1 week Ago By UNK Sports Information
KEARNEY — The University of Nebraska at Kearney football team will meet Fort Hays State for the 70th time at noon on Saturday at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium. This is the regular-season finale for the Lopers (5-5) and 23rd-ranked Tigers (7-3). UNK leads the all-time series by a 35-33-1 margin, but Fort Hays has taken 10 of the last 11 meetings.
Last year in Kansas, the Tigers had a 412-165 advantage in total yards to post a 31-17 victory. Running back Shane Watts ran for 162 yards and one score with quarterback Jack Dawson tossing three touchdowns. Fort Hays moved from Dawson to sophomore Caleb Heavner mid-year and the Tigers have taken their last two games by a combined score of 89-16.
Ranked eighth in the Super Region 3 rankings, Fort Hays has an outside chance at reaching the NCAA Division II playoffs. Watts has had back-to-back 200-yard days to take the lead in the MIAA in rushing (112.8 yards per game).
Heavner has rushed for 364 yards and four touchdowns and has completed 70% of his passes for 11 scores and just one interception. The Tiger offense also features receivers Jayden Horace and redshirt freshman Jabri Lewis. The line led by senior right guard Dawson Reynolds.
There may not be a more veteran defense in the region as the Tigers start eight seniors and have three senior second-stringers. They lead the MIAA in scoring defense (16.6), passing defense (233.
3). red-zone rate (59%) and fumble recoveries (nine). Senior linebacker Makel Williams is second in the league in tackles (81) with position and classmate John Johnson at 56 stops in seven games.
Veteran end Myles Menges has a team-best 5.0 tackles for loss with senior Mason Perez second on the team in tackles (63). On special teams, Grand Island Northwest grad Parker Janky is the MIAA's top punter (45.
2 avg.), senior Carson Ardnt is 37 for 37 on PATs and 14 of 20 in field goal tries. Hays has also blocked three kicks.
Prior to the kickoff, UNK will honor 26 grad students/seniors/redshirt juniors. The group includes seven-year team member Kooper Reece of Valentine and four one-year Lopers — quarterback Reagan Jones, wide receiver Shane Dailey Jr., right tackle Jordan Allen and cornerback Kendall Brewer.
UNK continues to be among the MIAA and D2 leaders in a variety of categories including turnover margin (+0.9), rush defense (84.0 ypg) and scoring defense (21.
0 ppg). The top three tacklers — safety Jamere Jones, end Quillan Felton and linebacker David Lilly — are all seniors with Felton a candidate for MIAA Defensive Player of the Year honors. He's at 62 tackles with 17 for a loss of 69 yards (7.
0 sacks), five quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Jones (2,006 yards of total offense, 17 touchdowns) and junior running back Isaiah Harris (941 all-purpose yards, seven touchdowns) have paced the offense. Harris is up to five 100-yard games and is one of the MIAA rushing leaders.
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