Storm Suffer Road Loss at SAU

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southeastern used a late Rollin Kinsaul to Hunter Hawthorne touchdown pass to avoid a shutout, dropping a Saturday afternoon road matchup against Southern Arkansas 49-7 in Magnolia, Ark.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 1-6 overall as they are set to return home for homecoming to host Henderson State on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m.
 
Southeastern's late score saved its streak of games without being shutout, extending it to 203-straight games dating back to the 2000 season.
 
The SE offense finished with 203 yards of total offense, with that number hampered by a minus-three-yard rushing effort.
 
The Storm run attack took a big hit as the first drive ended with a snap that sailed past the punter and was recovered for a loss of 41 yards.
 
That coupled with 47 yards lost in sacks, SE would suffer 91 yards in lost rushing yards, while Rashod Polk would put up 66 yards on 13 carries and Ryan Taylor would add 22 more and nearly get the Storm back to even on the day.
 
Southeastern would finish with 206 yards passing as Daulton Hatley would get his first start of the season and complete 13-of-32 for 148 yards, but he was sacked five times and picked off once.
 
Kinsaul would come in and complete 2-of-2 passing for 58 yards, including the seven yard score.
 
Katrell Blakely finished as the top target on the afternoon with 93 yards on six catches, while Braxton Kincade added 62 yards on three grabs.
 
Hawthorne would haul in his first catch of the year and score his first touchdown in the process.
 
Defensively, Scooter Baker, Josh Mulumba and Brandon Swope each finished with 10 tackles to lead all defenders.
 
Mulumba and Alexce Marshall each collected one tackle for loss, while Keelan Chilton added a pass breakup.
 
After starting with solid field position on a Polk 42 yard kick return to open the game, the Storm suffered mightily as they lined up to punt only to see the snap sail past the punter, from the 45 yard line all the way back to the SE four yard line where Pablo Tarango would recover the ball.
 
SAU would capitalize on the miscue and score on a four-yard Kor'Davion Washington run to take a 7-0 lead at the 12:44 mark.
 
Later in the first the Storm would force a three-and-out but a mishandled punt would give the Muleriders a second chance at the SE 46 yard line and SAU would take advantage with an OB Jones one-yard run with 38 seconds to go in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead.
 
Southeastern punted the ball away early in the second quarter with Tarango pinning the Muleriders at the six yard line.
 
SAU would take the ball 94 yards on four plays, capped by a 63-yard Hayden Mallory to SirCharles Perkins pass to open up a 21-0 lead with 12:57 to play in the half.
 
After another Tarango booming punt sailed 58 yards and pinned the Muleriders at their own nine, SAU would cover 91 yards on seven plays to put up their last score of the half, a seven-yard pass from Mallory to Dekendrick Bender to make the score 28-0 with 7:34 to play in the first half.
 
Southeastern would get the offense moving on the ensuing drive, covering 56 yards and reaching the Southern Arkansas six yard line before seeing its drive end without points on a fourth-and-goal try that was unsuccessful, leaving the score 28-0 at halftime.  
 
The Storm would line up for a field goal on its first drive of the second half but the 39-yard try was blocked and one the first play of SAU's next drive Mallory would hit Jared Lancaster for 54 yards to push its lead to 35-0.
 
The Muleriders would tack on another Mallory passing score and cap the third quarter when Brock Floyd picked off a Hatley pass and return it 62 yards for a touchdown to take a 49-0 lead which would hold to be the score at the end of three quarters.
 
SE would force SAU to punt on their first possession of the fourth quarter and two plays later Kinsaul would find Kincade for 51 yards up the sideline and down to the Mulerider 27 yard line.
 
The Storm would cap that drive with Kinsaul's seven yard TD strike to Hawthorne to make the score 49-7 which would hold to be the final.