Central Sports

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge hosts Santa Fe on Friday, Feb. 6. Crest Ridge girls basketball is scheduled to tip off at approximately 5:30 p.m., with the boys game to follow.

Wesley Taylor breaks all-time scoring record as Crest Ridge sweeps Orrick

By Brad Hadank

Feb. 3, 2026

CENTERVIEW, Mo. — It was a historic night at Crest Ridge High School on Tuesday as Wesley Taylor broke the all-time scoring record for the Crest Ridge boys basketball program, and both the girls and boys teams earned victories over Orrick.

The night opened with Crest Ridge girls basketball (12-8) hosting Orrick (6-15). The Cougars used a full-court press to take control early and never looked back.

The pressure created scoring opportunities off turnovers as the Cougars took a 20-4 lead through the first quarter. Crest Ridge continued its momentum, holding Orrick scoreless in the second quarter and taking a 36-4 lead into halftime.

Crest Ridge maintained its dominance in the second half, allowing only four points in the final 16 minutes and cruising to a 63-8 victory.

 

Girls score by half

	1st	2nd	Final
Orrick Girls	4	4	8
Crest Ridge Girls	36	27	63

 

The Crest Ridge boys basketball team (16-6) finished the night on a high note over Orrick (12-9), using a strong second half in the victory.

The first quarter featured a back-and-forth battle. With time expiring and the Cougars trailing 17-14 in the first quarter, Taylor hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to tie the game. The basket gave Taylor the most career points in program history, surpassing current head coach Cole Schmidli.

The moment brought the crowd to its feet, many of whom sported signs in support of the accomplishment, as Taylor was presented a commemorative basketball at half-court. The milestone sparked the Cougars’ momentum for the remainder of the game.

 

TAYLOR’S RECORD BREAKING THREE, AS HEARD LIVE ON 100.3 KMUL:

Brad Hadank and Brayden Dowers on the call.

 

The momentum from the record-breaking basket led the Cougars to a 35-26 halftime lead.

Crest Ridge pulled away in the second half. Cabe Shippy found his groove beyond the arc, and the Cougars held Orrick to just 16 points in the second half. The Cougars’ sound basketball led them to a 72-42 victory.

 

Boys score by half

	1st	2nd	Final
Orrick Boys	26	16	42
Crest Ridge Boys	35	37	72

 

CREST RIDGE BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-TIME LEADING SCORERS:

1.	Wesley Taylor	1,720-plus points	2022-present
2.	Cole Schmidli	1,719 points	2016-20
3.	Jordan Erisman	1,622 points	2008-12
4.	Art Ozias	1,432 points	1986-90
5.	Pete Ozias	1,354 points	1988-92
6.	Tim Fleener	1,248 points	1989-93
7.	August Hoeper	1,201 points	2017-21
8.	Mike Shaw	1,171 points	1999-2003
9.	Darin Meinders	1,147 points	1981-85
10.	TJ Tibai	1,049 points	1994-98

 

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge hosts Santa Fe on Friday, Feb. 6, with the girls game scheduled for approximately 5:30 p.m. The boys will follow. Crest Ridge boys basketball also hosts Lafayette County on Thursday, Feb. 5, with tipoff expected around 7 p.m. The games will air live on 100.3 KMUL.

No. 14 UCM blanks RV Ouachita Baptist on Senior Day

By Brad Hadank

Jan. 31, 2026

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — No. 14 Central Missouri wrestling defeated receiving-votes Ouachita Baptist 43-0 on Saturday afternoon. The Mules (8-5, 2-1 MIAA) had six bonus-point victories in the dual over the Tigers (5-8, 1-4 MIAA).

Central Missouri opened the dual at 125 pounds with Karim Allal defeating Justin Shaw by major decision, 11-2. The Mules continued their momentum at 133 as true freshman Kaiden Powell pinned Aamir Reed, extending the dual advantage to 10-0.

At 141 pounds, No. 10 James Wright won by fall over Iziah Tusler. Trey Dillow followed with a 9-2 decision over Caleb Andrews at 149, pushing the lead to 19-0.

Ayden Dolt added another pin at 157, defeating Jack Golowenski. No. 5 Gage Bernall clinched the dual victory for the Mules at 165 with a 9-0 major decision over Sam Schmidt, giving the Mules a 29-0 advantage.

Anthony Erickson then won at 174 over Ethan Day by decision, 7-2. At 184, top-ranked Damon Ashworth won by technical fall over Will Wilson, 15-0, with all of the points coming in the first period.

Ayden Flores wrestled up a weight class at 197 for UCM. The typical 184-pounder defeated Cayden Byrd by decision, 8-1.

The heavyweight bout featured No. 14 Torin Forsyth against No. 15 BK Seago in a rematch of last season’s Super Regional meeting. After Seago won that match in sudden victory, 4-1, Forsyth answered Saturday with a takedown in the extra period to take a 5-2 sudden-victory decision over Seago to complete the 43-0 dual victory.

An exhibition match followed between heavyweights Dawson Rull of UCM and Parker Glaze of OBU. Rull took the final match of the afternoon by fall.

Score by match:

125 — Karim Allal (UCM) def. Justin Shaw (OBU), major decision, 11-2.

133 — Kaiden Powell (UCM) def. Aamir Reed (OBU), fall.

141 — No. 10 James Wright (UCM) def. Iziah Tusler (OBU), fall.

149 — Trey Dillow (UCM) def. Caleb Andrews (OBU), decision, 9-2.

157 — Ayden Dolt (UCM) def. Jack Golowenski (OBU), fall.

165 — No. 5 Gage Bernall (UCM) def. Sam Schmidt (OBU), major decision, 9-0.

174 — Anthony Erickson (UCM) def. Ethan Day (OBU), decision, 7-2.

184 — No. 1 Damon Ashworth (UCM) def. Will Wilson (OBU), technical fall, 15-0.

197 — Ayden Flores (UCM) def. Cayden Byrd (OBU), decision, 8-1.

285 — No. 14 Torin Forsyth (UCM) def. No. 15 BK Seago (OBU), decision (SV-1), 5-2.

Exhibition:

285 — Dawson Rull (UCM) def. Parker Glaze (OBU), fall.

UP NEXT: No. 14 Central Missouri travels to No. 25 Newman for their next dual on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m.

