MAGNOLIA, Arkansas - The Henderson defense picked off Southern Arkansas twice in the Reddies' first trip to Magnolia since 2012, but it was not quite enough as Southern Arkansas handed HSU its first loss of the season, 28-24.
Both
Andrew Croker and
Darrick Rose Jr. were the recipients of the interceptions, while Croker was second on the team with six tackles behind fellow defensive back
Tim Jennings' seven take downs. On the offensive side of the ball,
Andrew Edwards was 23-of-34 for 331 yards and three touchdowns while
Xavier Malone led the arrial attack with seven receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
Mike Benning recorded two catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.
As a team, HSU outgained SAU on the night, 478 to 369, including 147 yards to 61 yards on the ground for the home squad. Henderson even saw more first downs than Southern Arkansas, 24-20. A crucial muffed punt late in the game from the Reddies after briefly taking the lead proved to be the ultimate momentum swing.
The game started off with a bang for Henderson as a
Mike Benning caught a short dump-off pass from Edwards on the fourth play of the game and took it down the right sideline for 66 yards and the first score of the game. A missed PAT gave HSU the 6-0 lead in the early going. Southern Arkansas quickly responded with a 10 play, 75 yard drive to take the 7-6 lead.
Each team scored on its next series before HSU sent away the first punt of the game with 8:40 remaining in the second quarter as SAU held the 14-9 advantage. With the Muleriders threatening to open a two-score lead, the Henderson defense came up with its first big play of the game, with Rose Jr. picking off SAU's OB Jones at the Reddie 10-yard line. The momentum was halted, however, when a fake punt from the visiting team came up short as SAU maintained the lead.
This time, SAU took advantage, scoring for the 21-9 lead before Malone scored his first touchdown of the game late in the first half to cut the deficit to five at the break, 21-16. After 30 minutes of play, HSU had 281 yards while Southern Arkansas tallied 273 in the neck-and-neck contest.
The Henderson defense came out of the locker room and stalled the Mulerider offense on the first possession of the second half, yet Southern Arkansas' defense held again, forcing another punt to keep hold of the five-point lead. For the second time of the game, HSU came up with a clutch interception deep in its own end, as this time Croker came up big for the visiting team.
With the third quarter coming to an end, the Reddies scored their first points off an SAU turnover 47 seconds into the final period with Malone's second touchdown of the game. A successful two-point try put HSU ahead by three, 24-21. The Henderson defense got a stop on the ensuing drive for the home team that Henderson was desperately needing at that point of the game, yet a muffed punt switched the atmosphere in the stadium quickly.
With a short field to work with, SAU capitalized eight plays later to take what would be the final lead change of the game, 28-24. Back-to-back punts from both squads gave HSU one final chance, but a turnover-on-downs on Southern Arkansas' 20 yard line sent the home Muleriders crown into a frenzy as SAU executed victory formation for the four-point triumph.
Henderson St. (3-1) will return to Carpenter-Haygood Stadium at GeoSurfaces Field for Hall of Honor weekend when Southeastern Oklahoma State comes to Arkadelphia Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m.
