DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Missouri Baptist Spartans and the St Ambrose Fighting Bees engaged in a true heavyweight battle on Saturday. Winner….by decision...Missouri Baptist by a score of 42-38.

It appeared as though the Spartans were going to score an early knockout, as they jumped out to a 24-7 lead early in the second quarter of this game. St. Ambrose got off the canvas and delivered some heavy blows of their own to fight their way back to only trail 24-21 at the half. Midway through the third quarter the comeback was complete as SAU took their first lead at 28-27. Both teams took turns jabbing back and forth to keep each other at bay throughout much of the second half. But it was MBU, and in particular running back Marcellus Griffin, who delivered the final haymaker with his third rushing touchdown of the day and secured the four-point win for the visiting Spartans. Both teams swinging with all their might in the final game of the season, neither team particularly interested in keeping their guard up and playing defense…although there was some of that, especially late.

The Spartans looked unstoppable early even when dealing with some adverse weather conditions. Despite a temperature hovering in the low-30s and an almost constant light snow falling, the Spartans put points on the board their first four possessions. Three of those scoring drives originated from inside Fighting Bees territory due to a stellar return game early. 

First it was Shane Becker who set up the offense nicely. After SAU went three and out to begin the game, Becker returned the punt 36 yards to the Fighting Bees 33-yard line. That drive resulted in the first points of the game, off the foot of placekicker Odaine Reid, who connected on a 32-yard field goal.

Saint Ambrose answered with a nine-play drive covering 75 yards to put up the first touchdown of the game, and gave them their only lead of the first half at 7-3 at the 6:51 mark.

On the ensuing kickoff, it was Darius Morrison's turn. He returned the short kick 39 yards to the SAU 37-yard line. Seven plays later quarterback Cooper Brown connected with Kameron Sloan for a 7-yard touchdown hookup. The Spartans had a lead they would hold into the second half. It was 10-7.

Saint Ambrose then took a risk that didn't pay off. Facing a fourth and 10 from the MBU 33-yard line, they elected to go for it. Linebacker Blake Kight got home for the quarterback sack and the Spartans took over on downs at their own 45-yard line. It was the first of two sacks Kight would register on the day. The Spartans capitalized on the momentum three plays later when Darius Morrison rumbled for a 46-yard touchdown trot to put MBU up 17-7.

The Fighting Bees were pinned deep in their own territory on the next possession which was another three and out. After the punt, the Spartans took over at the Fighting Bee's 44. Marcellus Griffin got his first touchdown of the game and his first as an MBU Spartan seven plays later when he plunged into the endzone from a yard away. The key play on the drive was a completion from Brown to wide receiver Jacob Harness for 35 yards to the SAU 9. The Spartans had a 24-7 lead after four possessions.

But the Fighting Bees remained true to their name….they got off the canvas and fought their way back. SAU scored the next 14 points of the game to make it close at halftime, 24-21.

An Odaine Reid field goal on the Spartans first drive of the second half extended the lead to 27-21. The 36-yarder was the culmination of a 17-play, 50-yard drive for the Spartans which ate up 7:31 of the third quarter clock.

It didn't take SAU nearly as long to answer though.  Three plays and 55 seconds to be exact.  A 31-yard completion and a 41-yard touchdown hookup can do that for you. SAU had regained the lead 28-27.

The Spartans would score on the next possession and get a two-point conversion only to have the Fighting Bees answer right back to tie it at 35 and set up some fourth quarter heroics.

SAU got a field goal with 11:48 left that looked like it might be difference in the game as they led 38-35. But for the second time in the second half, the Spartans showed they can orchestrate an epic drive and melt time off the clock. Once again it was 17 plays, this time covering 69 yards. Odaine Reid nailed a field goal to tie the game, but SAU was flagged for running into the kicker. The Spartans elected to take the typing points off the board and go first and goal to go from the three-yard line. It proved to be a wise decision. On the very next play, Griffin scored his third touchdown of the day from three yards out and the Spartans had the lead 42-38. 

The Fighting Bees had one last chance but the Spartans defense bowed up to keep them off the board. SAU quarterback Joey Sprinkle was one for eight on the final drive that stalled out at the MBU 36.

The Spartans survived the slugfest.

Quarterback Cooper Brown finished 18 of 34 for 186 yards and touchdown. Brown also ran the ball 12 times for 71 yards, making him the leading ground-gainer for the Spartans as well. Jacob Harness led the way in receiving with 60 yards.

Defensively MBU was led by who else but Blake Kight. He had nine tackles which raised his single-season Spartans record to 111. He also had three tackles for loss and two sacks. The Spartans defense had seven sacks in the game.  Giovanoi Sanes had two, with Rakweon Ramsey and Jeremiah Austin having one each. The sack for Austin is his tenth of the season, which is also a single-season Spartan record.

The Fighting Bees held a 456-404 lead in total yards, but the Spartans had a more than nine-minute cushion in time of possession. MBU committed a whopping 12 penalties for 97 yards in the game.

The Spartans finish the season at 4-7.  The four wins matches the high-water mark for a season in program history, duplicated only in 2018 and last year. Since this is the last game for the Spartans as a member of the Mid-States Football Association, they are going out in style. MBU will join the Heart of America Conference for football beginning next season. The marks only the second time in eight tries that the Spartans have beaten Saint Ambrose. In their nine seasons in the MSFA the Spartans finished 12-53 all-time. They certainly are hoping for greener pastures in the Heart.

The Spartans might be a bit punch-drunk from the exchanges with Saint Ambrose today, but they are undoubtedly smiling ear to ear with the victory.