Central Washington wins rushing shootout over SFU (video)

Burnaby, B.C. – For the first time in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history, two running backs each ran for over 200 yards, as No. 22 ranked Central Washington’s Bryson Kelly (246 yards) and Simon Fraser University’s Gabe Ephard (222 yards) went back and forth trying to top one another.

Ultimately, the CWU Wildcats left SFU’s Terry Fox Field with a 44-30 victory to improve to 3-2 (3-0 GNAC) on the season. The loss drops the Clan to 0-4 (0-3 GNAC) on the year.
Central Washington finished the afternoon with 381 total yards on the ground, with Kelly and Ishmael Stinson (158 yards) combining for 405 yards. Kelly’s longest run of the day was for 64 yards, and the senior scored touchdowns of one, 22, four, and three yards only one week after scoring three touchdowns against Dixie State.

Ephard finished with two touchdowns, a 64-yard scamper in the second quarter to put SFU’s first points on the board, followed by a 70-yard run in the fourth quarter to clear the 200-yard mark.

The Clan, who had struggled in their first three NCAA Division II games of the season, were tied at the half with CWU 10-10, and were within striking distance the entire second half.
“I thought we competed well and were right there with Central Washington, but we just let the game slip away in the third quarter,” said SFU head coach Dave Johnson following the game. “Gabe was just outstanding today, and I thought our players did a fantastic job this week of being prepared, guys went out of their way to watch film and go the extra mile after practice. I thought we had a chance, but we just let it slip out of our hands with a couple of key mistakes.”
Both teams were held scoreless in the first quarter due to a pair of turnovers; an interception by SFU’s Ryan Schwartz on the Clan’s opening drive on a flee flicker and a fumble by Stinson in the redzone.

Central scored first in the second quarter with Kelly’s first touchdown capping a 14-play 80-yard drive. Ephard’s 64-yard run tied the game at seven, and before the end of the first half the teams each traded field goals, first a 26-yard strike from CWU’s Sean Davis followed by a 43-yarder by the Clan’s Jeff Biles.

The Wildcats controlled possession and scoring in the third, taking a 13-10 lead following Davis’ second field goal, this time from 35 yards, and held a 20-10 advantage heading into the fourth quarter after a 22-yard touchdown run by Kelly.

In the final period, Kelly added a four-yard scamper to put Central up 27-10, while Davis hit his third field goal of the afternoon on a 28-yard boot to lead 30-10. Ephard ripped off his 70-yard run on the ensuing play from scrimmage to cut the gap to 30-17. Another long drive from the Wildcats was capped by a three-yard touchdown run by Kelly to increase CWU’s lead to 37-17, however the Clan answered on a trick play, with wideout Tore Corrado connecting with freshman receiver Ben Allen on a 60-yard touchdown strike to close CWU’s lead to 37-24. Stinson added the Wildcats final touchdown on a ten-yard run, while Mathis Baumbach caught the Clan’s final score, a 14-yard reception from Schwartz in the back of the end zone.
Kelly finished the game with four touchdowns and 246 yards on 30 carries, while teammate Stinson added one touchdown, carrying the ball 21 times for 154 yards. Ephard ended the game with 14 carries for 222 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 15.9 yards per attempt.
Central Washington starting quarterback Ryan Robertson finished the game 15-for-28 for 127 yards, while SFU starter Schwartz was 18-for-34 for 165 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Allen finished with a game high 84 yards receiving on three catches and one touchdown.

Defensively Adam Bighill led Central with nine tackles, including two for a loss, while Marc DesLauriers matched Bighill with nine tackles for Simon Fraser.
The Clan are back in action next Saturday when they host Dixie State for Homecoming, while Central travels to California to face Humboldt State.

Game notes: Robertson finished with negative 18 yards on the ground to lower Central Washington’s total yardage… Ephard’s 222 yards on the ground is the seventh most in SFU history.