No. 14 Mules drop dual to No. 2 Lopers

By Brad Hadank

Jan. 30, 2026

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The No. 14 Central Missouri wrestling team fell to No. 2 Nebraska Kearney, 23-10, on Friday night at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center.

The Mules (7-5, 1-1 MIAA) won three bouts, while the Lopers (12-3, 2-0 MIAA) claimed seven victories in the dual.

Central Missouri opened the night at 125 pounds with an upset victory as Karim Allal defeated No. 14 Caleb Coyle by major decision, 12-4, giving the Mules an early 4-0 lead.

Nebraska Kearney responded by winning the next two matches — one by decision and one by major decision — to take a 7-4 advantage.

Trey Dillow responded for Central Missouri at 149 pounds. Dillow took a sudden-victory decision over Daniel DeRosier, 6-3, tying the dual at 7-7.

Central Missouri dropped the next three matches to fall behind 17-7.

Top-ranked Damon Ashworth of the Mules took an 8-3 decision over No. 5 Kaden Hart to cut the deficit to 17-10.

Nebraska Kearney took the final two matches to close out the 23-10 victory.

Score by match:

125 — Karim Allal (UCM) def. No. 14 Caleb Coyle (UNK), major decision, 12-4.

133 — No. 15 Zachary Ourada (UNK) def. Drew Stanfield (UCM), decision, 2-0.

141 — No. 3 Joseph Airola (UNK) def. No. 10 James Wright (UCM), major decision, 10-1.

149 — Trey Dillow (UCM) def. Daniel DeRosier (UNK), decision (SV-1), 6-3.

157 — No. 5 Cael Robb (UNK) def. Ayden Dolt (UCM), decision, 7-0.

165 — No. 6 Trenton Munoz (UNK) def. No. 5 Gage Bernall (UCM), decision, 8-4.

174 — No. 8 Otgonbayar Batsuuri (UNK) def. Anthony Erickson (UCM), major decision, 16-4.

184 — No. 1 Damon Ashworth (UCM) def. No. 5 Kaden Hart (UNK), decision, 8-3.

197 — No. 4 Jackson Kinsella (UNK) def. Ayden Flores (UCM), decision, 4-0.

285 — No. 1 Crew Howard (UNK) def. No. 14 Torin Forsyth (UCM), decision, 6-2.

UP NEXT: Central Missouri will face Ouachita Baptist at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center.

Jennies victorious; Mules stunned by rival Bearcats

By Brad Hadank

Jan. 23, 2026

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Central Missouri Mules and Jennies hosted Northwest Missouri State on Friday night. The games, originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon, were moved because of a forecasted winter storm.

The Jennies (14-5, 8-2 MIAA) opened the night with a win over the Bearcats (10-10, 3-7 MIAA), building a nine-point halftime lead and never looking back. Central Missouri outscored Northwest Missouri State 29-20 in the third quarter and maintained an 18-point advantage through the final quarter, taking a 77-59 victory.

Reese Schaaf led all scorers with 25 points. She shot 10-of-17 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Schaaf recorded her seventh consecutive double-double, adding 10 rebounds. Taylor Weishaar finished with 17 points and Makenzie Farmer tallied 10 points for the Jennies.

Bailey Birmingham led Northwest Missouri State with 13 points, Kirsten Hauck added 11 and Sadie Maas scored 10.

Score by quarter

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Bearcats	14	13	20	12	59
Jennies	24	12	29	12	77

 

The Mules (15-7, 6-4 MIAA) took the floor next at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center and controlled the first half, taking a 39-31 lead into the locker room.

Northwest Missouri State (10-11, 3-7 MIAA) stormed back early in the second half. After Central Missouri extended its lead to 44-34, the Bearcats used a 6-0 run to make it 44-40. Northwest Missouri State pulled ahead 52-49 with 12:01 remaining on Aiden Gair’s three-pointer.

A few moments later, with the score reading 54-51 in favor of the Bearcats, the Mules went on a run. Central Missouri scored 15 unanswered points to take a 66-54 lead with 8:09 remaining.

The Bearcats answered again as the game went back and forth. With 38 seconds remaining, Northwest Missouri State had pulled within one point.

After the Bearcats closed the gap, the Mules had possession with a five-second difference between the shot clock and game clock. Northwest Missouri State opted not to foul the Mules, and the decision paid off as the ball was forced out of bounds with just over eight seconds to play. Central Missouri then used its final timeout.

In the final eight seconds, the Bearcats inbounded the basketball to Royce Williams. He drove the ball down the left side of the floor and continued down the baseline before pulling up from midrange and hitting the go-ahead basket with 2.0 seconds remaining. Without any timeouts, Lazerek Houston’s half-court heave was no good as the Mules fell 80-79.

Houston led all scorers in the contest with 34 points, one shy of his career high, and added seven rebounds and six assists. Trinell Parker scored 13 points for the Mules.

Presley Ibeh paced the Bearcats with 17 points. Williams and Gair added 16 points each and Larenz Walters contributed 12.

Score by half

	1st	2nd	Final
Bearcats	31	49	80
Mules	39	40	79

UP NEXT: UCM basketball travels to Nebraska Kearney on Thursday, Jan. 29. The Jennies tip off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Mules against the Lopers.

UCM basketball sweeps Missouri Western

By Brad Hadank

Jan. 21, 2026

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Central Missouri Mules and Jennies swept Missouri Western on Wednesday night. The Jennies scored 80 points and the Mules scored 97 points in their respective victories.

The Jennies (13-5, 7-2 MIAA) built a strong first half that led them to victory. Central Missouri led 50-34 at halftime and used the 16-point advantage to hold off Missouri Western (6-12, 2-7 MIAA). The Griffons cut the deficit to three points in the fourth quarter and trailed by that same margin with 3:42 remaining, but they would not get closer. The Jennies closed out an 80-71 victory.

Reese Schaaf and Taylor Weishaar both had double-doubles for the Jennies. Schaaf finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Weishaar added 21 points and 10 rebounds. Hayden Heim also scored in double figures, with 12 points.

Ana Oliveira Dias led the Griffons with 19 points, followed by Mia Morel with 17 and Nakiya Harris with 12.

With the win, the Jennies improved to 13-5 overall and 7-2 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

Score by quarter

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Griffons	12	22	18	19	71
Jennies	23	27	10	20	80

 

The Mules (15-6, 6-3 MIAA) followed with a 97-83 victory over Missouri Western.

