Sophomore kicker Shavi Bash kicked the game-winning field goal with 16 seconds left Saturday as the Morehead State football team finished the 2015 season with a 20-17 victory at Marist.
Bash, who missed a pair of attempts earlier in the game, drilled the game-winner from the middle of the field following a pass from junior quarterback Austin Gahafer to junior slot receiver Jake Raymond to the 20-yard line.
Morehead State concluded the season at 7-4 overall and 6-2 in the Pioneer Football League, its best mark since 2007. Three of the Eagles' PFL wins came by four points or less. The Red Foxes finished 2015 5-6 and 5-3 in the league.
"Once agan, we found a way to win, and that's what we have done all year long," said Head Coach Rob Tenyer. "I am so proud of my senior class. They have definitely left a winning legacy, and we just have to keep it going now. This was a special day, and we worked hard to pull out a win."
Gahafer was 32-of-56 for 267 yards and became just the second QB in program history to throw for more than 3,000 yards (finishing with 3.244) in a season. Senior wide receiver Tanner Napier wrapped up his career with seven catches for 149 yards and a score. He caught the openng touchdown, a 44-yard strike, from Raymond early in the second quarter.
The hosts took a 10-7 lead to the locker room at halftime, but Raymond, who had nine catches, hauled in a 13-yard scoring pass from Gahafer with 6:52 left in the third to give the Eagles a 14-10 lead. Marist went back on top 17-14 with 2:29 remaining in the third period, but Bash knotted the contest 17-17 with a 25-yard field goal at the 10:58 mark of the final period.
Morehead State finished with 420 total yards compared to 372 for the Red Foxes. Freshman running back Brent Holman added 75 yards on the ground for the Eagles.
Senior linebacker Luke Keller and junior linebacker Ryan Bennett led the defense with nine tackles each. Bennett wound up leading the team with 96 total tackles this season.
