Box Score



HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana football team forced Nicholls State into five turnovers to run away with a 31-14 victory to reclaim the River Bell for the first time since 2007 in the season finale for both teams Thursday night at Strawberry Stadium.

The Lions (3-8, 1-6 Southland) snapped a 12-game losing streak versus Southland Conference competition and sent their 12 seniors out as winners. Nicholls State finished the season with a 1-10 overall record and 0-7 in league action.

Southeastern head coach Mike Lucas was proud of his team's efforts in the final game of a challenging 2011 campaign.

“It was great to finish the season for our seniors with a win in their last ball game,” Lucas commented. “We gave a great effort in all three phases. Our defense did a good job surrounding (NSU junior quarterback LaQuinton) Caston. Our offense moved the ball effectively and we made some big special team plays.”

The Lions broke open a close game with a 21-point third quarter. Nicholls was held scoreless until a couple of Lion special team miscues led to two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

The story was the Lion defense, which finished with seven sacks. Playing in his final game of his career, senior Avery Crooks shared the team lead in tackles with freshman Tyler Stoddard and junior Tay Alford, as all three finished with 11 tackles. Junior Robert Alford and freshman Kevin Roberts each had an interception for the Lions. Robert Alford, freshman Jonathan Kinchen and junior Tramaine Lucas each forced a fumble.

Offensively, junior quarterback Brian Young finished with 227 passing yards, completing 23 of 35 passes. Young threw touchdown passes to senior Kory Theodore and freshman Dean Johnson. The senior trio of Theodore (8-62), Brandon Collins (4-45) and senior Simmie Yarborough (3-67) were the top receivers for the Lions. Yarborough, a Brookhaven, Miss. native, finished his career as the school's all-time leader with 229 catches, 2,780 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns.

Southeastern also amassed 166 rushing yards. Junior Zeke Jones led Southeastern with 12 carries for 66 yards, while sophomore LaTruan Weary finished with 63 yards on 14 carries, as both backs had touchdown runs.

Southeastern took a 3-0 lead on the opening drive of the game, as Yarborough set up a 21-yard field goal from sophomore Seth Sebastian with a 46-yard bomb from Young.

Nicholls moved the ball effectively on the next drive, but a sack by Tramaine Lucas allowed Southeastern to take over on downs. After forcing Southeastern to punt, the Colonels again moved into Lion territory, but placekicker Andrew Dolan hooked a 39-yard field goal try wide left.

Another short Southeastern drive to start the second quarter was followed by Nicholls' most impressive drive of the first half. The Colonels marched 72 yards on 15 plays, but on fourth and goal at the Lion 1, Robert Alford stripped Caston at the goal line to give the Lions the ball back and keep the Colonels off the board.

On the final drive of the half, Southeastern pushed the lead to 10-0. Young found Theodore in the back of the end zone with two seconds left in the half to give the Lions momentum heading into the break.

Southeastern took the opening kickoff of the second half down to the Nicholls five-yard line. On second and goal, senior Antoine Duplessis was stripped at the goal line, allowing the Colonels to regain possession. Two plays later, Roberts intercepted Caston to give the ball and momentum back to the Lions.

Young marched Southeastern 75 yards on 10 plays. Weary bulled in from a yard out to put the Lions up, 17-0, with 7:53 remaining in the third quarter.

Southeastern forced Nicholls to go three-and-out on the next drive and then Collins set up Southeastern with a first and goal at the NSU 6-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Zeke Jones found the end zone for a 24-0 lead.

On the next Nicholls drive, Kinchen stripped Caston at the Lion 42-yard line and junior Devan Walker fell on the loose ball. Ten plays later, Dean Johnson spun out of a tackle and scored on an eight-yard throw from Young to give the Lions an insurmountable 31-0 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Nicholls managed a two-yard touchdown run by Landry Klann and a three yard scoring pass from Klann to Blair to make the score respectable in the final quarter.

Of the 22 starters in Thursday's game for the Lions, 15 will return next season, including eight on a defense that forced 11 turnovers in the final three games of the year.