SE Tripped Up in Rain-Soaked Homecoming

Box Score PHOTO GALLERY

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern took a 17-14 lead into the half which turned into a 2:20 lightning delay, but it was Texas A&M-Commerce that came out of the extended break with momentum, scoring twice in the third quarter and holding off a Savage Storm rally as SE fell 31-29 on a rainy homecoming at Paul Laird Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The loss is the fourth in-a-row for the Storm and drops the squad to 1-4 on the year heading back into Great American Conference play with a 2 p.m. matchup with Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Okla., on Oct. 12.
 
Trailing by 11 entering the fourth quarter, Nick Sioson hit Chad Laury for a five yard TD in the early moments of the final frame, but a missed two-point conversion left the Storm behind 28-23.
 
The Lions added a field goal when Saul Martinez hit from 23 yards out with 2:48 to play, but SE answered with a 10 play drive that ended in a Kaymon Farmer touchdown catch from Sioson with 48 seconds remaining to make the score 31-29.
 
The ensuing two-point try was attempted from the 18 yardline after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called, and despite the distance still looked to be good as the receiver came down with the catch but let it go before completely establishing possession and it was ruled incomplete and left the Storm two points down.
 
They would line up for an onside kick try, but Chris Peoples' solid kick was hauled in at the 50 yardline by TAMUC's Seth Smith before SE could get to it.  However in the scrum to knock the ball loose tempers flared and ultimately both benches would pour onto the field and had to be separated with the officials eventually sending the teams to the locker rooms with 46 seconds remaining and the game was ended.
 
Despite the ending, the contest started out well for the Storm who jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, first getting a 38 yard field goal from Peoples to end the opening drive and then adding a touchdown when Nelson Akinwande scored from four yards out on his first career carry.
 
Meanwhile the defense was potent in the first 15 minutes, as the Lions gained just 20 total yards on seven plays with one first down, failing to cross their own 30 yardline until their first drive of the second quarter which started at their 35 after a SE fumble.
 
That drive would end in no points, but so would Southeastern's next drive.
 
TAMUC got on the board on their next drive when Harrison Stewart hit Vernon Johnson for a six yard TD toss with 4:45 to play in the half.
 
A 30 yard kick return by Daryn Alves on the ensuing kick would set up a nine play drive that was aided by a 31 yard Sioson to Farmer connection and culminated with a Devlon Wortham one yard run and SE led 17-7 with 2:19 to play.
 
The Lions, however, would get the last word in the first half as K-J Garrett scored from five yards out with 43 second left to make the score 17-14 which is where it stood at the half.
 
TAMUC come out in the second half and with 10:41 to play got a 76 yard Tyrik Rollison to Johnson connection to take a 21-17 lead.
 
That stretched to 28-17 when Cameron Napoleon blocked a Jared Heim punt and Dionte Taylor picked it up and carried it in from 23 yards out to make the lead 28-17 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
SE saw its running game bounce back in the contest with 199 yards on the ground along with 296 through the air and the Storm held a 495-to-423 edge in total offense.
 
Wortham cracked the 100-yard plateau again with 139 yards on 32 carries with a touchdown, while Akinwande had six carries for 31 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.
 
Sioson also had a solid bounce back performance, finishing the night 31-of-51 with two touchdowns and one interception with 296 yards.
 
Farmer was his favorite target on the evening as he hauled in eight catches for 98 yards and a touchdown, while Chad Laury added a score.  Anthony Foster saw his 100-yard receiving game streak end at four, finishing with three catches for 31 yards on the evening.  In all, Sioson hit nine different receivers.
 
Three players on defense ended the day with seven tackles as Raheem Wilson, Clay Waters and Mark Idell each tallied that many stops.  Waters added a forced fumble, while Idell picked up a sack.
 
Greg Jackson snagged his first interception of the season, returning it 30 yards to set up the Sioson to Laury TD early in the fourth quarter.
 
Logan Russell added his first fumble recovery of the season.