TEXARKANA, Ark. - Missouri Western State University became the first two-time winner of the 7th annual Agent Barry Live United Bowl Saturday at Razorback Stadium.
The Griffons, who beat Southern Arkansas, 30-25, last year, successfully defending their championship of the NCAA, Division II bowl game by pulling away from Henderson State University in the second half of a 35-14 victory.
Missouri Western rolled up 463 yards of total offense, limited the Reddies to 263 yards and got an outstanding performance from true freshman Trey Vaval in the kick/punt return game.
Vaval had seven returns for 225 yards, including four punt returns for 143 yards, and was named the bowl game Most Valuable Player for his contributions.
"It was a great performance by both teams," Missouri Western head coach Matt Williamson said. "Obviously, we feel good that we came out on top. I'm proud of our kids, proud of our seniors and excited to be blessed to be in a situation like this bowl game. We appreciate Texarkana, the Live United Bowl and everyone who is a part of this; it's an awesome experience.
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"I knew if they kicked it to (Vaval) that he could make a difference; he's electric. He is a second-team all-American as a freshman, and we're real excited to have him."
The Griffons (9-3) rushed 58 times for 287 yards and had 85 offensive snaps. The Reddies (9-3) had 61 plays for 263 yards and rushed 24 times for a net of 73 yards.
Missouri Western converted 11 of 18 third downs and dominated time of possession with over 39 minutes of ball control in its favor, out of 60 minutes. The Griffons also were 5-of-8 on red zone trips.
Markel Smith led the ground attack for MWSU with 21 rushes for 136 yards and a TD. Shamar Griffith had 18 carries for 110 yards and a score, and Wyatt Steigerwald completed 15-of-27 passes for 176 yards and two TDs.
Missouri Western made the appropriate changes at halftime to get the offense moving, and the Griffons scored on third straight drives after intermission.
Deron Thompson capped a 9-play, 63-yard drive with his 2-yard TD dive with 10:14 left in the third quarter, and Griffith finished off a 5-play, 45-yard possession with his 9-yard scoring run with 6:45 left to put the Griffons up 28-7.
"Henderson State is a phenomenal football team," Williamson said. "We came out and played a little choppy on both sides. They did a great job of defending our pass, flustering our quarterback and our receivers.
"We did quite a bit of success running the ball, and so when we talked at halftime we decided to stick with our running game and that would eventually open up the passing game."
Henderson State responded with a 6-play, 67-yard campaign that lasted 1:29, with Darius Austin darting in from the 7 with 5:09 left in the third.
MWSU came back with a methodical 15-play, 87-yard scoring drive that chewed up 8:37 off the clock. Luke Vang hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal with 11:27 left to play.
Querale Hall rushed 14 times for 62 yards for Henderson State, Adam Morse was 6-of-19 passing for 122 yards and a score, and L'liott Curry had four grabs for 65 yards and a touchdown. Doug Johnson added three receptions for 91 yards.
After shaky starts by both teams, it was special teams that sparked the Griffons.
Vaval had a 41-yard punt return, but the Reddie defense held on a 4th-down attempt by Missouri Western to take over the ball at the HSU 17 with 5:02 left in the first.
Henderson State went three-and-out, and Vaval brought back the ensuing punt 59 yards to set up the Griffons at the Reddie 6-yard line. On the third play, Smith bulled his way in from the 3 with 2:38 left in the first.
"I came in just thinking about another day at the office," Vaval said. "I just wanted to come in and play the best I could to help my team. I knew with it being a bowl game that they were going to kick me the ball, and I just needed to capitalize when I got the opportunities."
The Reddies answered with their best offensive drive so far, getting inside the 10 before losing yardage. On the first snap of the second quarter, a 37-yard field goal attempt by Henderson State was blocked by Sam Webb, setting up Missouri Western at the HSU 41-yard line.
The Griffons drove into the red zone, again, but the Reddie defense stopped a fourth-down pass to get the ball back at their own 14 with 12:07 left in the half.
The teams traded punts, and the Reddies put together a 7-play, 63-yard scoring drive to tie the game. Curry caught a 9-yard strike from Morse with 5:04 left in the half, tying the score at 7.
MWSU tight end Blake Burau had a 31-yard catch to set up Steigerwald's 4-yard dart to Burau for the go-ahead TD with 34 seconds remaining. That started a run of 21 straight points by the Griffons.
"On thing about our team this year was when things didn't go right, we didn't get flustered," Williamson said. "In the first half, we weren't on track. The kids came out and responded really well, and the kids made things happen.
"Our motto has been 'make it happen.' Instead of sitting back and waiting these guys changed their mentality and thought processes to control the second half. It paid off."