Ottawa, MNU and Saint Mary earn impressive college football wins. More KC-area scores

Offensive fireworks, upsets and last-second drama — this week in local college football had it all. One game was played in the 40s and required two late defensive stops for a win, while another had six lead changes after one side jumped out to a double-digit lead.

Oh, and Ottawa snapped a 13-game losing streak to ranked opponents with a win over No. 23 Bethel. Here’s a look at the small-school action from teams around the KC area...

UT Martin 38, Missouri State 31: After last week’s loss to the Kansas Jayhawks, Missouri State nearly mounted a late comeback effort against UT Martin. The Bears scored 24 points in the second half, including 17 in the fourth quarter, to tie the score at 31-all on a four-yard Jacardia Wright touchdown run. But UTM scored a late touchdown to earn the seven-point win. Jacob Clark threw for three touchdowns for Missouri State (0-2).

Baker 45, Clarke 0: Baker (2-0) rolled to a decisive win at Liston Stadium in Baldwin City. It was 35-0 at halftime, and quarterback Truman Juelsgaard already had five passing touchdowns — including a 65-yard connection with Rashaan Graves and a 66-yard score to Kwan Brooks. Juelsgaard added a rushing touchdown in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 40-plus.

Kentucky Wesleyan 41, William Jewell 34: Trailing 27-17 and then 34-24, William Jewell (1-1) mounted a late comeback to tie the score against Kentucky Wesleyan. Keaundre McCullough ran for a 56-yard touchdown to pull William Jewell within three (27-24), and Caleb Cortez later blocked a Wesleyan punt and Angelo Batrez recovered it for a score (34-31). Paul Geelen made it 34-all with a 48-yard field goal, but Wesleyan scored in the final minute for the seven-point win.

Central Missouri 41, Central Oklahoma 17: It was Get The Red Out/Military Appreciation Day at Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, and UCM (2-0) rose to the occasion. The teams were separated by just four points at halftime, but Zach Zebrowski found Weston Bridges for a 7-yard touchdown in the third quarter, then Zebrowski connected with Arkell Smith for two fourth-quarter passing touchdowns to put the game out of reach. Smith totaled 152 receiving yards and three scores, while Marcellous Hawkins added a touchdown on the ground. Price Morgan had the other receiving score for UCM.

Missouri Western 68, Lincoln 14: Missouri Western (1-1) bounced back from a Week 1 loss to UCM with a 54-point drubbing of Lincoln (0-2). A 37-point second quarter was the difference-maker on Saturday. Armani Edden and Reagan Jones each threw for two touchdowns, and Jared Scott ran for two more for Missouri Western. Xzavier Vaughn threw for the two Lincoln scores, finding Winston Ausmer and Aderias Ealy.

Friends 54, Avila 20: Friends University improved to 3-0 with a decisive win over 1-2 Avila. The Falcons had four different players — K’Vonte Baker (1 yard), Elias Pino (61 yards), Kerrion Hadnot (14 yards) and Jett Cheatham (8 yards) — run for a touchdown in the first half, and Cheatham added two more rushing scores in the second half to help put the game out of reach. Avila’s Eli Williams recorded two passing touchdowns, and Daleshaun Coleman ran for the team’s other score at Adair-Austin Stadium.

Graceland 37, Benedictine 35: Graceland (3-0) kept its perfect season alive with a last-second field goal after Benedictine (1-2) stormed back into the game. Trailing 21-6 at the half, Jackson Dooley ran for a one-yard touchdown, then JaShawn Todd returned a punt 82 yards that, after a 2-point conversion, tied the score at 21. Dooley found Jacob Gathright for a 25-yard connection to level the score again at 28-all in the third quarter, and Todd had a 3-yard touchdown run to put Benedictine ahead 35-28 in the fourth. Graceland kicker Alex Tuyo missed a late extra point that kept Benedictine in front by a point, but he redeemed himself with a 44-yard field goal in the final minute.

Ottawa 28, Bethel 24: Ottawa (1-2) and Bethel (2-1) traded leads back and forth down the stretch on Saturday, but go-ahead rushing scores from Wynton Ruth (21-17) and Malaki Peko (28-24) proved to be the difference. DJ Ciers totaled two touchdowns (one rushing) for Bethel, but he also threw two interceptions. Scott Grider ran for another score for the Threshers. Peko ran for two scores for the Braves, while Jayden Johnson made seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Saint Mary 36, McPherson 32: Another competitive game came down to a score in the final two minutes. Saint Mary’s Shane Bishop found Alejandro Martinez-Loera for a go-ahead 9-yard touchdown pass with 1:24 to play. McPherson (2-1) had previously taken a 32-29 lead on a 59-yard connection from Tristan Szabo to Tyson Bochert. After Saint Mary (1-2) took an early 12-0 lead, the game featured six lead changes. Bishop threw for three scores, while Saint Mary’s Raymond Webster ran 22 times for 157 yards and a score.

MidAmerica Nazarene 45, Peru State 44: One of the best games of the week featured plenty of fireworks, as MNU (2-1) escaped with a one-point road win. The teams combined for 45 points in the second quarter and 27 more in the third. Up by four, MNU held Peru State to a late fourth-quarter field goal, then ran down the clock. The defense came up with another — and decisive — stop in the final minute. MNU quarterback Adrian Parsons threw for four touchdowns and ran for one more, while Shawn Cherry rushed for 89 yards and a score. Arlandes Mitchell had five catches for 178 yards and two scores, including a 92-yard catch and run.