SE Athletics
Matt Thomas, Sports Information Director
ALVA – Southeastern held on down the stretch with a late touchdown from CJ Shavers and a game-sealing interception from Keelan Chilton to pick up a 24-15 victory on the road over Northwestern Oklahoma State and earn head coach Tyler Fenwick his first win guiding the Savage Storm.
Sports presented by Indian Nation Wholesale.
The SE record moves to 1-1 on the year and in Great American Conference play with a Sept. 21 matchup against Oklahoma Baptist slated for 6 p.m. at Paul Laird Field.
“It’s a sigh of relief,” said Fenwick when asked about picking up his first win at SE. “Especially the way it went down. Offensively we struggled, but we got going when we needed to get going. We had a few breakdowns but not as many. Feels great to get that win especially on the road.”
Southeastern had its issues moving the ball at times but finished the contest with 350 total yards, including a better effort running the ball in week two with 147 yards on the ground.
That was paced by Shavers who finished with 87 yards and a touchdown late which essentially sealed the SE victory.
The Storm passing attack posted 203 total yards, led by Rollin Kinsaul’s 123 yards on nine completions with a touchdown, while Daulton Hatley put up 80 yards and a score.
Felton Hatcher was the top target on the night with 82 yards on five catches, while Shavers had three receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Ronces added a 26-yard TD reception as well.
Pablo Tarango added another field goal and finished the night 1-of-2 kicking with a 3-of-3 effort on PAT’s.
Defensively, Conner Swope was all over the field with a game-high 14 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Josh Mulumba added six tackles, two for a loss, and picked off a pass, tacking on a 37 yard return.
Chilton added an interception of his own in the endzone as NWOSU was looking to rally on its final drive, and chipped in two other pass breakups.
Andrew McBeth posted the team’s lone sack.
Tarango put Southeastern on the board first with a 31 yard field goal with 11:58 to go in the second quarter.
The Rangers would respond and score on its ensuing drive, but a missed PAT would make the score 6-3.
The Storm then put together a quick, two-play scoring drive that was capped by a Hatley to Shavers 34 yard touchdown to put SE back ahead 10-6.
The Rangers would tack on a field goal with 1:58 to go in the half to close it to 10-9 at halftime.
With 6:46 to play in the third, Kinsaul would find Ryan Ronces for 26 yards and a score, opening up a 17-9 lead which is where the score would stand heading to the fourth quarter.
NWOSU’s Trent Easley would connect with Kentrez Bell for a 45-yard TD strike, but a missed two-point conversion would leave the Storm nursing a 17-15 lead with 8:54 to play.
With 1:44 to play the Storm would push its lead to two possessions as Shavers would break tackles and score from 15 yards out to cap an 11-play, 7:10 drive and give SE a 24-15 lead.
NWOSU would move the ball into Storm territory on the ensuing drive, but Chilton’s pick with 31 seconds to play in the end zone would seal the 24-15 victory.