QUINCY, Ill. – After playing just two "regular" season games last spring, the Quincy University football team returned to the gridiron on Saturday (Sept. 4) afternoon against Midwestern State. Both teams exchanged offensive blows in the first half before the Mustangs pulled away late. The Hawks fell 48-27. 

The Hawks won the opening coin toss and elected to defer until the second half giving the Mustang offense the first possession. MSU proceeded to march 73 yards in just four plays on a scoring drive that was capped off by a 43-yard touchdown pass. Midwestern State led 7-0 after the point after attempt. 

Quincy's offense started their first drive from their own 25-yard line after a touchback. Tionne Harris got the start at quarterback for Gary Bass's squad and looked electric in the first half. 

Harris started off with a 14-yard scamper to get the opening offensive drive rolling. A few plays later, Harris found Angel Ruiz on a third down and five for a gain of seven to move the chains. Harris later connected with Paul Sullivan Jr. on a third and thirteen for a ten-yard gain in MSU territory. 

Bass elected to go for it on fourth down and three yards, and the gamble paid off. The Mustangs jumped offside and the Hawks got a free play. Harris launched a deep ball down the left sideline and connected with A.J. Hardin for the first Quincy touchdown of the year from 29 yards out. 

Michael Klotz knocked the PAT through the uprights to tie the score 7-7 with 10:36 in the first quarter. 

Midwestern State answered the bell by going on an eight-play, 74-yard drive in just over three minutes. MSU scored on a goal-line rush that made the score 14-7 following the extra point. 

The Hawks continued to match the Mustangs energy as Harris went on the attack once again. Quincy converted on a third and twelve and a third and nine to extend the drive. Keith Nemasango and Eugene Witherspoon kept the chains moving with big third down catches. Witherspoon's third down conversion was a 44-yard bomb from Harris that put QU at MSU's 30-yard line. 

A sack and a one-yard loss on a run play left QU behind the chains in a third and long situation. The shifty Harris was able to escape the pocket and extend the play and found a wide-open Witherspoon in the end-zone for a 38-yard touchdown pass. 

The extra point was not converted after a high snap gave Michael Klotz no other option but to fall on the loose ball. QU trailed 14-13. 

Both teams scored in the first four possessions of the game over just eight and a half minutes of game clock. 

Midwestern State looked to counter QU by driving into Hawk territory. On third down and four yards from QU's 25-yard line, Byron Puryear and Melvin Brock came up with a big stop to bring up a field goal attempt by Midwestern State. The kick flew wide right as the Hawk defense got off the field unscathed. 

With the momentum on their side, Harris and the offense continued to put the pedal to the metal. On third and five, Garrett Drew was interfered with to give the Hawks another first down in a third down situation. The game then moved to the second quarter. 

Two plays into the second period, MSU jumped offsides on a third and short to extend the Hawk drive. Offensive coordinator Kaleb Borghardt dialed up another deep shot on first and ten, and Harris delivered once again. The Vianney High School product launched another strike 44-yards down the field and dropped his pass perfectly into the hands of A.J. Hardin. QU led 20-14. 

It was Hardin's second touchdown of the game and Harris' third touchdown toss of the half. The dual-threat quarterback racked up 289 passing yards as well as 21 rushing yards in two quarters of action. 

Quincy's defense got another stop on MSU's next possession as the red-hot offense came back on the field. Quincy was pinned at their own 4-yard line, but the St. Louis native navigated the offense out of trouble after a 32-yard connection with Jalen Lawrence. 

The turning point in the game came with six minutes left in the second quarter. Following an 18-yard connection to Paul Sullivan Jr., Harris was sacked hard near mid-field on the next play, and had the ball knocked loose. Midwestern State recovered, but the Hawk quarterback was forced out of the game after a hard collision. 

MSU scored two plays later and regained the lead, 21-20, after a 10-yard touchdown run and a made extra point. 

The Hawks went to the half down just one point, and were receiving the second half kickoff. 

Michael Valdovinos came in to relieve Harris, but threw an interception on the first drive of the second half. 

Quincy's defense held firm, and forced the Mustangs to punt in just six plays, but QU went three-and-out to give the ball right back.

Midwestern State took advantage and scored in eight plays in just over three minutes. MSU led 28-20. The Mustangs took all of the wind out of QU's sails after a pick-six made the score 35-20 with under five minutes to play in the third quarter. 

Valdovinos didn't let that deter him for long as he led the Hawk offense right down the field and orchestrated a nine-play, 89-yard drive that was capped off by a 28-yard touchdown strike to Eugene Witherspoon. Quincy trailed 35-27. 

It was the Miami Garden, Florida native's second touchdown catch of the day as he finished with five catches, 118 yards, and two touchdowns. 

Unfortunately, this was the Hawks final score of the game as the Mustangs tacked on two more touchdowns in the second half. 

Quincy fell in the season opener 48-27. 

Both teams racked up over 500 yards of total offense in the contest, but turnovers and crucial injuries were the difference on Saturday. The Hawks lost two fumbles and threw two interceptions. 

Next Game
The Hawks look to regroup next week as they host NAIA opponent Iowa Wesleyan at QU Stadium next Saturday (September 11) at 1:00 PM.