The Griffons (13-7, 5-4 MIAA) held a 41-40 advantage at halftime, but the Mules surged in the second half to secure the home victory. Central Missouri outscored Missouri Western 57-42 in the second half to earn the 14-point victory.

Lazerek Houston led Central Missouri with 31 points. Kyran Tilley added 20 points, Trinell Parker scored 19 and Jevon Hill finished with 15.

William Kiburis led Missouri Western with 25 points, Noah King scored 17, Trey McKowen added 15 and Marko Pavlovic contributed 14.

With the win, the Mules improved to 15-6 overall, 6-3 in the MIAA and a perfect 7-0 at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center during the 2025-26 season.

Score by half

	1st	2nd	Final
Griffons	41	42	83
Mules	40	57	97

UP NEXT: Central Missouri hosts Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center. The Jennies are set to tip off at 1 p.m. with the Mules to follow.

UCM basketball sweeps UNK

By Brad Hadank

Dec. 6, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Central Missouri Jennies and Mules basketball teams defeated Nebraska–Kearney on Saturday, with both teams picking up their first MIAA win.

The Jennies (5-3, 1-1 MIAA) opened the doubleheader at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center and jumped out to a 26-17 first-quarter lead.

Defense dominated the second quarter. Central Missouri was held to 12 points while the Lopers (4-6, 0-2 MIAA) scored 11, making the halftime score 38-28.

Nebraska–Kearney cut into the lead in the third quarter, outscoring Central Missouri 19-14 to pull within five.

UNK took its first lead of the afternoon in the fourth quarter on a Saniya Simmons 3-pointer that made it 57-56. The teams went back and forth until Reese Schaaf hit a 3-pointer to give the Jennies a 70-69 lead with 54 seconds left. The Jennies added two more free throws and held on for a 72-69 victory.

Reese Schaaf led the Jennies with 23 points and seven rebounds. Taylor Weishaar posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Nine Jennies scored, and the team shot 48% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range.

Simmons came off the bench and scored a career-high 26 for the Lopers. Eight different Lopers scored in the loss.

Score by quarter

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Lopers	17	11	19	22	69
Jennies	26	12	14	20	72

The Mules (9-2, 2-0 MIAA) followed the Jennies’ thriller with a 99-69 rout.

UNK (4-5, 0-2 MIAA) controlled the first eight minutes, taking a 19-13 lead behind Ja’Bryant Hill, who scored the Lopers’ first nine points and 11 of their first 13. The momentum shifted at the 11:50 mark, as the Mules went on a 29-9 run to take a 42-28 lead with 2:01 left in the first half. Central Missouri extended its advantage to 46-30 at halftime.

Central Missouri pulled away in the second half, opening with a 32-11 run to go up 78-41. The Mules maintained control the rest of the way for the 99-69 win.

Lazerek Houston led UCM with 22 points. Kyran Tilley scored 16, AJ Lux added 12, and Deadric Fikes also scored 12. Fikes and Jake Fritz each grabbed six rebounds, and Houston finished with six assists. The Mules shot 57.4% from the field and 55.6% from 3-point range.

Ja’Bryant Hill scored 23 points for UNK, and Kendrick Gilbert added 10. The Lopers shot 37.9% from the field and 25% from 3-point range.

Score by half

	1st	2nd	Final
Lopers	30	39	69
Mules	46	53	99

UP NEXT: UCM basketball travels to Washburn on Saturday, Dec. 13. The Jennies tip off at 1 p.m., with the Mules facing the No. 2 Ichabods afterward.

Crest Ridge basketball sweeps Holden

By Brad Hadank

Dec. 4, 2025

CENTERVIEW, Mo. — Crest Ridge girls and boys basketball teams swept Holden on Thursday, with both games affected by Holden foul trouble and strong Crest Ridge offense.

The Crest Ridge girls (2-1) defeated Holden (0-2) 62-32. The Cougars took control in the third quarter, outscoring Holden 24-9. Holden’s Karleigh Tevis fouled out with more than four minutes left in the third. Crest Ridge was led by Brilynn Fleming’s consistent scoring and Morgan Wyatt’s 3-point shooting.

The Crest Ridge boys (2-1) defeated Holden (1-1) 64-47. Crest Ridge opened the second quarter on an 18-0 run over the first 5:15 and outscored Holden 25-7 in the quarter. Landon Evans led the Cougars on offense, while Cabe Shippy led Crest Ridge defensively, taking multiple charges. Holden’s foul trouble limited the Eagles, as Owen Doogs fouled out with 5:31 remaining in the third quarter, and other Eagles were in foul trouble throughout the contest.

NEXT UP: Crest Ridge competes in the I-70 Basketball Tournament. The girls face Orrick on Monday, Dec. 8, while the boys play Sweet Springs on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Score by half

	1st	2nd	Final
Holden Girls	19	13	32
Crest Ridge Girls	32	30	62
Holden Boys	16	31	47
Crest Ridge Boys	35	29	64

Crest Ridge basketball sweeps Green Ridge on two-game night

By Brad Hadank

Nov. 21, 2025

CENTERVIEW, Mo. — The Crest Ridge girls and boys basketball teams opened their seasons with home wins over Green Ridge on Friday night.

The Crest Ridge girls (1-0) defeated the Green Ridge girls (0-1) 55-45, using full-court defensive pressure to control the game and secure a 10-point victory.

The Crest Ridge boys (1-0) held off the Green Ridge boys (0-1) 50-45. The Cougars pulled away for good with two free throws by Wesley Taylor with 1.8 seconds remaining.

UP NEXT: The Crest Ridge girls host Adrian on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 5:30 p.m. The Crest Ridge boys host New Franklin following the girls basketball game.

Tilley posts career high; Mules defeat Peacocks

By Brad Hadank

Nov. 20, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Central Missouri Mules (4-2) defeated the Upper Iowa Peacocks (2-1) 84-79 on Thursday. Sophomore Kyran Tilley scored a career-high 26 points in the victory.

Despite losing the points-off-turnovers and second-chance-points categories by a combined 23 points, the Mules found other ways to control the game. Central Missouri shot 50% from the field and 45% from 3-point range.

The Mules held a steady 43-35 lead at halftime. Upper Iowa opened the second half on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 43-41, and the game went back and forth from there until Central Missouri pulled away late. Two Tilley free throws with 10 seconds left pushed his point total past his previous career high of 24 and put the game out of reach.

