ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] In a game that Missouri Baptist desperately wanted to give to their fans, the Spartans put together a brilliant performance and the most thrilling half of football in the short history of the team. The home team rebounded from a three-point halftime deficit in a 70-38 win over the Lyon College Scots.
A sloppy first quarter in the penalty department led to the first scores of the day for both teams. The Scots struck just under five minutes into the game. Trey Hawkins completed an eight play, 62 yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown reception to make it a 7-0 Lyon lead.
The Spartans answered right back on the ensuing drive. Billy Ritchey got the nod at quarterback and guided the Spartans to an early touchdown thanks in large part to a big reception by Isaiah King. The freshman receiver posted a 26-yard catch down the middle, which help to set-up the first touchdown of the day for the home team. Ritchey found Kalen Petty in the end zone on a 14-yard hookup to make it a 7-7 score.
The two teams traded shots throughout the half as Lyon took a lead and Missouri Baptist continued to answer. After a 10 play, 72 yard drive led by bruising running back Dwane Robinson, the Spartans put their own ball in the end zone. Ritchey fed starting running back Antoryio Barton, and the junior delivered. Barton broke through the line and stuffed a 35-yard rush down the throat of the Scots and tied the game at 14.
Lyon came right back early in the second quarter. With 11:48 on the clock until the half, Michael Bowles busted a 25-yard run to pay dirt to put the Scots back up by a score, 21-14.
Just over two minutes later, on the following drive, the Spartans answered right back yet again as senior Karsten Beney got in on the mix. The tight end found room over the middle and caught a Jordan Norwine pass for a 20-yard touchdown reception to tie the game at 21-21.
Just before the half, the Scots took the lead on a Cade Almond 32-yard field goal, and took a 24-21 lead into halftime.
As the third quarter got underway, Missouri Baptist showed-off its run attack. Thanks to the combined attack of Barton and senior Fred Kelly, Missouri Baptist poked another into the Scots' end zone. Barton capped the drive with a 5-yard scamper into the end zone to give the Spartans their first lead, 28-24.
Down the stretch of the third quarter, the Scots and Spartans traded shots before Missouri Baptist took its biggest lead. Billy Ritchey put two consecutive touchdowns in the endzone, one on a 21-yard pass, the other for 53 yards, to Isaiah King and grabbed the 42-31 lead on senior day.
Missouri Baptist never looked back.
Eddie Calderon picked-off his fourth pass of the year, his first since Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) on October 8, to completely change the momentum of the contest. Malik Kern followed suit on the next Lyon drive on a pick-six, and extended the lead to 56-31 on the way to the lopsided 70-38 win by the Spartans.
Missouri Baptist set a new record for points in a game with 70, their most since posting 45 a year ago at home in a 52-45 loss to Olivet Nazarene (Ill.).
Missouri Baptist finishes the season with a record of 3-8, their best in team history. In the win, Keenan Savage broke the season tackles record at Missouri Baptist and finished with 92 on the year. Isaiah King came just short of 1,000 yards receiving with 983 total yards.
