Reddies Hammer ‘Riders 38-27

Arkadelphia, Ark.-Henderson State University kept Southern Arkansas University from pulling even in the 63-year series with a 38-27 Gulf South Conference win here Saturday over the Muleriders. The win capped a remarkable turnaround for Jesse Branch’s Reddies, who started the season with four losses by the combined score of 225 points to only 38 by HSU. From there, HSU won five of their last seven games to finish 5-6 overall and 5-4 in GSC play to pull them even with Ouachita Baptist and tied for fifth place.

SAU, after losing a heartbreaker on the road to unbeaten Valdosta State 31-28, became the hottest team in the GSC with five consecutive wins before being shellacked by Harding last week 33-13 that knocked them out of the conference race and the NCAA Division II national playoffs. The ‘Riders closed 7-4 overall and 6-3 and in a third place tie with Central Arkansas in the GSC. The ‘Riders won all six games when they scored more than 30 points and lost four of six when they gave up more than 30 points.

SAU took a 3-0 lead with 9:26 left in the first quarter when Thomas LaToof kicked a 36-yard field goal. It would be their only advantage of the game. Zach Elbert hit a 20-yard field goal for HSU to tie it with 4:35 left in the period. Quarterback Blake Christenson kept for the final yard of a five-play, 69-yard march and Elbert’s kick put HSU ahead for the first time with 1:44 left in the opening period. With two seconds left in the first quarter, wide receiver Nik Lewis hauled in a 32-yard pass from quarterback Ted Williams and LaToof converted SAU to a 10-10 tie.

The only score of the second quarter was on a two-yard Christenson keeper that capped a 10-play, 74-yard drive and Elbert’s PAT gave the Reddies a 17-10 halftime advantage.

Christenson kept for another touchdown from a yard out and Elbert’s kick gave the Reddies a 24-10 advantage with 9:33 left in the third stanza. This finished a six-play, 80-yard drive. Twenty-three seconds later, SAU rover Charles Rollins returned a Reddie fumble 62 yards and LaToof’s kick pulled SAU within 24-17 with 9:10 left in the quarter. Fullback Jayvian Johnson scored from the six on a four-play drive from the 50 and Elbert’s PAT pushed HSU ahead 31-17. With eight ticks left in the third, Williams scampered 43 yards for a touchdown and LaToof toed the point after, 31-24. This capped a 70-yard, five-play drive.

LaToof’s 28-yard field goal brought SAU as close as 31-27 with 10:04 remaining in the game. It would be as close as the ‘Riders would get. Christenson’s 34-yard run that closed a 70-yard, six-play drive and Elbert’s kick finished the ‘Riders with 3:21 remaining.

The Reddies riddled the SAU defense for 561 yards, 494 on the ground, while SAU managed 212 yards rushing and 191 passing for 403 total yards. HSU fumbled six times, but lost only two while SAU lost two of three. Some of the turnovers were controversial, one that was given back to HSU after SAU’s offense came on the field and HSU’s defense came out. SAU was penalized seven times for 72 yards and HSU for 54 yards. SAU had two interceptions and HSU came up with three. HSU was so dominant in their running game that they controlled the clock with 36:10 to only 23:01 for SAU.

Christenson rushed 26 times for 234 yards and four touchdowns and Johnson ripped the ‘Riders 31 times for 181 yards and a touchdown. The Reddies passed for only 63 yards. Williams rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown for SAU and passed for 155 more on eight of 17 and a touchdown. Lewis caught eight passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. He finished the season with 65 catches for 1,239 yards and 14 touchdowns. Linebacker Alan Houston had 10 tackles, six solos, for HSU with linebacker Earl Wilson and noseguard Zach Pettigrew getting nine each. SAU safety Brian Davis had 20 solos and three assists for 23 tackles, two forced fumbles, an interception and a pass deflected. Rollins had nine tackles, a fumble returned 62 yards for a touchdown, an interception returned 19 yards and two deflections.