Brown Powers Storm to 20-19 Victory over SNU

BETHANY, Okla. – Southeastern jumped out to a 17-7 lead in the first half and held on down the stretch to earn a 20-19 road victory over Southern Nazarene on Saturday afternoon in Bethany, Okla.
 
The Savage Storm improve to 3-4 on the season and will be back in action on Oct. 21 when it welcomes Southwestern Oklahoma State to Paul Laird Field at 2 p.m.
 
DJ Brown led the SE offense with a season-high 165 yards rushing and one touchdown, with Ryan Hirt adding 20 yards on six carries.
 
The Storm would finish the day with 195 yards total on the ground.
 
Weston Conaway would get the start and completed 6-of-12 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown but saw his day come to an early end with Kane Donovan finishing the game with a 6-of-11 mark for 91 yards.
 
Hunter Hawthorne was the top target between the two with six catches for 111 yards.
 
Gyasi Smith followed with three grabs and 42 yards with a touchdown, while Marquis Gray picked up two receptions for 20 yards.
 
In all, the Storm added 177 yards on the ground and finish the day with 372 yards of total offense.
 
Dylan Cox would connect on a pair of field goals on the day, hitting from 30 yards and 37 yards.
 
Cameron Tate and Michael Hookfin led the defense with nine tackles each, while Caleb High added seven stops and a 19 yard fumble return.
 
Joseph Jones picked up an interception, while Kevin Simes and De'Angelo Shanks each picked up a sack.
 
SNU would get on the board first and fast, taking its opening drive 75 yards on three plays with Gage Porter scoring on a 74-yard TD run to take a 7-0 lead 1:33 into the game.
 
The teams traded scoreless possession before SE put together its own quick-strike drive, going 62 yards on four plays with Brown scoring from 46 yards out to knot the game at 7-7 with 4:49 to play in the first quarter.
 
The ensuing Crimson Storm drive would end on a Porter fumble which was recovered and returned by High down to the SNU five-yard line.
 
That drive would end on downs at the SNU one yard line, and the next Crimson Storm possession would end on Jones interception at home 17 yard line.
 
Cox would then cap the ensuing drive with a 30 yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead with eight seconds to go in the first quarter.
 
After stopping the next Southern Nazarene drive, Southeastern would go 51 yards on five plays with Conaway hitting Smith for a 26 yard touchdown strike to push the lead to 17-7 with 10:53 to go in the second quarter.
 
SNU would close the gap before the half as Braxton Burd scored on a 12 yard touchdown run, but a failed PAT would leave SE up 17-13 at the half.
 
The Savage Storm would open the second half by marching 50 yards, with a 32 yard Brown run powering the progress, with Cox ultimately capping the drive with a 37 yard field goal to stretch the lead to 20-13 with 12:94 to play in the third quarter.
 
That score would carry into the fourth quarter before SNU would put together a seven-play 90 yard drive with Porter cashing in on a three-yard TD, but the PAT would be off the mark, leaving SE a 20-19 lead with 5:02 to play.
 
SE would run 2:30 off the clock on the ensuing drive, giving the Crimson Storm the ball with 2:32 to play.
 
SNU would move the ball down to the Southeastern 18 yard line before Shanks would come up with a huge 10 yard sack of Porter back to the 28 yard line.
 
That was followed by a holding penalty which backed the ball to the SE 38 yard line, setting up a 55 yard field goal attempt which would fall just short with 12 seconds to play, preserving the 20-19 Southeastern victory.