Joplin, Mo. -- After what was a defensive struggle in the first half, visiting Washburn found its offense and the Ichabods defeating the Missouri Southern football team 45-13 today inside of Fred G. Hughes Stadium on the Lions' Homecoming. 

Southern (1-5, 1-5 MIAA) was led offensively by Jocqui Davis as the senior had 11 catches on the day for 90 yards and a touchdown. The 11 catches are just two off of the school record set by Rod Smith. Jordan Morrison caught three passes for 56 yards, while Anthony Cannon had one catch for 34 yards. TJ Fleeton went 20-33 for 220 yards and a touchdown, but was plagued by four interceptions. Fleeton also had a rushing score. Ja'Kori Bell had nine rushes for 46 yards.

Washburn (4-2, 4-2 MIAA) had two defensive touchdowns on the day. Wesley Collins rushed for 122 yards and two scores. 

Defensively Trevor Plafcan led the Lions with 12 tackles. Patrick Cheek finished with 11 stops and a sack, while Justin Legier, Keith Beverly and Travelle Smith had seven stops each. Jeremiah Shelley had the Lions' other sack of the day. The Lions' defense had seven pass break ups and five quarterback hurries. 

Washburn socred on its opening drive as Perry Schmeideler hit a 28-yard field goal to go up 3-0 early on. Neither team scored for the rest of the half until the Ichabods' picked off Brayden Scott and ran it back 47 yards to put Washburn up 10-0 with 49 seconds left on the clock. 

The Lions got a 39-yard return from Terrell Crawford on the ensuing kickoff to their own 41-yard line and Southern worked down inside the Ichabod' 30-yard line before Fleeton's pass was intercepted as time expired in the half. 

Washburn scored on back-to-back possessions in the third, the first on an 8-yard rush from Collins to make the score 17-0, and then another from Collins, this time a four-yard score to go up 24-0 at the end of three.

Southern scored twice to open up the fourth. Fleeton capped off a 10-play, 66-yard score with a three yard rush with 12:30 left on the clock. The Lions tried for two, but the conversion failed. After a 22-yard return from Scott Lathrop put the Lions at the Washburn 28-yard line, Fleeton hit Davis for a 12-yard score on Southern's next possession to make the score 24-13. 

The Ichabods added three more scores in the fourth, a two-yard run from Mickeel Stewart, a 60-yard fumble return from Cody Heiman and then a five-yard run from Keny Harris, Jr. 

Southern will be back in action next weekend when the Lions play host to Central Missouri. Kickoff is slated for 6 pm.