Box Score

HAMMOND – McNeese State kicker Josh Lewis hit a career-long 52-yard field goal as time expired to allow the Cowboys to get past Southeastern Louisiana, 13-10, in Southland Conference action on the Lions' Homecoming Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.

Lewis' tie-breaking kick capped a nine-play, 62-yard game-winning drive for the Cowboys, who improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in league action. Despite outgaining McNeese State, 361-287, the Lions fell to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in Southland action.

Southeastern trailed 10-7 heading into the final quarter and evened the score with just under six minutes to play. The Lions drove 46 yards on 10 plays for the tying score. A 17-yard pass from senior quarterback Tyler Beatty to junior Brandon Collins set Southeastern up with a first and goal at the McNeese 10-yard line.

Beatty rushed to the McNeese State three-yard line and then misfired on a pass to senior Andre Cryer. On third and goal, Beatty threw a fade to Collins and appeared and a flag was thrown on London Durham for pass interference. However, after a conference the officials ruled the ball was tipped and overturned the call. Southeastern freshman Seth Sebastian was called upon to hit a 20-yard field goal to knot the score at 10 with 5:58 left.

The two teams traded punts and Southeastern sophomore punter Beau Mothe pinned McNeese State down at its own three-yard line with 1:51 left. The Cowboys seemed content to run out the clock, until Andre Anderson broke off two first down runs to get McNeese State from out under their own goalposts.

A pass interference call on Lion junior Keiron Jones moved the ball up to the Cowboy 41-yard line. Cody Stroud scrambled for eight yards and then connected with Wes Briscoe on a 13-yard pass that moved the ball into position for Lewis' game-winning kick.

Both teams had trouble sustaining drives throughout the game, as Mothe and his McNeese State counterpart Ben Bourgeois combined for 18 punts in the game. Beatty finished 19-for-38 for 212 yards and an interception for the Lions, hooking up with Collins seven times for 115 yards. Southeastern sophomore running back Zeke Jones carried 16 times for 65 yards and scored his seventh rushing touchdown of the season.

Defensively, senior linebacker Mark Newbill finished with a game-high 13 tackles to become the school's career tackle leader, while senior defensive backs Tommy Connors and Clint Coleman had eight stops apiece. Newbill, junior Lindsey Leavoy and sophomore David Durden all had sacks for the Lions.

Stroud was efficient for the Cowboys, completing 15-of-29 throws for 172 yards. Anderson led MSU with 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 21 carries. Darrell Jenkins led McNeese with nine tackles and Kentrel Butler had an interception.

McNeese State jumped to a 7-0 lead on their second possession. A 78-yard bomb from Stroud to Diontae Spencer set up a three-yard Anderson score with 3:42 remaining.

A Lion fumble on the ensuing kickoff set the Cowboys up with the ball deep in Lion territory. However, the Southeastern defense stiffened as a sack by Leavoy forced McNeese State to punt.

Southeastern evened the score late in the half. A 28-yard pass from Beatty to junior Simmie Yarborough keyed the Lions' six-play, 62-yard scoring march. Three plays later, Jones plowed in from a yard out to knot the score.

Southeastern appeared poised to take the lead on the opening drive of the third quarter. A 28-yard completion to Collins moved the ball to the McNeese State 20-yard line. On the next play, Butler stepped in front of a Beatty throw and returned the ball 58 yards to the Lion 27-yard line.

The long interception return set up a 38-yard Lewis field goal to give McNeese State a 10-7 lead with 10:24 left in the third quarter. The two teams traded punts from there on out, before Sebastian knotted the score with just under six minutes left and Lewis hit the game-winner as time expired.

Southeastern will be back in action next Saturday, heading to Conway, Ark. to face Southland Conference rival Central Arkansas at 2 p.m. The game will be televised on the Southeastern Television Network (Charter Channel 16 in the Hammond area).