SE Athletics
Matt Thomas
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Levay Duncan found Colby Ray Short for a two-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds to play to lift Southeastern to a fourth-quarter rally victory, 27-21, over Southwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday night in Weatherford, Okla.
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 2-1 on the season heading into a Sept. 26 home matchup versus Southern Nazarene at 2 p.m. on Paul Laird Field at Spend Life Wisely Stadium.
After taking a 17-0 lead into the half, SE saw its advantage dissipate in the third quarter as the Bulldogs put up a pair of touchdowns before taking the lead at 21-17 30 seconds into the fourth quarter.
SE got back on the board when Banner Nitcholas blocked a SWOSU punt which rolled back into the end zone and was covered up there by the Bulldogs to record a safety, closing the gap to 21-19.
Southeastern regained possession with 1:35 to play needing at least a field goal and proceeded to march 80 yards on eight plays, the final one being Duncan to Short for the game-winning TD with nine second left.
The Bulldogs would muff the ensuing kickoff which was recovered by Jacob Brewer to seal the victory for the Storm.
SE jumped in front with a Dylan Cox 33-yard field goal with 5:40 to go in the first quarter.
The Storm tacked on the game’s first touchdown when Duncan scampered in from a yard out to push the lead to 10-0 at the 11:10 mark of the second quarter.
The Storm defense got on the board with 3:35 to go in the first half when Trae Cuellar forced a fumble that was picked up by Javon Towns and returned 18 yards for the score and a 17-0 lead which would hold up into the half.
Duncan finished the contest with 166 yards through the air with a touchdown and added 23 yards on the ground with another score.
Short was his top target on the day with 70 yards and a touchdown on five catches.
Sean Steens was next in line with four grabs for 54 yards, with Brewer picking up two catches and five others snagging one each.
Kameron Lockhart led the way on the ground with 67 yards on 12 carries, while Jaylen Holloway picked up 32 yards on six totes.
The Storm defense forced two turnovers on the day while the special teams unit forced two more.
The defense got an interception from Tony Hamilton, his second of the year, while Cuellar forced a fumble that was recovered and returned for a TD by Towns.
On special teams Colton Simpson and Brewer each recorded recoveries while Nitcholas added a blocked punt.
Dylan Sebock finished with a team-high eight tackles, including two for a loss.
Jacob Geddes was next in line with seven tackles, three tackles for loss, while William Wallis and Prince Dweh each had six tackles.
In all, the Storm racked up 10 tackles for loss and added seven pass breakups, led by three from Kole McKnight.