DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns but saw its fourth-quarter comeback come up short in a 23-17 loss in the home opener to Ouachita Baptist on Saturday night on Paul Laird Field at Spend Life Wisely Stadium.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 1-1 on the season as they prepare for the first in-state road trip of the season to face Southwestern Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. on Sept. 19 in Weatherford, Okla.
 
SE did its damage through the air on Saturday as Levay Duncan and Luke Hohenberger combined for 307 yards through the air and a touchdown on 25-of-35 passing.
 
Duncan paced that number with a 20-for-29 effort through the air with 245 yards and a touchdown and an interception.
 
Hohenberger finished 5-of-6 for the night for 62 yards.
 
Jax Sternberger led the receiving corps with 12 catches and 139 yards, both career highs.
 
Sean Steens added 80 yards on five grabs with a touchdown.
 
The rushing attack was led by Duncan as well who had 54 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Chancy Lester Jr. led the way among running back with 23 yards on four carries.
 
Prince Dweh paced the defense with 10 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, including a half sack.
 
Tony Hamilton was next in line with six stops, while Hamilton and Kole McKnight each added a pass breakup.
 
SE opened the game with aq three-and-out and the Tigers took advantage, putting together a nine-play, 51 yard drive to take a 7-0 lead.
 
That lead extended to 9-0 when Luke Wrublesky blocked a Storm punt which rolled back and out of the endzone for a safety with 3:14 remaining in the first quarter.
 
OBU followed by taking the ensuing possession 59 yards on three plays to score on a Ty Burleson one-yard run, taking a 16-0 lead which would hold up at the quarter break.
 
The second quarter saw the scoring slow, with neither team putting points on the board until the final seconds when the Storm closed the half by driving the ball 75 yards on 11 plays before Cox connected on a 35-yard field goal with four seconds to play in the half, making the halftime score 16-3.
 
The Tigers took the opening possession of the second half and moved 75 yards on seven plays with Chris Hensley Jr. taking it in from three yards out to push the OBU lead to 23-3 at the 11:59 mark of the third quarter.
 
That would remain the score through the remainder of the third quarter and just short of a minute into the fourth before Duncan connected with Steens for a 28-yard touchdown pass, closing the gap to 23-10.
 
SE would get the ball back with 8:15 to play and march 96 yards on 11 plays, taking 5:32 off the clock and ending on a Duncan four-yard rushing TD to get within 23-17.
 
The Storm forced a three and out to get the ball back with 1:39 to play with a chance to take the lead.
 
The drive moved to the Ouachita Baptist 39 yardline before a Duncan pass was picked off, ending the comeback and keeping the final at 23-17.