For the Mules, Tilley scored 26 points and added five rebounds. Lazerek Houston scored 19 points with five rebounds and four assists. Jake Fritz scored 18 points, going 4-for-5 from 3-point range. Noah Martin led the rebounding effort with six.

For Upper Iowa, Kyle Hrncir recorded a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Ty Pflughaupt was the other Peacock in double figures with 13 points.

UP NEXT: Central Missouri travels to the DoubleTree Thanksgiving Classic at the O’Reilly Event Center in Springfield, Mo. The Mules face McKendree at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Jennies drop overtime thriller to Dragons

By Brad Hadank

Nov. 18, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Central Missouri (1-2) fell to Minnesota State Moorhead (2-1) 68-66 in an overtime thriller Tuesday. A bank shot by Emily Srejma with 11 seconds left in overtime spoiled the afternoon of many young fans.

Minnesota State Moorhead led 17-15 through the first quarter. The Dragons got to the free-throw line early with seven free throws in the quarter, making six. Central Missouri relied on the 3-pointer, going 3-for-7 from beyond the arc.

Momentum shifted in the second quarter. The Jennies held a 27-25 advantage before Aubrey Morrison made a step-back, buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send the Dragons into halftime with a 28-27 lead.

The second half remained tight. The Jennies shot 5-for-15 from the field in the third quarter, while the Dragons went 7-for-13 to take a 45-39 lead into the fourth quarter.

Central Missouri controlled the fourth quarter, shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 2-for-5 from 3-point range. Minnesota State Moorhead went 6-for-14 from the field and missed all five 3-point attempts. The Dragons also missed both of their free throws in the fourth quarter. A layup by Reese Schaaf with 31 seconds left gave the Jennies a 57-55 lead, but Grace Massaquoi tied it with a layup with three seconds remaining.

The Jennies opened overtime with a 5-0 scoring run. The Dragons did not score until the 2:07 mark. A layup by Caylin Kelly with 1:42 left cut the lead to 62-60, and the score remained within one possession the rest of the way. With 45 seconds remaining, Cierra Smith made a free throw to give the Jennies a 65-62 advantage, but Minnesota State Moorhead went on a 6-1 run in the final 45 seconds to seal the 68-66 win.

Foul trouble played a key role late, with Terryn Johnson fouling out in the fourth quarter for the Dragons and Reese Schaaf and Neely Schaaf fouling out in overtime for the Jennies.

The Jennies had four players score in double figures. Smith led all scorers with a season-high 17 points in 38 minutes. Taylor Weishaar played a team-high 39 minutes, adding 14 points and nine rebounds. Reese Schaaf and Makenzie Farmer each scored 12 points.

For the Dragons, Abby Berge scored 15 points, Johnson had 13 and Ashton Safranski added 10.

Central Missouri held a 17-14 advantage in points off turnovers and a 15-9 edge in second-chance points. Minnesota State Moorhead outscored the Jennies 42-26 in the paint and 9-3 on fast breaks.

UP NEXT: The Jennies travel to face West Florida on Friday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m.

Jennies defend home court on Senior Day

By Brad Hadank

Nov. 15, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Central Missouri Jennies (20-7, 11-5 MIAA) swept the Pittsburg State Gorillas (13-14, 6-10 MIAA) 3-0 on Senior Day, using a balanced attack in the victory.

In the first set, the Jennies opened with a 5-0 run and pushed the lead to 23-13. Pittsburg State cut the deficit to six before a service error gave Central Missouri a 25-18 win.

The second set told a different story. The Gorillas had leads of 15-9 and 18-13 before the Jennies scored eight of nine points to take a 21-19 lead. Central Missouri held a 23-21 advantage, but Pittsburg State scored three unanswered to take a 24-23 lead. The Jennies then scored four of the final five points to win 27-25.

Central Missouri carried the momentum into the third, taking an early 15-7 lead. Pittsburg State rallied to within four at 16-12, but the Jennies pulled away with a 25-19 win and the sweep.

Shaye Koski led the Jennies with 14 kills, followed by Emma Siron with 13. Grace Winkelmann had a team-high 21 digs, while Kirsten Harper added 12 and Siron 11. Kayla Baer recorded 38 assists, and Ragin Corwin finished with three service aces.

At the net, the Jennies totaled 10 blocks. Kaelyn McDonald led with three, followed by Rachel Ziesman, Siron and Koski with two each. Baer also added a block.

For Pittsburg State, Maddi LaPointe had eight kills and six blocks, and Anna Dean added nine kills and four blocks. Josie McCroskey posted 17 digs and two service aces, while Jesa Wallace tallied 15 assists.

UP NEXT: The Jennies will head to the MIAA Volleyball Championships in St. Joseph, Mo. The tournament is slated for Nov. 20–22. Match time for Central Missouri is to be announced.

Mules fall on Senior Day

By Brad Hadank

Nov. 8, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Central Missouri Mules (4-6, 4-4 MIAA) fell to No. 8 Pittsburg State (8-2, 7-1 MIAA) 48-35 on Senior Day. The Mules’ 35 points were the most the Pittsburg State defense had allowed all season.

Defenses dominated the first half for both teams. The score was 0-0 through the first quarter.

Pittsburg State struck first in the second quarter on a 6-yard connection from Jackson Berry to Luke Niggemann. It was Niggemann’s only reception of the game. Austin Schmitt’s extra point made it 7-0.

Central Missouri answered with a 5:50 drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by LaAngelo Bell. Will Peacock’s kick tied the game 7-7.

The Gorillas responded on the next drive. A 15-yard touchdown run by Zahmari Palode-Gary and Schmitt’s extra point gave them a 14-7 lead.

The Mules tied it again with a Donovyn Omolo 6-yard touchdown pass to Jake Weber, followed by a Peacock extra point to tie the game 14-14.

With 22 seconds left in the first half, Pittsburg State lined up for a 22-yard field goal attempt. Holder Tyler Antle took the snap and attempted a fake run from the 5-yard line, but Malachi Howard stopped him at the 1-yard line. The Mules took over on downs, and the halftime score remained 14-14.

The Mules opened the second half with the ball. 33 seconds into the half, Omolo threw an interception to Jordan Rogers who returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. Schmitt’s kick gave the Gorillas a 21-14 lead.

Central Missouri responded on its next drive as Omolo connected with Hogan Wasson for a 10-yard touchdown. Peacock’s extra point tied the game at 21.

