SE Football Set for 105th Meeting with ECU

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern is set to close out the 2022 regular season schedule with its shortest trip of the season, heading an hour north to renew its longest-running rivalry as it takes on East Central for the 105^th time on Nov. 12 in Ada, Okla., at 2 p.m.
 
Southeastern fans can listen live via the Southeastern Sports Network on GoSoutheastern.com/SESportsNet or across the largest DII radio network in the area with Jay Lindly and Rob Johnson on the call. Local fans can pick up the game on 96.1 FM, while fans across southeastern Oklahoma and north Texas can pick up the games on 94.7 FM in Valliant, Okla., 97.7 in Ardmore, Okla., 99.5 in Rattan, Okla., 102.1 in Atoka, Okla., and 107.5 in Atoka.
 
Recently taking on the additional moniker of the Hundred Years War, the long-running matchup between SE and ECU is one of just five matchups across all of Division II to have been played more than 100 times.
 
It is the most-played rivalry in the Great American Conference, with the Henderson State versus Ouachita Baptist matchup coming in second with 95 meetings, and additionally is currently the second-longest rivalry in the state behind the Bedlam matchup with OU and OSU.
 
SE leads the all-time series 50-48-6 but has dropped the last two outings by a combined six points.
 
The Savage Storm enter the rivalry contest with a 6-4 record on the season after seeing a four-game winning streak come to an end versus No. 3 Ouachita Baptist.
 
The Storm offense has been a monster through the air as Daulton Hatley leads the league in passing with 295.6 yards per game through the air while completing 65.9 percent of his passes with a school-record 28 touchdowns.
 
Hatley recently moved into the number two position on SE's all-time passing yardage list, fresh on the heels of becoming the single season and career passing touchdowns leader.  He heads into the season-finale needing just 192 yards to pass Jeff Moser for the top spot on SE's career passing yardage list.
 
A big boost to his efforts this season have come on the record-setting performance of Marquis Gray who has shattered Storm single-season receiving marks. His 1,266 receiving yards set a new single-season record just last week, passing Romar Crenshaw's previous record set back in 2001. He also pushed his receiving touchdown mark to 16, extending his school record mark in that category.
 
Katrell Blakely and Braxton Kincade have each added at least 30 catches on the year, while Matthew Nunez is second on the team in receiving scores with four.
 
Deundre Wheeler leads the SE rushing attack with 724 yards and 12 touchdowns, while last week Saw Ryan Hirt come off the bench to lead the way, bringing his season totals to 181 yards and a score on 23 carries, while Jason Ngwu is second on the team in rushing on the year with 398 yards and two touchdowns on 88 carries.
 
Maalik Hall leads the defense with 67 tackles overall and ranks among the best in the GAC with five sacks.
 
Cameron Tate and Ja'Lon Freeman have each logged more than 50 tackles, while Freeman and Connor Swope each have snagged an interception.
 
ECU comes into the weekend with a 7-3 record on the year, most recently downing Arkansas-Monticello 16-0 at home a week ago.
 
The Tiger offense is paced by Kenny Hrncir who has completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 2,245 yards and 17 touchdowns through the air while adding 250 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
 
ECU features four receivers with 300 or more yards receiving, led by La'Quan Wells who has 463 yards and five touchdowns on 37 grabs.
 
Nemier Herod leads the rushing attack with 863 yards on 154 carries with eight touchdowns.
 
Defensively, ECU is paced by Devon Roush who has tallied 89 tackles, with Ke'Von Curry adding a team-high five sacks.
 
Cody Alexander has forced four fumbles and snagged a pair of interceptions on the year, with Donovan Callis and Keonte Lusk each adding two picks, while Lusk has recovered three fumbles.