DURANT, Okla.- Solid play by the defense and special teams late in the game proved to be the difference in the No. 12 Ouachita Tigers’ (4-0, 2-0 GAC) victory over the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State (1-3, 0-3 GAC). The Tigers overcame a number of injuries, including the fact that Ty Towers, who is listed as a wide receiver on the roster, was called upon to start at quarterback. The Tigers won the game by a final score of 27-24 after holding off a late drive from SOSU.
The Tigers didn’t take long to get things going, as Steven Kehner capped off a six play, 74 yard drive for the Tigers with a one yard touchdown run, giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead just a little over two minutes into the game.
Southeastern answered on their first drive of the game though, when kicker Chris Peoples was able to convert on a 31 yard kick attempt and cut the Tiger lead to 7-3.
As the first quarter ticked down, Southeastern registered the first lead change of the game. With four seconds left in the quarter, the Savage Storm’s Jercolby Bradley completed a nine yard pass to Krishon Daye, giving Southeastern a 10-7 lead.
The following Ouachita drive would again knot things up, as Jason Fowler registered three points on a season long 39 yard field goal attempt.
Almost the entire second half wound down before another score was registered, but the Tigers again took the lead with a little over two minutes remaining in the first half. Towers connected with Brett Reece on a 25 yard touchdown pass, capping off a four play, 34 yard drive.
The Savage Storm would answer the Tiger touchdown after halftime though, when Bradley broke free for a 32 yard touchdown run and again tied the score, this time at 17.
Ouachita’s next drive again ended in a field goal, as Fowler converted on a 20 yard attempt and regained the lead for the Tigers, by a score of 20-17 with a little over six minutes remaining in the third quarter of play.
Bradley would again put the offensive load on his shoulders for Southeastern on the following possession, as he drove the field and scored on a 19 yard run, giving Southeastern a 24-20 lead with about 14 minutes remaining in the game.
The final score of the game came at the 9:44 mark of the fourth quarter, when Towers broke a tackle and turned a play that looked like it would finish in a loss of yards into a four yard touchdown pass, tossing the ball out to Rycraw for a touchdown. The Tigers took a 27-24 lead with the touchdown, which they would hold onto for the remainder of the game.
Towers finished the game with 13 completions for 187 yards and two touchdowns, as well as 11 carries for 103 yards on the ground. Chris Rycraw handled almost the entire load out of the backfield, recording 26 carries for 94 yards and four catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. Brett Reece recorded 63 yards and a touchdown on three receptions for the Tiger offense.
Jackson Guerra again led the Tiger defense, recording 11 tackles in the game. Ricky Brown finished the game with nine tackles and added two break ups and a quarterback hurry. Marquez Massey and Dion Young were able to register an assisted sack, marking just the fourth time this season that Southeastern has allowed a sack.
Ouachita held the advantage in possession time against Southeastern, who led the country in possession time heading into the game. The Tiger offense picked up 395 yards in the game, while Southeastern recorded 360 yards of their own.
Ouachita stretches their win streak to four with the victory. The Tigers next match-up will come on Saturday, October 6 at 1 p.m. when they host Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Photo by Dr. Wesley Kluck