The Gorillas then scored 24 unanswered points. A Palode-Gary 67-yard touchdown run, a TyJuan Atkins Jr. 71-yard touchdown reception, a Schmitt 30-yard field goal and a 25-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Ely Wilcox. Schmitt made all three extra points to make the score 45-21 Pittsburg State with 12:44 left.

The Mules added 14 unanswered points from there. An Aazeryuan Voss 20-yard touchdown reception, an Omolo 17-yard run and two Peacock extra points made the score 45-35 with 5:30 remaining.

Pittsburg State capped the scoring with a Schmitt 42-yard field goal for the final score of 48-35.

Omolo completed 39 of 52 passes for 366 yards and added 88 rushing yards.

Wasson, a redshirt sophomore who averages more than 100 receiving yards per game, caught 15 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown.

With the win, the Gorillas improved to 8-2 overall and 7-1 in the MIAA, remaining in second place behind Northwest Missouri State (9-1, 7-0 MIAA). The teams face each other next week at a neutral site.

With the loss, the Mules fell to 4-6 overall and 4-4 in the MIAA, dropping from third to seventh place in the MIAA standings.

UP NEXT: Central Missouri travels to Nebraska Kearney on Saturday, Nov. 15. Kickoff is set for noon.

Cougars fall to Marksmen to end 2025 football season

By Brad Hadank

Oct. 31, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Crest Ridge Cougars (4-6) fell to the Sherwood Marksmen (3-7) 36-28 Friday night, ending their season in the Class 1 District 5 tournament.

Sherwood got off to a hot start, scoring the first touchdown of the night. The quick 7-0 lead came on an A.B. Chaikin touchdown. Chaikin scored multiple touchdowns in the Marksmen’s victory.

Crest Ridge struggled in the first half, losing the turnover margin. However, the score was tied 14-14 at halftime.

In the second half, the Marksmen found more success. Their largest lead was 36-22 before Crest Ridge responded with a long touchdown pass from Wesley Taylor to Jace Trobough to cut the deficit to 36-28.

The Cougars had one final opportunity late in the game but were unable to capitalize on a defensive pass interference call, eventually ending the drive with a turnover. Sherwood ran out the clock in victory formation to secure the 36-28 win.

Crest Ridge’s 2025 roster featured eight seniors: Logan Duffy, Carsen Hursh, Wesley Taylor, Kegan Walsh, Adian Basham, Tucker Camp, Bryant Abercrombie and Liam McCartney.

Hornets Spoil Mules’ Homecoming

By Aaron Bax

Oct. 25, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Central Missouri Mules (3-5, 3-3 MIAA) fell to the Emporia State Hornets (4-4, 3-3 MIAA) 31-27 on Saturday. With the win, Emporia State Head Coach Garin Higgins tallied his 117th career victory, becoming the winningest head coach in Hornets history.

The Mules scored first on a 26-yard field goal by Will Peacock. Central Missouri extended its lead when Keyon Butler scored on a 2-yard rush from the wildcat formation. The Hornets answered with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Camden Crooks and an extra point by Caden Dodson to end the first quarter at 10-7. 

In the second quarter, Malachi Howard blocked a field goal, and the Mules capitalized with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Donovyn Omolo to Marlon Lindsey Jr. Emporia State cut the lead to three with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jamison Sarver to Kingsley Bennett, followed by another Dodson extra point. Omolo restored the 10-point lead with a 1-yard rushing touchdown and a Peacock extra point to make it 24-14 at halftime.

The Hornets made it a one-score game in the third quarter with a 19-yard field goal by Dodson to make it 24-17. The Mules pushed the lead back to ten with a 25-yard field goal by Peacock, but Emporia State responded with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Sarver to Max Middleton, cutting the margin back to three.

Emporia State took its first lead of the game on a Diego Cearns 2-yard run with 9:09 remaining. Dodson’s extra point made it 31-27, where the score would stay.

“Things kind of transpired in the second half, but we played solid football in the first half that unfortunately wasn’t able to carry over into the second half,” Central Missouri Head Coach Josh Lamberson said.

Omolo completed 20 of 44 for 208 yards, recording a touchdown both through the air and on the ground. Sarver completed 25 of 41 for 288 yards and two touchdowns for the Hornets.

The Mules also struggled on special teams, allowing 140 yards on kickoff returns.

“That’s a major, major concern with us moving forward … we’ve got to figure out what we’re going to do with that team,” Lamberson said.

UP NEXT: The Mules travel to Fort Hays State on Saturday, Nov. 1. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Greyhounds defeat Cougars

By Aaron Bax

Oct. 24, 2025

WINDSOR, Mo. — The Crest Ridge Cougars (4-5) fell to the Windsor Greyhounds (8-1) in their final regular-season game. Windsor used the flexbone offense to score six rushing touchdowns.

Crest Ridge opened the scoring in the first quarter with a touchdown pass from Wesley Taylor to Jace Trobough. Rowan Cox put the Greyhounds ahead with a touchdown run and a two-point conversion to make it 8-6. Cox started the second quarter with another touchdown run before Ryan Millington broke away on a pitch play to extend Windsor’s lead to 20-6.

Crest Ridge completed a 50-yard pass to the 10-yard line before Kegan Walsh kept his feet inbounds to cut the lead to eight going into halftime. 

Windsor started the third quarter with a Millington kick return to the Cougars’ 22-yard line. The Greyhounds capitalized on the field position with Cox’s third rushing touchdown to make it 26-12. A 20-yard run by Chase Hampton increased Windsor’s lead to 20 points before Cox added two more touchdowns to make it 34-12 after three quarters.

Taylor scored on a designed quarterback run for Crest Ridge to make the score 34-20 with 9:27 left in the game. Hampton scored his second touchdown to restore the Greyhounds’ 22-point lead, where it remained for a final score of 42-20.

The game saw three potential touchdowns called back due to penalties. Taylor threw for two touchdowns and ran for another for Crest Ridge. Windsor was led by a balanced rushing attack, with Cox scoring three touchdowns, Hampton two and Millington one.

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge will compete in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 5 Tournament, with the first game set for Friday, Oct. 31. The game will air live on 100.3 KMUL.

Crest Ridge falls to Salisbury

By Aaron Bax

Oct. 17, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The Crest Ridge Cougars (4-4) had no answer for the unbeaten Salisbury Panthers (8-0), falling 54-6 on Friday night. Patrick White led the way for Salisbury with four passing touchdowns and an interception on defense.

