ADA, Okla. – Southeastern got a record-setting performance in efficiency from CB Cantwell and Ronnie Green turned in his sixth 100-yard rushing performance of the season as the Savage Storm took the 100th meeting of the rivalry 34-27 on Saturday afternoon in Ada, Okla., in the Great American Classic.
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The win gives SE a 7-4 record to end the season after winning its last two. It also means that the rivalry will meet the century mark with Southeastern holding a 48-46-6 lead in the all-time series. It is the third-straight win in the series for the Storm, its longest winning streak since taking six in-a-row from 2004 to 2009.
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Offensively SE put together another balanced attack and tallied 444 yards with 234 on the ground and 210 through the air.
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CB Cantwell turned in the school's most accurate passing performance, despite having an interception he would complete 21-of-23 thr4ough the air for a 91.3 completion percentage, topping an 81.0 percent effort (17-of-21) by Drew Beard during the 2004 season. He finished with 210 yards and a touchdown.
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Kaymon Farmer hauled in a team-best seven catches and had 55 yards and the lone receiving score, while Anterric Maxey-Meshilaya led the way in yardage with 58 on three catches, with Bryce Steele right behind with three catches and 56 yards.
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Green finished with his sixth 100-yard rushing outing, turning in 121 yards on 30 carries with a pair of touchdowns. Devlon Wortham would finish just shy of the century mark with 97 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown. Cantwell would add 17 yards on the ground.
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Joel Carlos would finish 2-for-2 on field goals and was 4-of-4 on PATs while adding one 51 yard punt.
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Defensively Sione Taufahema led the way in tackles with six, including one for a loss, while Luke Craddock was right behind with five.
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Jarrett Ingram would snag in interception in the end zone and later recovered a fumble, while Bobby Jackson forced it.
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Wortham put the Storm on the board with an 18 yards to cap a mammoth 15 play drive that covered 95 yards and burned 6:57 off the clock for the first score of the game and a 7-0 lead.
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The Tigers evened the score at 7-7 early in the second on a 29 yard pass from Brooks Holder to Jason Gaines on the first play of the quarter.
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SE answered by going 54 yards on seven plays on the ensuing drive before Carlos connected on a 37 yard field goal for the 10-7 lead.
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Ronnie Green would then stretch the lead to 17-7 with a seven yard TD run to cap a 10 play, 80 yard drive.
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ECU would get the last word in the first half however as Jarod Haynes would connect oj a 45 yard field goal as time expired to cut SE's lead to 17-10 at halftime.
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Carlos would put the Storm on the board first in the second half with a 38 yard field goal at the 9:00 mark to make the score 20-10.
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The Tigers responded with a David Moore touchdown, but a failed PAT would leave SE up 20-16 with 6:54 to go in the half.
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Cantwell would answer on SE's next drive, again covering 80 yards and capping it with a 10 yard connection with Farmer to open up a 27-16 lead which would hold through the end of the third quarter.
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A Holder TD run less than two minutes into the fourth quarter along with a two-point conversion would close the Southeastern lead down to just 27-24.
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The ensuing Storm drive would end in a turnover at midfield, but three plays later Jackson would force a Moore fumble following a catch and Ingram would recover to end the threat.
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SE would take advantage as Green would cap a 67 yard drive with a 15 yard touchdown run to push the lead to 34-24.
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The Tigers would respond by cutting the gap back to a one score contest with another Haynes field goal, this one from 37 yards out to trim the SE lead down to 34-27 with2:59 to play.
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The Storm recovered the following onside kick and burned 2:03 off the clock before a Cantwell pooch punt would pin ECU at their own 15 yard line with 53 seconds to play and after picking up a first down the Storm defense hardened and when Marcus Harris batted away a fourth-down pass with 13 seconds to play it sealed the 34-27 win for SE.