Savage Storm Drops Road Finale at SAU

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – For the second-straight week Southeastern found itself on the wrong end of a one score contest as it closed out the road portion of the 2025 schedule with a narrow 16-14 loss at Southern Arkansas on Saturday afternoon in Magnolia, Ark.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 4-6 overall on the season heading into the final contest of the season when it hosts rival East Central at noon on Nov. 15 on Paul Laird Field at Spend Life Wisely Stadium.
 
Colton Howard drew his first start at quarterback and set a season-high for completions with 23, finishing 23-of-32 on the day for 146 yards but was picked off three times.
 
Sean Steens was his top target on the afternoon, hauling in eight catches for 42 yards, while Jax Sternberger and Gabe Corona had four grabs each.
 
Johnathon Cobb Jr. pulled down three and was second in line with 36 yards receiving.
 
Donovan Shannon led the rushing attack with 64 yards on eight carries with a touchdown.
 
Three SE defenders logged double-digit tackle outings, with D'Teaurean Johnson, and William Wallis piling up 12 stops each while Dylan Sebock added 10.
 
Braeden Winters and Trevion Butler finished with nine tackles each, while Prince Dweh, De'Angelo Shanks, Joshua Johnson, and Jordan Hood recorded seven tackles each.
 
Butler logged his first blocked kick of the season, and his block was scooped up by Kole McKnight and taken to the house, the first blocked field goal returned for a touchdown in the Division II era for the Storm.
 
Southeastern took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards on seven plays, converting on third downs with a 17-yard Shannon run and a nine-yard Howard to Corona pass before Shannon capped the drive with a 28-yard touchdown run up the middle to take 7-0 lead at the 11:11 mark of the first quarter.
 
The Storm would carry that 7-0 lead into the second quarter, but less than a minute into that frame the Muleriders cashed in a 15-play, 66 -yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 which is where the score would remain into the halftime break.
 
SAU took the first possession of the second half and turned it into three points to take a 10-7 lead.
 
The ensuing Storm drive ended in an interception in Mulerider territory, but the SE defense forced another SAU field goal and trailed 13-7 heading to the fourth quarter.
 
Southern Arkansas added another field goal on its first drive of the fourth quarter, pushing its lead to 16-7 with 11:57 to play.
 
The next Storm drive ended on a fake punt pass that was unable to convert, and SAU moved the ball to the Storm 10-yard line before Butler blocked the field goal try which was scooped up by McKnight and returned 72 yards to the house, closing the gap to 16-14 with 6:17 to play.
 
The SE defense got a stop, and the offense took over with 1:42 to play inside its own 15-yard line
 
The Storm moved the ball out to midfield but a long heave with under 10 second to play was picked off at the SAU 28-yard line, ending the SE drive.