Salisbury opened the scoring with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Patrick White to Gavin Binder. Patrick White followed the touchdown with a two-point conversion run to make it 8-0. A 75-yard touchdown run by Binder extended the lead to 14, as the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

Following a kickoff fumble by Crest Ridge, Patrick White connected again with Binder on a 16-yard pass to make the score 20-0. 

The Panthers continued scoring in the second quarter. Austin Cravens took a third Patrick White passing touchdown to the end zone to make it 28-0. Binder scored again on a short pass to make the score 34-0, as the two-point conversion attempt failed. Brayden White then contributed a pick-six to make the halftime score 42-0.

In the second half, the Panthers extended the lead to 48-0 with a 70-yard touchdown run by Brayden White. Grady Harmon added a 1-yard touchdown run to make the lead 54-0.

Crest Ridge scored in the fourth when Wesley Taylor threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jace Trobough, making the final score 54-6.

In the game, Binder was a force offensively with three receiving touchdowns and a rushing touchdown, while Brayden White had two rushing touchdowns and a pick-six for Salisbury.

For the Cougars, Trobough had one touchdown reception, and the defense recovered a fumble.

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge travels to Windsor on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. The game will air live on 100.3 KMUL, with the pregame show set for 6:50 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.

Three Jennies place in top 10, UCM wins home tournament

By Brad Hadank

Oct. 14, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The University of Central Missouri Jennies golf team finished at 31-over-par 871 to take the Midwest Classic title by nine shots Tuesday at Mules National Golf Club. The victory marked the second tournament win in a row for the Jennies.

Leading the way for the Jennies was senior Mia Rallo. Rallo shot rounds of 70-70-67 to finish at 3-under and in second place individually. Since qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Amateur in July, Rallo has finished within the top 10 in every collegiate event with the Jennies.

Freshman Ansley Giesselmann placed fourth, a career best. Giesselmann finished at 4-over 214.

The third Jennies golfer in the top 10 was senior Kiki Bruner, who placed ninth. Bruner shot 10-over 220.

Madolyn Kost finished at 20-over and Addison Davis finished at 24-over to round out the team scoring.

Four Jennies competed as individuals. Libby Green finished in 19th place at 14-over. Reece Nimmo shot 25-over, Hannah Mottert finished at 28-over, and Olivia Thetford shot 57-over.

UP NEXT: The Jennies travel to the Tulsa Cup at The Club at Forest Ridge in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Day 1 is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 27.

Mules struggle in second half, fall to rival Bearcats

By Brad Hadank

Oct. 11, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The University of Central Missouri Mules (3-3, 3-1 MIAA) fell to the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (5-1, 4-0 MIAA) 49-32 on Saturday afternoon.

A game that was close through the first half saw the Bearcats pull away late.

The Mules opened the scoring with a 2-yard run by Keyon Butler with 5:17 left in the first quarter. A Will Peacock extra point made it 7-0.

UCM’s defense made an immediate impact, as Chris Ruhnke threw an interception on the first play of the Bearcats’ ensuing drive.

Starting from the 38-yard line, the Mules capitalized on the short field. Donovyn Omolo connected with Hogan Wasson for a 24-yard touchdown to cap a five-play drive. Peacock’s PAT gave the Mules a 14-0 lead with 3:55 left in the quarter.

From there, Northwest Missouri State took control, scoring 21 unanswered points to take a 21-14 lead.

The scoring run began with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Zechariah Owens to Luke Mathews. Owens added a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter to finish a 10-play drive. Then, Northwest Missouri State recovered a kickoff return fumble. The Bearcats capitalized on the 21-yard short field with a 2-yard touchdown run by Owens. Mo Alwaely converted all three extra points.

Trailing 21-14, the Mules managed a 31-yard field goal by Peacock to end the half to cut the deficit to 21-17.

The second half was dominated by Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter to extend the lead to 35-17. A 55-yard touchdown run by Quincy Torry and an 8-yard touchdown run by Owens contributed to the 14-point run.

The Mules cut the deficit to 10 points early in the fourth quarter. An 8-yard touchdown connection from Omolo to Marlon Lindsey, Jr. was followed by a 2-point conversion pass from Omolo to Daylon Washington to bring the score to 35-25.

Northwest Missouri State responded quickly to go up 17 points. A 7-yard touchdown pass from Owens to Mathews, with an Alwaely PAT, made it 42-25.

The Bearcats added seven more points on a 44-yard touchdown run by Owens.

The final score of the game came from the Mules on a 12-yard touchdown run by Omolo, with a Peacock PAT, to bring the final score to 49-32.

Owens led the Bearcats with four rushing touchdowns, and Mathews had two touchdown receptions in the win.

For the Mules, Omolo threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one in the loss.

With the win, Northwest Missouri State remains in first place in the MIAA. Central Missouri falls to third in the conference standings.

UP NEXT: The Mules travel to Washburn on Saturday, Oct. 18. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.

Crest Ridge defeats Westran, 44-14

By Brad Hadank

Oct. 10, 2025

HUNTSVILLE, Mo. — The Crest Ridge Cougars (4-3) defeated the Westran Hornets (2-5), 44-14, Friday night. The Cougars scored a season-high 44 points in the win.

Wesley Taylor and Jace Trobough accounted for two highlight plays. Two 30-plus-yard touchdown connections between Taylor and Trobough led the passing attack for the Cougars.

Carsen Hursh and Taylor led the rushing effort for Crest Ridge. Taylor rushed for multiple touchdowns and two-point conversions.

Defensively, the Cougars were led by Adian Basham, who disrupted Westran’s offense on the line with multiple tackles for loss.

Crest Ridge opened the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to Trobough on fourth-and-15. The Cougars built on that early momentum, taking a 30-6 lead into halftime.

Crest Ridge used the second half to wind down the clock and added 14 more points, finishing with a season-best 44 points.

With the win, the Cougars improved to above .500 in a season for the first time since 2023.

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge hosts unbeaten Salisbury at Warrensburg High School on Friday, Oct. 17. The game will air live on 100.3 KMUL, with the pregame show set for 6:50 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.

Jennies take down No. 1 Bronchos

By Aaron Bax

Oct. 4, 2025

EDMOND, Okla. — The University of Central Missouri defeated the No. 1-ranked University of Central Oklahoma 3-1 (19-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-20) on Saturday in Edmond. The Bronchos were undefeated until their matchup against the Jennies.

