Storm Tame Rival Tigers in Season Finale

DURANT, Okla. – Johnathan Cobb Jr. ran for a pair of touchdowns and Kamron Fields snagged a game-clinching interception with under a minute to play as Southeastern secured a 24-19 win in the 108^th meeting of the Great American Classic on Saturday afternoon on Paul Laird Field at Spend Life Wisely Stadium.
 
The win brings the Savage Storm record to 5-6 to end the season and lifts SE's record to 52-50-6 in the series versus the Tigers.
 
"It's always good to finish well," said head coach Bo Atterberry. "I don't like what happened afterwards. We need to be able to finish and win a little more humbly of course."
 
Donovan Shannon led all ball carriers in the game with 73 yards on the ground on 17 carries, while Luke Hohenberger finished with 47 yards and a touchdown.
 
Cobb turned in 30 yards rushing but found paydirt twice.
 
Hohenberger added 128 yards through the air on 9-of-17 passing, hitting Cobb three times for 23 yards and Colton Simpson twice for a team-high 61 yards receiving.
 
Dylan Cox added a field goal in the effort, hitting from 22 yards out.
 
After a rough opening possession, the SE defense settled in and forced four-straight punts to get rolling.
 
Wiliam Wallis racked up 10 tackles to lead the way for the Storm defense, while Braeden Winters followed with eight and Joseph Jones turned in seven.
 
D'Teaurean Johnson logged a sack, while Kamron Field snagged an interception and returned it 40 yards.
 
ECU jumped in front in the opening minute when Sergio Kennedy connected with Brooks Rigney for a 74-yard touchdown toss on the second play of the game.
 
It took the Storm offense a bit longer to get moving, but the defense followed by forcing punts on the next three drives, with the last one setting SE up at its own 35-yard line.
 
Eight plays later, including a third-and-11 pickup, Cobb found the endzone from a yard out to event he game at 7-7 with 1:18 to play in the opening quarter.
 
Southeastern again forced a punt and on its first drive of the second quarter marched 91 yards on 18 play sand burned 10:46 off the clock, converting two third downs and two fourth downs before Cox connected on a 22-yard field goal to give SE a 10-7 lead.
 
The Tiger though closed out the half by driving the ball 48 yards on eight plays and connecting on a 34-yard field goal as the first half expired, knotting the halftime score at 10-10.
 
Southeastern had the ball to open the second half and took it 65 yards on nine plays with Hohenberger capping the drive with a six-yard TD run to put the Storm in front 17-10.
 
ECU closed the gap with a 35 yard field goal to open the fourth quarter, but SE had an answer, going 66 yards on eight plays with Cobb scoring from five yards out to push the advantage to 24-13 with 6:36 to play.
 
The teams traded quick possessions before ECU went 48 yards on five plays to score with 1:56 to play, but the Storm stopped the two-point conversion to leave the score at 24-19.
 
After committing an illegal procedure penalty on its first onside kick try, ECU would recover its second and take over at its own 34 yardline.
 
The Tigers crossed midfield before Fields heroics provided the day's lone turnover and secured the SE 24-19 victory.