Northwest Missouri State quarterback Blake Bolles passed for a career-high 421 yards and accounted for five touchdowns (4 pass, 1 rush) to lead the third-ranked Bearcats to a 56-14 win against 16th-ranked Central Missouri Saturday at Bearcat Stadium.
It’s the 37th consecutive win in MIAA play for Northwest (10-1, 9-0 MIAA) dating back to 2005. Northwest’s seniors accounted for 36 of those wins and are the second Bearcat class to never lose a conference game.
What was supposed to be one of the top games in Division II quickly turned into a laugher. Northwest led 35-7 at halftime and rested its starters the entire fourth quarter. It was the largest win in the series since 1942.
Bolles’ 421 yards are the third-most in program history. He had 360 yards and three touchdowns in the first half and led two more touchdown drives on his first possessions of the second before being replaced. His 3,204 yards are a Northwest regular-season record and his 35 touchdown passes are three shy of the Bearcats’ single-season record.
Also rewriting the record books was wide out Jake Soy, who caught six passes for a career-best 157 yards and three touchdowns – his fifth game with three or more touchdown receptions this season. Soy leads the nation with 22 touchdown receptions, a program record. He’s caught 61 passes for 1,116 yards on the year.
The Bearcats’ eight touchdowns came on their first nine offensive possessions, only one of which needed longer than three minutes. Northwest averaged nearly 12 yards per play before reaching the fourth quarter and totaled a season-best 667 yards of total offense.
Central Missouri (8-3, 6-3) scored on its first and last possessions of the game, while Northwest scored the 56 points in between. Quarterback Eric Czerniewski was 26-of-42 for 240 yards, a touchdown and an interception – the only turnover of the game.
Mule running back Anthony Stewart caught eight passes for 68 yards including a 27-yard touchdown catch that capped the opening possession. He also carried 12 times for 45 yards.
LaRon Council carried 15 times for 130 yards and a touchdown for the Bearcats. Billy Creason added 37 yards and two second-half scores.
Story courtesy of Northwest Missouri athletics.