The Jennies dropped the first set 25-19. Central Missouri kept it close for most of the set before falling late, giving the Bronchos the early lead.

Central Missouri found success in the second set, winning 25-16. The Jennies led for most of the set, ultimately growing the lead to nine points after a 4-1 run to end the second.

The Jennies then won the third set 25-18 to take the lead. Five three-point runs helped the Jennies pull away.

Central Missouri secured the victory in the fourth set with a 25-20 win. In the fourth, the score was tied 11 different times before the Jennies won the set to seal the upset over the No. 1-ranked Bronchos. It was Central Oklahoma’s first loss of the season.

Kaelyn McDonald led the Jennies with 19.5 points and 16 kills, while Rachel Ziesman added 18 points and 16 kills. Brenna Kelly contributed 19 digs and Kayla Baer had 47 assists.

Sydney Huck led the Bronchos with 21.5 points and 18 kills. Kedron Burk added 14 points and 11 kills, while Kaitlyn Parrott contributed 16 digs for Central Oklahoma.

UP NEXT: The Jennies host Missouri Southern on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m.

Crest Ridge dominates second half to defeat Lone Jack

By Brad Hadank

Oct. 3, 2025

LONE JACK, Mo. — The Crest Ridge Cougars (3-3) defeated the Lone Jack Mules (0-6), 38-14, on Friday night. The Cougars pulled away in the second half for a three-possession victory.

Crest Ridge took a 16-0 lead in the first half before Lone Jack responded late in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 16-8 at halftime.

The Cougars opened the second half with a seven-minute, nine-second scoring drive, capped by a touchdown and two-point conversion.

Crest Ridge continued to find success offensively, while Lone Jack managed just one more touchdown in the second half to bring the final score to 38-14.

Wesley Taylor led the Cougars’ offense, contributing both passing and rushing touchdowns.

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge travels to Westran on Friday, Oct. 10. The game will air live on 100.3 KMUL, with the pregame show set for 6:50 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.

Jennies complete reverse sweep of Hawks

By Aaron Bax

Sept. 30, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The University of Central Missouri defeated Rockhurst University, 3-2, Tuesday night. Four players recorded double-digit kills to help the Jennies to victory.

The Jennies narrowly fell 26-24 in the first set after leading 24-21 late in the set.

Rockhurst extended its lead in the second set with a six-point win over the Jennies to go up 2-0 on the night. Sarah Pyle helped the Hawks take the early lead and finished with 23 kills.

The Jennies took the third set, 25-19. Emma Siron played a key role in the set, as she entered with two kills and left with 10 kills.

The Jennies continued their comeback in the fourth set, winning 25-17, to take the match to set five.

The fifth set went to 16, and it was Shaye Koski who ultimately took home the victory with a kill, giving the Jennies a 16-14 win, and completing the reverse sweep.

The Jennies were led in kills by Siron with 17. “Emma is different this year, and she is really smart, and she is more patient with herself, even when she’s making some mistakes. She knew that she was hitting nothing, but I could see a change in her attitude,” Head Coach Caitlin Peterson said.

Siron also commented on the win and mentality of the Jennies. “Yeah, we always say, just go point by point. We try to get on three-point runs and win every game to five,” Siron said.

The victory for the Jennies marked the first five-set win of the season. “Getting a five-set match is always good. … Rockhurst is a really talented team. They have a lot of offense and have a lot of key players that are really, really good,” Jennies senior Rachel Ziesman said.

UP NEXT: UCM travels to Arkansas-Fort Smith on Friday, Oct. 3, before heading to No. 2 Central Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 4.

UCM run game powers past MSSU

By Aaron Bax

Sept. 27, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The University of Central Missouri Mules (2-2) defeated the Missouri Southern State University Lions (2-2), 62-10, Saturday afternoon. The run game was very efficient for the Mules’ offense in the victory. 

Central Missouri opened the scoring when Donovyn Omolo took a 32-yard designed run to the end zone with 9:21 remaining in the first quarter. “[The drive] was fun. I think it’s a feeling that we’re going to keep chasing for the rest of the year,” Omolo said.

The Mules followed up their first score with a Keyon Butler 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to go up 14-0. The Lions responded with an 11-yard pass to make it 14-7.

The Mules then scored three consecutive touchdowns. Latravious Boyd ran in touchdowns from 63 and 15 yards, and Omolo passed to Marlon Lindsey, Jr. to make the score 35-7. The final score of the half came from one of two Trey Patrick interceptions — a pick-six which made the halftime score 42-7.

Both teams slowed down in the second half. Butler rushed for a touchdown from three yards out before both teams exchanged field goals, making it 52-10. The final 10 points came on a Mac Harper 3-yard touchdown run and a Will Peacock 34-yard field goal.

The run game dominated offensively for the Mules. Both Butler and Boyd contributed two touchdowns, and the team rushed for 325 yards. “That was a big point of emphasis for us, to challenge the offensive line, and Coach Holtzclaw, I thought, did a really good job, and Coach Hawk really created a game plan in which we thought we could exploit some things and be successful, and use our strengths to our advantage,” Mules Head Coach Josh Lamberson said.

The Mules’ defense also had an efficient performance, forcing three interceptions and a fumble. “It’s not the same defense that we rolled out there against Delta State. … I think they have improved almost every drive that they’ve been in the football game, and I expect that to continue,” Lamberson said.

UP NEXT: The Mules will travel to Central Oklahoma on Oct. 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. “I am excited to go down into that environment. It was an awesome environment last year for college football,” Lamberson said.

Crest Ridge falls to district foe Midway

By Aaron Bax

Sept. 26, 2025

CLEVELAND, Mo. — The Midway Vikings (3-2) defeated the Crest Ridge Cougars (2-3), 40-14, on Friday night. The Cougars had no answer for running back Trevyn Adams, who scored five touchdowns in the contest.

Crest Ridge started the scoring on the first play of the second quarter when quarterback Wesley Taylor rushed for a touchdown run to make the score 6-0.  Midway quickly responded with a Blake Russ touchdown run, and kicker Gavin Oberlander’s extra point made it 7-6. The Vikings added six more on a 28-yard touchdown run by Adams to take a 13-6 lead into halftime. 

Crest Ridge continued to struggle in the third quarter, as a fumble on the opening kickoff led to an Adams touchdown run on the ensuing play to make the score 20-6. Adams scored again on a 35-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 26-6.

