[ Hornets: 'We want to win a lot more' ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Sep 8, 2001 by Capital-Journal

Hornets: 'We want to win a lot more'

Wiemers: ESU coach says team must build on strong start beginning this week

By Eric Turner

The Capital-Journal

Beating Fort Hays State 38-21 last Thursday was pretty much the start the Emporia State Hornets wanted and felt they needed for the 2001 season.

Key word being "start," according to ESU coach Dave Wiemers, who earned his first victory as a head coach at Hays. The Hornets scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to break a 21-all halftime tie and earn momentum going into today's 7 p.m. home opener against East Central (Okla.)

"I think we beat a good team in Fort Hays and earned a great win on the road, but we want to win a lot more than that," Wiemers said. "The initial excitement didn't last very long. It's time to move on and get to the next one."

The Hornets put up 445 yards of total offense, highlighted by quarterback Kelton Copeland completing 9 of 13 passes for 154 yards and rushing for 109 yards on 11 carries. ESU rushed for 291 yards with Shon Wells going for 138 yards on 14 carries and Josh Sanders scoring three touchdowns.

All that with just one turnover, a near touchdown at the FHSU 4- yard line late in the game.

"I thought our quarterback played really well," Wiemers said of Copeland, who is in his second season as a starter. "He made some good decisions, both running and in the passing game. He had a good focus to him. I think we've got a chance to move the ball."

The Hornets' defense shut out Fort Hays in the second half, forcing the Tigers to punt five straight times and getting two interceptions --- by Jordan Bell and Jason Kennedy --- in their own territory late in the fourth quarter.

Linebacker Chad Pratz was named the MIAA defensive player of the week after recording eight of his game-high 14 tackles in the second half.

Next up is East Central, playing its season opener under former Missouri Western coach Dennis Darnell. The Tigers were 6-5 last season, 5-3 in the Lone Star Conference, and return nine offensive starters including quarterback Luke Hackbarth.

Emporia State won 31-14 last year in Ada, Okla., but East Central won four of its last five games to finish with a winning record.

"We're really in the dark here, and it's pretty frightening," Wiemers said. "They haven't played yet, and the only film we have is from our game last season. We'll find out what they're going to do and adjust on the fly."

ESU opens the MIAA season Sept. 15 at Truman State.

"We won our game last week, but we can sure play better football," Wiemers said. "At times we played pretty well and at times we didn't. We found out winning's a lot of fun; we need to see if we can stay on that track."

MIAA/state notes

- Pittsburg State moved up to No. 9 from No. 12 in this week's AFCA Division II coaches poll.

The Gorillas, who defeated NAIA Southwestern Assemblies of God 76- 0 on Aug. 25, take on another NAIA opponent at home Saturday. Bacone (Okla.) is playing football for the first time since 1957 and is 2-0 after a 48-20 win against Haskell Indian Nations and a 21-20 comeback win against Southern Nazarene last week.

- Northwest Missouri State fell to No. 14 from No. 6 after losing 24-21 at No. 5 Nebraska-Omaha. Sophomore QB T.J. Mandl should start for Northwest this week against Minnesota State-Mankato in place of starter John McMenamin, who played the entire second half with a broken left (non-throwing) arm.

Missouri Western moved into the national ranking at No. 24 and is at home Saturday against Fort Hays State. Western QB Kasey Waterman needs 20 passing yards to become the MIAA's career leader.

- The biggest state game this weekend pits KCAC power Kansas Wesleyan, ranked No. 25 in the NAIA, at Heart of America power Benedictine, ranked No. 6.

Kansas Wesleyan coach Dave Dallas named Matt Karleskint, a senior from Fort Scott, the starting quarterback over Salina sophomore T.J. O'Neill. O'Neill started seven games last season after Karleskint suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second week.

Benedictine opened its season last week with a 35-14 win at Graceland. Josh McAlister rushed for 141 yards in his first collegiate start after a two-year absence caused by ankle surgery.

- Baker, which started ranked No. 13 in the NAIA, already is 0-2 after losses to No. 19 Peru State and Evangel. Saturday, Baker is at Avila --- which pushed William Jewell in a 33-23 loss last week in the first game in school history.

Small college standings

MIAA

Conference Overall W L W LSouthwest Baptist 0 0 2 0Central Missouri 0 0 1 0Emporia State 0 0 1 0Missouri-Rolla 0 0 1 0Missouri Western 0 0 1 0Pittsburg State 0 0 1 0Truman State 0 0 1 0Missouri Southern 0 0 0 0Northwest Missouri 0 0 0 1Washburn 0 0 0 1 Results last week --- Wisconsin- LaCrosse 37, Washburn 18; Emporia State 38, Fort Hays State 21; Nebraska-Omaha 24, Northwest Missouri 21; Central Missouri 24, Lincoln 10; Truman State 40, Drake 29; Southwest Baptist 54, Kentucky Wesleyan 20; Missouri-Rolla 45, Quincy 12; Missouri Western 16, Southeastern Oklahoma State 12.