DURANT, Okla. — Henderson State forced four second-half turnovers on Saturday afternoon and grinded out a 41-27 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State to improve to 7-1 on the year. The win was the Reddies' 10th-straight over the Savage Storm and helps HSU match its best start since 2015.
No. 23 Henderson (7-1) led 20-17 at the break after two big scoring plays from SOSU helped the Savage Storm keep things tight through 30 minutes, but the Reddies got going in the third quarter.
The first turnover of the game came minutes into the period by way of a fumble and was recovered by Patrick Jones who returned it down to the Southeastern 15-yard line. L'liott Curry's second touchdown of the game moments later gave Henderson some cushion with a 27-17 lead at the 9:21 mark of the quarter.
After both sides traded empty possessions, Henderson's Tristan Heaton pinned SOSU back at its own 1-yard line with a perfect 35-yard coffin corner punt. The Reddies' defense cashed in on the Savage Storm's first play, as Mercardo Anderson jumped a corner route and returned his interception 17 yards for a score to put HSU up 34-17.
A field goal from Southeastern Oklahoma late in the third was answered by a 20-yard touchdown strike from Richard Stammetti to Chase Lodree early in the fourth, which gave Henderson a 41-20 advantage and seemingly put the game on ice. The Savage Storm refused to go away, however, and scored a quick touchdown to make it 41-27 before picking off Stammetti with 8:21 to play and marching the ball down to the Reddies' 8-yard line.
With a first-and-goal and just over five minutes left, Patrick Jones made his second huge play of the game, as he picked off SOSU quarterback Daulton Hatley at the goal line to preserve the two-score lead and finally put an end to the threat for Henderson, who was able to salt the rest of the clock away and secure its seventh win.
Stammetti finished 24-of-34 for 234 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions on the day, while Curry turned in nine catches for 71 yards and two scores. Curry has 10 receiving touchdowns this season. Doug Johnson also had a big game and led the team with seven catches for 81 yards. Logan Moragne and Querale Hall combined for 34 carries and 155 yards rushing as both players found the end zone in the victory. Defensively, Jones had a fumble recovery and interception for Henderson, and Anderson finished with two picks, a half-tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry.
The Reddies will hit the road again next Saturday, Nov. 2, when they travel to Monticello, Arkansas to face UAM at 3 p.m.
