no answer to another three and out drive lasting 1:36 of the third quarter.

Washburn got the ball back on their own 26 where they went four and out, giving the ball back to the Lions for great field position.

The Lions took advantage and tore through the Washburn defense for another touchdown after a 24 yard completion to Southern Missouri’s Coleman Shemar for a 28-21 score with 6:40 remaining in the third.

The momentum shift lasted only 12 seconds for the Lions, however, as Blake Peterson would connect with James Brania-Hopp for a 75 yard completion that resulted in a touchdown on the ensuing drive.

The score ended up being 35-21 with the Ichabods leading by two scores with 6:28 left in the third quarter.

The Ichabods continued to take control of the game as the Lions gave it right back with an errant pass on the first play right to D.J. Olmstead for a pick six, making it 42-21 with 6:11 left in the third quarter.

After another three and out from the Lions, the Ichabods continued to plow down the field on offense. Eventually, Washburn were stopped at the opposing 25 yard line going four and out and returning the ball to the Lions to end the third quarter.

To start the fourth, the Ichabods returned to a dominating defensive attack. The Ichabod defense started the quarter off with a sack and then forced a three and out to bring a punt back to the Washburn offense.

The Washburn offense then started on their own 47 with 14:08 left in the game. The offense were given a holding penalty on Micheal Lickteig, and did not get much going for their 13th offensive drive of the game as they went three and out to return the ball back to the Lions.

The rest of the fourth quarter was all Washburn as the Ichabods went on to seal its fifth win on the season and its fifth win in conference with a 49-21 final score. The Lions remain winless on the season, recording their sixth loss and pushing the Ichabods closer and closer to breaching the AFCA top 25.

Up next for the Ichabods is a road trip to Hays, Kansas where they will face off against the Fort Hays State University Tigers at Lewis Field. The Tigers are undefeated on the season and should prove a pivotal game for the entire MIAA conference.