Lions rack up 404 yards on the ground defeating Haskell, 66-9

Freshman quarterback Colin Howard — a Webb City native — and junior running back Toderick Hunt rushed for three touchdowns each as the Missouri Southern Lions racked up 404 yards on the ground with eight rushing scores, defeating visiting Haskell, 66-9 Thursday at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Southern (2-0) tied a school record with eight rushing touchdowns in the game, matching the previous mark set in 1982 against Evangel. The Lions were also two points from tying the school record for points in a game (1982, Evangel).

The Lions' defense set up the first points of the game for the second-straight week when Jordan Patton intercepted the first pass from scrimmage and returned it to the Haskell (0-2) one-yard line. Quarterback Adam Hinspeter then took the ball in with a quarterback sneak to score the Lions' first points.

Southern added a two yard rushing touchdown from El Reo Smith, the first of his career, as well as a 29-yard field goal from Brian Malette to end the first quarter with a 17-0 lead. After a 19-yard punt return from Fred Smith to the Southern 33, Hinspeter hooked up with Isaac Norman for a 67-yard strike to give the Lions a 24-0 lead.

Hunt picked up the first of his three touchdowns with a five-yard carry to make the score 31-0, before Haskell added its only touchdown of the game with a 67-yard rushing score from Quentin Haynes. Howard and the Lions answered right back and the freshman from Webb City rushed for 30 yards and a score on his first touch of the night, to make the halftime score 38-7.