Nov. 2, 2002
Magnolia, Ark.-Southern
Arkansas University improved their record to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in Gulf South
Conference play with a 48-0 shutout over the University of Arkansas-Monticello
here Saturday. The Boll Weevils fell to 2-6 overall and to 2-5 in the GSC. The
SAU win and Harding University’s 49-25 loss to Delta State University gives the
Muleriders sole possession of second place in the conference with two games
remaining. Unbeaten Valdosta State University remains a game ahead of the
‘Riders with a perfect 7-0 GSC record after beating the University of North
Alabama 45-28.
SAU scored their first touchdown
with a five-play, 51-yard drive when running back Rodney Hill scored on a
17-yard run and Thomas LaToof converted with 9:06 to go in the first period.
Back-up quarterback Damian Melancon
directed two second quarter touchdowns by driving SAU 54 yards in nine plays
with running back Torrence Jones scoring from the 25 and LaToof kicking it to 14-0
with 6:31 left in the half. SAU executed a perfect on-side kickoff with wide
receiver Nik Lewis fielding the kick at the UAM 47. Melancon dashed 25-yards to
score on a keeper to finish the five-play drive with 3:59 left in the period.
LaToof toed it to 21-0.
With 34 seconds left in the half, starting
quarterback Ted Williams kept on a 10-yard run and LaToof kicked it to 28-0.
This was a seven-play, 80-yard march. Wide receiver Nik Lewis hauled in a
22-yard pass in the end zone to score 13 seconds later to finish a short march
from the UAM 22. LaToof toed it to 35-0 at the half. The quick touchdown was
set up when linebacker Richard Bell forced a fumble by UAM’s Travis Gray on the
kickoff return and was recovered by SAU fullback Scott Schroeder.
The ‘Riders got the only score of
the third stanza when Melancon fired a strike to Lewis for a 29-yard touchdown
with 1:22 on the clock. This touchdown was set up by an interception by SAU
linebacker DeVares Campbell, who returned it 17 yards to the Weevil 45 to start
a five-play march.
The game’s final touchdown was with
9:37 remaining on a pass from Melancon to reserve freshman running back Donald
Simpson for 17 yards. LaToof converted for the final score. This was a 64-yard
drive that took eight plays.
The statistics:
First downs-SAU 26, UAM 14; net
yards rushing-SAU 374, UAM 165; yards passing-SAU 185, UAM 34; passes
completed, attempted, had intercepted-SAU 10-21-0, UAM-12-34-2; punts, avg.-SAU
4-31.0, UAM 7-32; penalties-SAU 7-66, UAM 5-41; fumbles, lost-SAU 0-0, UAM 4-1;
possession time-SAU 33:23, UAM 26:37.
Melancon, a red-shirt freshman,
rushed 17 times for 107 yards and a touchdown and passed for 111 yards on seven
completions in 16 attempts and two touchdowns. UAM tailback Corwin Elliott
finished with 102 yards rushing on 29 carries. Lewis caught six passes for 137
yards and two touchdowns. He has a school record 12 touchdowns and
1,003
yards on receptions this season to become the first ‘Rider to ever surpass
1,000 yards receiving. Gray had six kickoff returns for 133 yards for UAM.
Leading the SAU defense, which
pitched their first shutout since the 2000 season and only the fourth since
1983, was linebacker Keenan Washington with 12 tackles, two for losses. UAM
linebacker Daniel Morris had 10 tackles, one for a loss, and a pass deflected.
This was the first game this season
that SAU did not suffer a turnover. The ‘Riders finish their home season next
Saturday against Harding.