Pitt State has extended their winning streak to seven straight games, defeating the Missouri Southern Lions 30-10 this Saturday. Pitt State started the game off with two straight touchdowns, going up 14-0 before the Lions were able to answer, leading 20-10 at half. Pitt State would continue to apply pressure in the second half, keeping Missouri Southern scoreless for the remainder of the game.
“During that bye week, we definitely emphasized keeping the energy up, keeping the urgency up. It wasn’t really a bye week for us. We still attacked practice like it was a game week,” senior safety Ryan Medeiros said.
Pitt State would win the toss, just their third coin toss win of the season, and elected to kick first. The Gorillas defense would hold the Lions to a quick three and out, setting up the offense for a short field. Pitt State’s offense would slowly make their way from 36 yards out, eventually striking first on a 3-yard touchdown from senior running back Jahkobie Smith, his first of the season.
The Lions would be forced into another quick three and out by the Gorilla defense, and the offense was quick to capitalize on the short field again. Junior wide receiver Kuron Parchmon would end up taking the handoff for a 16-yard rushing touchdown, giving Pitt State a 14-0 lead. Pitt State would take that lead into the second quarter.
Things would begin to even up when the Lions scored a field goal at the beginning of the second, after driving downfield but being frustrated by the Gorilla defense. Both sides would trade possessions, as neither offense could find their footing. Missouri Southern would close the gap further, scoring their first and only touchdown of the day to make it 10-14, but the Gorillas would answer right back on the next drive with a 34-yard field goal, putting them at 17-10. The Lions would threaten to get within scoring range towards the end of the half, but a sack on fourth down gave the ball back to Pitt State, who drove down with a minute thirty left and kicked a 26-yard field goal as time expired.
“We knew our offense was going to get the ball out of the locker room, up by ten. That’s a good first half when you’re up ten points; all three phases were playing pretty well. Made a few adjustments at half time, trying to take advantage of some things after half,” Head Coach Tom Anthony said.
After halftime, Pitt State would go a quick three and out, while Missouri Southern started a promising drive for them. Their hopes were dashed after the Gorillas forced a punt and then proceeded to score another field goal, this time from 30 yards out. Pitt State would take a 23-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
Both teams would struggle on offense, before Medeiros would make an interception that he returned for 47 yards, putting the Gorillas only 15 yards out from the end zone. On 3rd and 6, senior quarterback Jackson Berry would strike the final blow, finding senior wide receiver Tyjuan Atkins from 11 yards out for a passing touchdown and the final score of the day.
“Just focusing on this week, we aren’t into the playoffs yet, and we have two big games in front of us. We are just going to focus on the next big game, UCM, and take this confidence and build on it over there,” Berry said.
Pitt State would hold off the Lions for the rest of the fourth, forcing a turnover on downs on the final drive of Missouri Southern, before going into victory formation to end it. Pitt State now turns its attention to Central Missouri, where they will play on the road next weekend as they look to extend their winning streak to eight.