Emporia State tops Arkansas-Monticello 30-22 in Corsicana Bowl

Emporia State got five touchdown passes from game MVP Braxton Marstall on the way to a 30-22 win against Arkansas-Monticello in the second annual Corsicana Bowl in Corsicana, Texas.
After back-to-back punts to open the game, the Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils went on a 99-yard drive to take the lead on a one yard run by quarterback Cole Sears. Kyle Rinck blocked the extra point to make it 6-0 with 5:04 left in the first quarter.
The Hornets tied the game on a 32 yard pass from Marstall to Jordan Reed with six seconds left in the quarter, but a missed extra point left the game tied at 6.
Emporia State took a 12-6 lead on its first drive of the second quarter when Marstall connected with Reed again on an eight yard pass with 11:13 left in the half. The extra point was blocked.
After two punts, Arkansas-Monticello took over at its own 47 yard line with 5:26 left in the half. The Boll Weevils took 12 plays and 4:27 off the clock to go 22 yards before settling for a 48-yard field goal from Josh Marini with 59 seconds left.
Three plays and two Boll Weevil penalties later, Marstall hit Justin Brown on a 45-yard touchdown with two seconds left. After the try for two failed, Emporia State went to the locker room up 18-9.
The Boll Weevils forced the Hornets into a three-and-out to start the second half and then went 55 yards in four plays and pulled within 18-16 on an 18-yard pass from Sears to DeAndre Washington with 10:54 left in the third.
The Boll Weevils took the lead later at 19-18 on a 35-yard field goal from Marini with 5:56 left in the third.
The Hornets only needed four plays to go 55 yards as Marstall hit Tyler Harris, who made a diving, one-handed catch from 31 yards out to put Emporia State back up 24-19 with 4:18 left in the quarter.
Both defenses stiffened during the next four drives before Arkansas-Monticello got another field goal from Marini, this one for 31 yards, to pull within 24-22 with 12:29 left in the game.
Another big return from Travon Jones gave the Hornets the ball at the Emporia State 36-yard line. Marstall connected with Landon Nault for 44 yards on first down, and two plays later, he hit Harris for a 13 yard touchdown and a 30-22 lead with 11:03 left in the game.
Marstall finished the game 22 of 30 for 315 yards with five touchdowns while adding 21 yards on 14 carries.
Reed was his favorite target, catching seven passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Tyler Harris had 67 yards and two touchdowns on four catches, while Brown added a touchdown and 56 yards on two receptions.
Nault had 77 yards on four catches and added a team-high 59 yards on 14 carries.
Logan Thompson had a career-high 15 tackles with a sack, forced fumble and had 2.5 tackles for loss. Jace McDown had nine tackles and two pass break ups, while Brent Davenport added four pass break ups.
With the win Emporia State finished the season 8-4, tying for the ninth most wins in school history.