17 September 2023
TAHLEQUAH (KSNT) – Emporia State football traveled to Northeastern State on Saturday after a historic win over Northwest Missouri State the week before.
The Hornets took care of business, beating the Riverhawks 38-0 and picking up Garin Higgins’ 100th win at ESU.
Emporia State got on the board right away, with a Braden Gleason pass to Jaylen Varner for a 13-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead.
The Riverhawks punted, and Gleason went right back to Varner for a 79-yard score on the next play to go up 14-0 just three minutes into the game. Emporia State got the ball back and kicked a field goal to go up 17-0.
Zach Dortch Jr. intercepted a Riverhawk pass and turned it into points. Gleason connected with Varner for a third touchdown in the first quarter, leading 24-0 with two minutes left in the frame.
Teams settled in for the second quarter. Hornet running back Billy Ross Jr. capped a 14-play drive with a touchdown run to give Emporia State a 31-0 lead. That would be the score at half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter. Backup quarterback Chase Ricke hit Trenden Collins in the fourth quarter to give the Hornets a 38-0 lead. That ended up being the final score.
Gleason finished 17-19 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Varner finished with four catches for 119 yards and three touchdowns. Collins finished with nine catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Ross Jr. rushed the ball 23 times for 104 yards and a score.
With the win, Emporia State moves to 3-0 on the season. The Hornets are back home Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. against Central Oklahoma.