The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

For the second straight year the Bulldog Football team will head to Joplin and face Missouri Southern State University on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

Truman is coming off a 20-6 loss to #22 Pittsburg (Kan.) State while the Lions have dropped two straight including last week's 45-30 loss at Lindenwood (Mo.) University.
 
Truman managed a pair of Derek Koon field goals in their loss to the Gorillas. Koon hit from a career-best 46 yards out to put Truman up 3-0 in the first quarter and later hit from 44 yards.

Richie Schumacher registered 20 tackles, the first time since 2001 for a Bulldog, but Pitt State controlled the ball for nearly 40 minutes and grounded out 382 yards rushing for the win.
 
The Lions got a 90-yard kickoff return from Travis Hurd to start their ball game with Lindenwood and went up 14-0 before the home team got four touchdowns of 60 or more yards in a 45-30 loss to the league's newest Lions.

Lindenwood had scoring passes of 63, 65, 73 and a 76 yard punt return during the game. Kellen Cox had 111 yards rushing for the Lions.
 
This is the 25th meeting between the Bulldogs and Lions. Southern has won the last three at home including last year's 24-17 victory.

Truman leads the overall series 15-9 and last won in Kirksville in 2010 by a 23-6 score.
 
In last year's game, Landon Zerkel snared a 27-yard pass from Collin Howard with 8:24 left in the fourth quarter to break a 17 all tie.

Zerkel finished with 111 yards receiving while Truman was led by Anthony Brown's 135 yards receiving.

Courtesy Truman State University