Box Score



HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana scored 17 unanswered second half points to pull away for a 38-28 win over Texas State in non-conference football action Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.

The Lions (2-5) snapped a four-game losing skid with the win, behind three rushing touchdowns from sophomore running back LaTruan Weary. Senior Simmie Yarborough became the school's career leader in receiving yards and helped Southeastern snap a five-game winning streak for Texas State (5-3).

The two teams combined for 1,014 yards of total offense in the wild shootout. Southeastern was able to turn the tide with two second half turnovers, offsetting a 234-yard rushing performance by Bobcat running back Terrence Franks.

The mistakes that plagued Southeastern throughout its losing streak were non-existent on Saturday, as the Lions did not commit a turnover and limited itself six penalties. Senior Brian Young played his best game as a Lion, completing 26-of-44 passes for 349 yards.

The Lion senior receiving trio of Yarborough (5-79), Kory Theodore (7-100) and Brandon Collins (5-82) lived up to their billing in the win. Yarborough, who was already the school's career leader in catches (202) and receiving touchdowns (29), now has 2,417 receiving yards, moving past former Lion Felton Huggins, who collected 2,345 yards from 2003-05.

Junior Sam Fairley carried a career-high 24 times for 94 yards and a touchdown for the Lions, while Weary toted the ball seven times for 33 yards, but found the end zone three times. Young also had a 17-yard scoring run.

While Southeastern did allow 508 total yards, the defense came up big in the second half. Junior Frank Bryant had the game-clinching forced fumble and recovery. Senior Keiron Jones and freshman Tyler Stoddard each had 11 tackles, while senior David Durden added 10 tackles and a sack. Freshman Parris Stewart also forced a fumble for the Lions.

Southeastern took the lead for good on the opening drive of the second half. A 24-yard completion to Yarborough from Young on a third –and-six keyed a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Weary capped it with a one-yard plunge to put Southeastern up, 28-21, with 10:45 remaining in the third quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Stewart forced Derek Lopez to fumble and junior Michael Chaney fell on the loose ball to set the Lions up at the Texas State  20-yard line. Four plays later, sophomore Seth Sebastian connected on a 45-yard field goal to put the Lions up, 31-21.

Southeastern added to its lead early in the fourth quarter. Highlighted by a 30-yard Yarborough catch and run, a 10-play, 81-yard drive was capped by a nine-yard scoring run by Weary to give Southeastern a commanding 38-21 lead with 12:46 left.

Texas State would not go away quietly, however, as Franks broke through for a 74-yard touchdown run on the next play from scrimmage to cut the lead to 10. That was as close as the Bobcats would get, as Southeastern forced the Bobcats to turn it over on downs twice, while Bryant's strip of Texas State junior quarterback Shaun Rutherford and subsequent recovery of the loose ball with four minutes left iced the game.

The teams were deadlocked after two quarters, 21-21, after combining for 580 total yards of offense in the first 30 minutes. After forcing Texas State to go three and out on the opening drive, Southeastern marched 75 yards on 11 plays with Young scampering in from 17 yards out to give the Lions a 7-0 lead.

Texas State answered with a methodical 14-play, 79-yard scoring drive that took 8:10 off the clock. Marcus Curry bulled in from five yards out to tie the score, 7-7, with 2:02 remaining in the opening quarter.

The two teams traded two touchdowns in the final minute of the opening period. A 28-yard Young to Theodore hookup keyed a Lion drive that Fairley capped with a seven-yard scoring jaunt. Two plays later, Darius Bolden answered with a 75 yard catch and run from Rutherford.

Southeastern retook the lead early in the second quarter. Weary covered the final 50 yards of the drive, including a seven-yard scoring run to put the Lions up, 21-14. Texas State tied the score after a four-yard run by Franks, which he set up with a 58-yard scamper that set up first and goal.

Both teams could have had more points in the opening half, but both teams missed makeable field goals in the second quarter to keep the halftime score deadlocked.

Southeastern will return to Southland Conference play next Saturday, facing Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. in Conway, Ark. Next Saturday's contest will be broadcast in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net.