The Cougars regained hope when Kegan Walsh converted a 38-yard touchdown pass from Taylor, followed by a successful two-point conversion to make it 26-14. However, a 56-yard touchdown run by Adams put an end to those hopes, and his fifth touchdown led to the final score of 40-14.

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge travels to Class 2 Lone Jack with Kingsville on Friday, Oct. 3. The game will air live on 100.3 KMUL, with the pregame show set for 6:50 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.

Jennies cruise past Tigers

By Aaron Bax

Sept. 19, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The University of Central Missouri (2-2-1) defeated Ouachita Baptist University (1-2-1), 5-0, in their home opener. The Jennies scored four goals in the opening 20 minutes.

UCM scored early with a headed corner kick goal by Ryann Clark in the fifth minute. The Jennies followed it up with a second headed goal by Izzy Joyce. UCM continued with a 14th minute goal from Coryn Jesperson. The Jennies finished off their first half scoring with a Mikayla Ernst penalty kick. Ernst would add the fifth Jennies goal in the 58th minute. Head coach Lewis Theobald said, “I think the idea tonight was [that] it’s our first home game, and we take pride in playing at home. So we wanted to be on the front foot, and we wanted to pressure them high up as close to their goal as we could.”

For the Tigers the best opportunity came in the 70th minute when the referee awarded a penalty to OBU. However, Kristen Wright came up big for the hosts to save the penalty. 

Overall the Jennies led across the board, outshooting OBU 27-4 while putting 14 shots on target to OBU’s two.. The Jennies also played a cleaner game with only four fouls to the Tigers’ nine.

Clark, Joyce and Jesperson all scored their first goals of the season in the home opener while Ernst led the Jennies offensively with two goals and an assist on the night. Ernst, who Theobald described as a “true goalscoring threat,” improved to four goals and two assists on the season. Ernst was proud of the team effort tonight. “Honestly, even just scoring goals, it’s not independent, just on me. I can’t do it without having my teammates put me in good situations,” Ernst said.  

UP NEXT: The Jennies host Harding on Sept. 21. The Jennies begin MIAA play on Sept. 26 at Northeastern State. 

Crest Ridge football holds off late Cole Camp rally

By Brad Hadank

Sept. 19, 2025

CENTERVIEW, Mo. — The Crest Ridge Cougars (2-2) defeated the Cole Camp Bluebirds (2-2), 34-24, in their final game in Centerview this season. The Cougars’ one remaining home game, scheduled for Oct. 17, will be played at Warrensburg High School due to construction at the Crest Ridge football field.

Crest Ridge held a commanding lead throughout the contest. Defensive highlights for the Cougars included two interceptions — one by Wesley Taylor and another by Jace Trobough. Offensively, Taylor found Trobough for a 40-plus-yard connection in the first half. He also connected with Kegan Walsh for a 20-plus-yard touchdown in the contest. Carsen Hursh excelled at running back for the Cougars, finishing with multiple carries and contributing several points in the win.

Late-game drama began when Crest Ridge led by 18 points in the fourth quarter and took over possession at its own 1-yard line. A handoff to Hursh was stopped in the backfield, resulting in a safety. With the Bluebirds down by two scores, the ensuing kick from Crest Ridge gave Cole Camp excellent field position in Cougar territory. From there, the Bluebirds scored quickly to make it a 10-point game. However, a failed two-point conversion resulted in the final score of 34-24 in favor of Crest Ridge.

UP NEXT: Crest Ridge travels to Midway on Sept. 26 for a Class 1 District 5 showdown. The game will air live on 100.3 KMUL, with the pregame show set for 6:50 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.

Mules Drop Heartbreaker To #13 ThunderWolves

By Aaron Bax

Sept. 12, 2025

WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Jack Pospisil and Hogan Wasson combined for 380 receiving yards, but it was not enough for the University of Central Missouri Mules on Thursday night. The Colorado State University Pueblo ThunderWolves defeated the Mules 29-24 at Audrey J. Walton Stadium at Vernon Kennedy Field in Warrensburg.

CSU Pueblo (2-1) was the first team to find the end zone. Taylor-Akins made a Roman Fuller pass with one

hand and took it 65 yards to the house with 8:31 remaining in the first quarter.

The Mules (0-2) found the end zone with a Keyon Butler 4-yard touchdown run in the end of the first quarter after a muffed punt set them up with excellent field position.

Both teams also contributed field goals in the first quarter to make the score 10-all heading into the second quarter. Mules kicker Will Peacock converted from 41 yard out, and ThunderWolves kicker Jackson Smith hit from 30.

Defense reigned supreme in the second quarter. The Mules scored the only points of the quarter with 23 seconds left as quarterback Donovyn Omolo ran in from the 2-yard line to give the Mules a 17-10 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, things went south for UCM. The ThunderWolves turned to the run game. A nine play, 89-yard drive culminated in a touchdown to tie the game, and another nine play, 64-yard drive that ended in a field goal gave CSU-Pueblo a 20-10 lead. The ThunderWolves tacked on another three as Smith converted a 42-yard attempt.

The Mules made a change at quarterback, bringing in Jordan Pachot in the fourth quarter. That decision paid immediately dividends. The Mules went on an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took 3:05 and ended in a 3-yard touchdown pass to Pospisil to make the score 24-23.

However, it would not last as a Kiahn Martinez 1-yard touchdown run put the ThunderWolves back up 29-24 after a failed two-point conversion attempt.

Pachot and the Mules got one last chance with 1:45 on the clock and no timeouts starting at their own 18-yard line. A 66-yard strike to Pospisil took the Mules to the 3-yard line and the ThunderWolves were forced to take a timeout with 41 seconds remaining. On first and goal, a Mules pass attempt fell incomplete. On second and goal, the Mules were called an illegal chop block. The 15-yard penalty was followed-up by a 9-yard sack. An incompletion on third and goal from the 27-yard line saw CSU-Pueblo take their final timeout with eight seconds to play. An incomplete pass on fourth and goal sealed the game for the visiting ThunderWolves.

Dedrik Taylor-Akins was a key player offensively for the ThunderWolves. The wide receiver had seven receptions for 170 yards and one touchdown in the contest. Peyton Shaw was pivotal defensively for the ThunderWolves, intercepting two passes for the Pack.

UP NEXT: The Mules face MIAA-rival Missouri Western on the road. Kickoff is set for Saturday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m.