By JIM HENRY

Special to The Hays Daily News

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Through 10 games, Fort Hays State's defense intercepted a total of six passes.

But on Saturday afternoon, the Tigers came up with five interceptions in a 48-34 victory over Mssouri Southern at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

Fort Hays (6-5, 4-5 MIAA) posted its first winning season since 2004, and finished alone in sixth place in the conference standings. Missouri Southern (3-7, 3-6) shared seventh place with Pittsburg State, which lost 28-21 at Truman State in other action Saturday.

"It's huge for us, the first time we've had a winning season in the MIAA," Tiger fourth-year head coach Kevin Verdugo said. "It means these kids have done a great job. I can't thank the seniors enough. I'm looking forward to this springboarding the offseason."

Three interceptions helped the Tigers build a 27-7 halftime advantage. Seth Blackwell's 19-yard interception return in the last minute of the first quarter gave Fort Hays the lead it never relinquished, but the first interception of the second half perhaps was the biggest.

The Lions pared the deficit to 34-27 and were moving into position for the tying score. But on fourth down-and-5 from the FHSU 35, strong safety Taylor Bersuch picked off Roland Thompson's pass ­-- his second interception of the game and the season -- at the 30 with 6:50 remaining.

"We were coached up well this week," Bersuch said. "We just came out focused, prepared, and we executed just what our coaches wanted us to do.

"They (interceptions) are all big. Seth's might have been the biggest."

"Both of them were very opportune for us," Verdugo said. "One of them gave us the lead, one of them kept us the lead. It's a chance for us to come out and milk some time off the clock."

The Tiger offense responded with a touchdown as James Walker broke a 47-yard TD on fourth-and-1 for a 41-27 lead with 2:33 left.

"I contemplated (punting). I had a little lump in the lower part of the throat," Verdugo said. "But you don't want a choice. Let's go for it ... we'd run the ball well all year, and it's time to do it now."

That score proved huge as the Lions scored on Johnny Johnson's leaping one-handed catch with 50 seconds to play. The Tigers' running back Jacobb Irvin recovered the onside kick, and Walker scored seconds later on a 38-yard run.

The Tigers and Lions combined for almost 1,000 yards of offense - 482 by MSSU and 467 by Fort Hays. But the Tigers did not turn the ball over a single time.

The Tigers' tailback tandem combined for 203 yards - 110 by Walker on 23 carries and 93 by Jacobb Irvin on 15 attempts. Both scored two touchdowns.

Quarterback Mike Garrison threw for 197 yards and a score on 18-of-32 accuracy and netted 42 yards rushing. His 2,606 passing yards this season are the third most in school history, and his 61 percent completion rate is the best in school history, just passing the former mark of 60 percent by Robert Long in 1985.

Garrison accounted for 185 yards in the first half, hitting 12-of-18 passes for 116 yards and rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown.

The Tigers became the second-highest scoring team in school history when Garrison scored on a four-yard quarterback keeper with 28 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Tigers' 1995 playoff team scored 446 points, and this year's team finished with 365.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, the defense gave Fort Hays State the lead as Blackwell returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown.

Lions quarterback Collin Howard, returning after a five-game absence with a knee injury, attempted to throw the ball out of bounds to avoid a sack, but his throw was short, and Blackwell made the pick and ran uncontested into the end zone.

Tiger linebacker Layton Hickel intercepted a short pass over the middle at the MSSU 21 in the first minute of the second quarter.

The Tigers gained nine yards on three plays, and on fourth down-and-1, Irvin started up the middle, then darted to the left sideline for the 12-yard touchdown.

The PAT failed, leaving the Tigers' lead at 20-7 with 12:25 left in the second quarter.

Walker's one-yard plunge in the final minute of the half gave the Tigers a 27-7 lead at the intermission. Walker had four carries for the final 20 yards of the nine-play, 59-yard drive.