No. 9 Henderson State Survive Scare against Southeastern Oklahoma

Written by Gerren Gentry

Twitter: @TruthGentry

Thursday night the ninth ranked Henderson State Reddies were able to endure a hard fought game by the Southeastern Oklahoma Savage Storm. The Reddies have high expectations this season with the return of the GAC Offensive Player of the Year, Jaquan Cole, and after winning 11 games the previous year.

In 2015, Cole led the conference in rushing with 1,198 yards and broke a Henderson State single game rushing record with 245 yards. Southeastern returns 20 starters from a team that won six games last season, including All-GAC defensive back, Raheem Wilson. Wilson is currently only three interceptions from breaking a school record for most interceptions in a colligate career.

The game started out with both offenses struggling to move the ball efficiently until HSU running back Jaquan Cole broke free for a 63-yard run. That set up a field goal by Fred Mitchell Award hopeful, Houston Ray, to take a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The following drive, SOSU answered with a field goal of their own to tie the game at 3-all. During the second quarter, the Reddies turned the football over on back-to-back series via a lost fumble by Jaquan Cole and an interception by SOSU All-Conference defensive back Raheem Wilson. With a little over five minutes left in the half, junior wide receiver Bryce Steele made an immaculate touchdown reception in the corner of the end zone from quarterback CB Cantwell. Steele then converted a two-point conversion to take an 11-3 lead. The next possession HSU put together a solid drive only to be disappointed by a missed field goal just before the end of the half.

Both defenses entered the second half very disciplined until Henderson State managed to score the only points of the third quarter. This time, Ray managed to nail his second field goal of the game cutting their deficit to 11-6. Before the third quarter ended, HSU quarterback Andrew Black completed a key 51-yard pass to set the Reddies up for a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Evan Lassiter at the beginning at the fourth quarter. This made the score 13-11 and the Reddies would go on to win the game.

The Henderson State defense rose to the challenge by not allowing a single score in the second half including blocking a potential game winning field goal by SOSU.

After the game I caught up with last year’s leading tackler for HSU, Josh Davis.

Your defense held them to no points in the second half, what kind of adjustments did the team make?

“Our defense had to play tougher. They were the more physical team in the first half and we weren’t dropping into our zones. We had to come together as a team and we knew that if we were going to win this game, they couldn’t score in the second half.”

What are some things you want to carry over into next week and what are some things you want to fix?

“I want to continue to come together as a team, not giving up, and have that same fight. That’s something that you want to have week to week. And we just want to fix up our techniques.”

You had over 100 tackles last year, what else can we expect from you this season?

“All I can promise you is I’m going to give it my all every weekend.”

Davis went on to give acknowledgement to his late friend Rio. The talented linebacker ended the game with 5 solo tackles with two of them resulting in a loss of yardage. Henderson State will go on the road to Ada, Oklahoma next week to face the 0-1 East Central University Tigers.

Photo credit: Gerren Gentry; Henderson State beats Southeastern Oklahoma