Wildcats Send Seniors Out with Win after defeating Clarke in Season Finale

Kyle Dixon etched his name among the finest receivers to play the position for Culver-Stockton and cornerback Robert Jones broke a 62-year old record as the Wildcats concluded its season with a 38-21 victory over Clarke University Saturday afternoon at Ellison Poulton Stadium.

Dixon hauled in five passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark receiving. Dixon is just the fourth player in school history to garner 1,000 yards receiving in a season, finishing with the third-highest with 1,112 yards.

Dixon, who scored on passes of 64 and 61 yards to give the Wildcats a 14-0 first quarter lead, also ended the season with 12 receiving touchdowns, which is the second-highest in program history. His 13 touchdowns overall tie for fifth in program history. Dixon scored in nine straight games and 10 of the 11 games overall.

Meanwhile, Jones did his part to end the Wildcats' season on a wining note.

With the Pride threatening to cut into C-SC's 14-0 lead late in the first quarter with a second-and-goal at the one-yard line, the Wildcats' ZeShaun Adams stuck Clarke running back Bradey Huseman at the C-SC 3-yard line. The ball popped loose and Jones picked it up and raced 97 yards for a C-SC touchdown as time expired in the quarter to make it 21-0.

The 97-yard return is the longest fumble return for a touchdown in school history, eclipsing the 95-yard return by Bryon Brown against Central Methodist during the 1962 season.

C-SC added a 23-yard field goal by Ethan Boulanger in the second quarter before the Pride registered a safety late in the second quarter to make it a 24-2 game at the intermission.

The Wildcats added two more touchdowns in the third quarter as quarterback Drake Day connected with Eli Edmonds on an 11-yard strike and Hunter Hester with a 25-yard pass to extend the lead to 38-2 after three quarters.

The Pride scored 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to make the score respectable.

Day finished the day with 276 yards passing on 14 of 26 accuracy and four touchdowns. He also added 16 yards rushing to end the day with 292 total yards. 

Defensively, Joseph Cook and Kaden Thomas ended stellar inaugural seasons with eight tackles each to lead the defense. Copok added a sack while Thomas recorded a tackle for loss and two pass breakups. 

The victory was the second straight for the Wildcats and improves their final record to 3-8 overall and 3-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference's North Division.