Storm Suffer Second-Straight Heartbreaker

BETHANY, Okla. – Southeastern put up nearly 400 yards of total offense but fell victim to a late Southern Nazarene rally that was capped by a two-point conversion and the Savage Storm suffered a heartbreaking 22-21 loss on the road in Bethany, Okla., on Saturday.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 1-3 overall on the season and is the first in program history to the Crimson Storm after winning the first six meetings between the schools.
 
SE will be back on the road on Oct. 5 when it travels to Arkadelphia, Ark., to face Ouachita Baptist at noon.
 
Southeastern had its biggest day on the ground with 190 total yards rushing, led by 75 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown, while Ryan Taylor added 74 yards on eight totes.
 
Daulton Hatley came off the bench to complete 11-of-27 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns but was picked off twice and sacked twice.
 
Braxton Kincade posted 60 yards on three receptions with a touchdown, while Duce Pittman hauled in four grabs for 54 yards and Felton Hatcher had 47 on two catches. Ryan Ronces added the other score on one catch.
 
Conner Swope led the defense but saw his double-digit tackles streak come to an end, posting five stops on the day, while Jeremiah Baltrip, Josh Mulumba, and Jared Bell had four apiece.
 
Andrew McBeth posted two tackles for loss, including a sack.
 
Baltrip also tacke on his first interception of the season, while Ja'Lon Freeman added a pass breakup.
 
Southeastern's offense got off to a slow start and was held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season.
 
The Crimson Storm took advantage and Gage Porter hit Noah Turbyfill for a 31-yard touchdown and that would account for all the scoring in the first half as SE trailed at the break 7-0.
 
The Savage Storm defense forced a three-and-out on the first SNU drive of the second half, bolstered by a huge nine-yard sack by McBeth.
 
SE's offense got moving on the ensuing drive as Hatley connected with Hatcher for a 43-yard pickup on third down to the Crimson Storm 14 yards line.
 
That would set up a six-yard TD connection from Hatley to Ronces to cap the drive and tie the game at 7-7 with 10:53 to go in the third.
 
The defense would again step up and force a three-and-out to get the ball back for the Storm.
 
Hatley would open the drive with a 17-yard pickup to Pittman and three plays later cap the drive with a 38-yard TD strike to Kincade to open up a 14-7 lead with 7:13 to play in the third quarter and that advantage would hold heading into the fourth quarter.
 
SE extended that advantage to 21-7 with 6:23 to play on a one-yard Polk touchdown run to cap an eight-play, 83-yard drive that took 4:02 off the clock.
 
SNU answered with a 57-yard return on the ensuing kickoff and would cut he Southeastern lead to 21-14 four plays later when Porter hit Vance Hooper for a 15-yard touchdown with 4:49 to play.
 
The Storm would pick up a pair of first downs on the following drive, burning 3:55 off the clock but after a three-yard punt Southern Nazarene would take over at its own 46-yard line with 54 seconds to play.
 
Porter would find Nate Walker for 52 yards on the first play and would score from two-yards out on his own a play later to make the score 21-20.
 
Porter would then turn the corner on a two-point try to convert and leave SE trailing 22-21.
 
SE would move the ball to the Crimson Storm 38 yard line in the final 34 seconds, but Hatley's final toss into the end zone was picked off.