ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Freshman kicker Temo Martinez connected on a 40-yard field goal with five seconds left on Saturday afternoon to lift Henderson State to a thrilling 20-17 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Homecoming. The victory extended the Reddies winning streak to four games.

After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter and fighting back, the Reddies (5-3) found themselves with the ball on their own 41-yard line with 24 seconds to play in a 17-17 game. Despite struggling to throw the ball all day, Henderson came through with its biggest play of the game on first down, when Kody Whitaker found Chase Lodree deep for 40 yards to put the Reddies in position for a field goal at the Savage Storm 19-yard line. The pass accounted for more than half of HSU's passing yards in the game.

Two plays later, after Logan Moragne centered the ball in the middle of the field at the 23-yard line, Martinez came through with a low, line-drive wobbler, that just barely cleared the crossbar from 40 yards, to push Henderson in front 20-17. Southeastern's (5-3) last gasp lateral play with four seconds left came up well short, as the Reddies' sideline erupted with its fourth-straight victory in hand.

The Reddies had just 72 passing yards in the win but rushed for 168 yards to just 66 for SOSU. Whitaker, who entered in the second quarter and never relinquished the reigns to the offense, had 18 carries for 95 yards on the ground and 77 passing yards. Moragne carried 12 times for 54 yards, while Querale Hall had 12 rushes for 50 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Jake Chatman had two interceptions and 2.5 tackles for loss to lead the defense, while Malik Brown and Logan Edwards each had one interception. 

The game was marred by turnovers, as Henderson lost four fumbles and the Savage Storm threw four interceptions. Neither team was able to make the other pay for its mistakes, however, as the eight combined turnovers led to just 13 points off of them between the two sides.

Southeastern jumped in front early 14-0 after a scoring drive and a scoop and score, but the Reddies made it a game in the second quarter. Martinez got HSU on the board with a school-record 49-yard field goal to make it 14-3 and Henderson came through with a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive, capped by a one-yard plunge from Hall just before the half, to go to the locker room down 14-10.

Henderson did exactly what it needed to on the opening possession of the second half and marched 76 yards in 13 plays to take a 17-14 lead after a 1-yard dive from Robert Thomas on 4th-and-goal. The Reddies' held the lead until the fourth when a fumble led to great field position and the game-tying 42-yard field goal from the Savage Storm. Southeastern had a chance to win the game when they regained possession with 2:15 to play, but the Henderson defense stood tall and forced a three-and-out to get the Reddies the ball back, which led to the late heroics from Whitaker, Lodree, and Martinez. 

The Reddies next game is Saturday, Oct. 27, when they play Southern Arkansas in the Murphy USA Classic at 2 p.m. in El Dorado, Arkansas.