Braxton Marstall, Emporia State redshirt-sophomore quarterback, scrambled into the endzone with 15 seconds remaining, securing a 35-28 win over Lindenwood in front of the Homecoming crowd last Saturday at Welch Stadium.
Offensive production was difficult to come by for both teams in the first 30 minutes as the Lions headed into halftime with a 7-0 lead. The Hornets were unable to string together a complete drive as sacks and penalties forced them into multiple third-and-long situations.
“We definitely faced some adversity,” Marstall said. “The first half was slow and we knew we had to come out and play better after halftime to win.”
After ESU forced a Lindenwood three-and-out to start the second half, head coach Garin Higgins dialed up a trick play to get his Hornets on the scoreboard.
Marstall threw a backwards pass to the left to junior backup quarterback Jaylen Lowe who used his blockers to get off a throw of his own. Lowe found senior wide receiver Mitchell Foote running alone along the sideline for a 21-yard reception that tied the game at 7.
“When Coach [Higgins] puts me in the game, I have to be ready for those kinds of plays,” Lowe said. “We had run it a couple times in practice and luckily it worked in the game.”
Lindenwood’s next offensive possession saw the Lions drive the ball deep into Hornet territory. Donovan Walker, junior defensive end, and Tre’Vaun Ammons, redshirt-freshman defensive end, combined for a sack on a crucial fourth-down play to give the Hornets possession at their 26 yard line.
Marstall then led ESU on an 11-play, 74-yard drive that he capped on a 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Hornets their first lead of the game 14-7. Lindenwood would answer quickly with a 50-yard touchdown pass to tie the score at 14 heading into the final quarter.
The game developed into a back-and-forth affair in the final 15 minutes as a 24-yard touchdown dash by Lions’ running back Aaron Daniels tied the game at 28 with 3:17 remaining.
On the ensuing kickoff, a penalty pinned the Hornets at their own 12. With overtime looking to be an increasing possibility, ESU orchestrated a long, game-winning drive.
The Hornets dropped back to pass on a third-and-eight at the Lindenwood 15 with less than 25 seconds remaining. Lindenwood defenders came close to getting their eighth sack of the game, but Marstall was able to scramble out of the pocket and tucked the ball to run. Fifteen yards and a couple of broken tackles later, the Hornets had earned their sixth victory of the season.
“I’m proud of our team because we fought, clawed, and made plays when we needed to,” Higgins said. “We found a way to get it done and that’s what good teams do. I wish it could’ve been easier, but a win is a win especially in the MIAA conference.”
In addition to the game-winning score, Marstall completed a career-high 39 passes for 317 yards and one touchdown. He rushed for 49 yards and added two more scores on the ground.
“[Marstall] just really took over the game,” Lowe said. “He got the ball to all our playmakers and he made the play himself when nobody was open.”
The 12th-ranked Hornets (6-1, 6-1 in the MIAA) will travel to Pittsburg, Kansas to take on the Gorillas this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Carnie Smith Stadium.
