HAMMOND – The two-time reigning Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana football team closed out spring practice on Saturday, as the White team defeated the Gold team, 45-26, in the Spring Game in Strawberry Stadium.  
 
The White team was the SLU offense and was awarded points in the traditional way, as well as for first downs (1 point) and big plays (1 point). The Gold team received points for turnovers (3 points), three-and-outs (2 points) and stops (1 point).
 
On the offensive side of the ball, sophomore running back Eugene Bethea led the Lions with 12 carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Senior running back Kody Sutton also rushed for a score.
 
Junior quarterback D'Shaie Landor threw for 133 yards on 12-of-19 passing, while junior quarterback Larry Cutbirth passed for 36 yards on 5-for-12 passing. Junior wide receiver Jarrell Bennett was the leading receiver with five catches for 49 yards.
 
On the defensive side, the Lions held the White team to 289 total yards. Senior defensive back Josh Dakin led SLU with two interceptions. Junior defensive back Demarayeh Lane forced a fumble that junior defensive back Derrick Raymond recovered.
 
Senior defensive back Micah Eugene led the Lions with seven tackles, while senior defensive back Jordan Batiste, senior linebacker Herbert Harris and junior defensive back JQ Sandolph each had six tackles. Junior linebacker Caleb Young had a sack, while freshman linebacker Ja'Hmal Macklin led the Lions with three tackles for loss.
 
The Gold team held the White team off the board for the first four drives of the game, which also included a Dakin interception of Landor. On the fifth drive, Sutton raced in from 10 yards out to give the White team a 10-8 lead.
 
On the next drive, Lane chopped down Bethea to force him to fumble, allowing Raymond to give the Gold team three points by pouncing on the loose ball.
 
To start the second quarter, the White team moved into a goal-to-go situation. The defense stiffened by stopping freshman running back Julius Maracalin on four straight chances. On the next drive, Macklin and freshman linebacker Dylan Vaughn stopped Bethea in the end zone to force a safety.
 
On the third drive of the third quarter, Landor went 4-for-4 for 57 yards to set up Bethea's two-yard touchdown run to give the White team a 31-20 lead.
 
The highlight of the fourth quarter for the SLU defense was Dakin picking off a Cutbirth pass to give the Gold team three points. Bethea closed out the scoring for the White team late in the game with a 10-yard scoring run.
 
Southeastern will report to campus in early August to begin its quest for its third straight Southland Conference championship and FCS playoff appearance. The 2015 season opens on Sept. 3 with SLU traveling to Northwestern State for a Southland Conference contest in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
 
White 45, Gold 26
 
March 28, 2015 – Hammond, La. – Strawberry Stadium
White (Offense) vs. Gold (Defense)
 
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
WHITE – Kody Sutton 10 run (Harrison Heim PAT)
 
Second Quarter
GOLD – Safety – Tackle for loss by Ja'Hmal Macklin and Dylan Vaughn
 
Third Quarter
No scoring
 
Fourth Quarter
WHITE – Eugene Bethea 2 run (Jonathan Tatum PAT)
WHITE – Eugene Bethea 10 run (Harrison Heim PAT)
 
Team Statistics
Rushing – 41-120, 3 TD
Passing – 17-for-31, 169 yards, 2 INT
Total Yards – 72 plays, 289 yards
Penalties – 11-82 (Gold 5-52; White 6-30)
 
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Eugene Bethea - 12-49, 2 TD, 1 fumble loss
Shannon Cage – 2-24
Julius Maracalin - 12-25
Kody Sutton – 6-15, 1 TD
D'Shaie Landor – 4-15
Larry Cutbirth – 3-3
Team – 1-0
Jake Ingraffia – 1-3
 
Passing
D'Shaie Landor – 12-for-19, 133 yards, 1 INT
Larry Cutbirth – 5-for-12, 36 yards, 1 INT
 
Receiving
Jarrell Bennett – 5-49
Da'Quan Smith – 3-32
Julius Maracalin – 4-28
Eugene Bethea – 2-24
Isaiah Kepley – 1-15
Jake Ingraffia – 1-9
Juwaan Rogers – 1-9
Brandon Acker – 1-7

Kicking
Harrison Heim – 2-2 PAT
Jonathan Tatum – 1-1 PAT
 
Punting
Harris Beall – 4-37.3 avg. Long-43
Harrison Heim – 3-37.3 avg. Long-42

Defense
Micah Eugene – 7 tackles, 1 pass break up
Jordan Batiste – 6 tackles, 1 TFL
Herbert Harris – 6 tackles, 1 TFL
JQ Sandolph – 6 tackles, 1 TFL
Ja'Hmal Macklin – 5 tackles, 3 TFL
Javon Tillman – 5 tackles, 1 TFL
Caleb Young – 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
AJ Bowen – 4 tackles, 1 TFL
Ryan Sigers – 4 tackles
Josh Dakin – 2 tackles, 2 INT, 1 pass break up
Dylan Vaughn – 2 tackles, 1 TFL
Sean Clavelle – 2 tackles
Aaron Craig – 2 tackles
Javari Nichols – 2 tackles
Terangi Phifer – 2 tackles
Denzel Thompson – 2 tackles
Trent Williams – 2 tackles
Jalal Yousofzai – 2 tackles
Kaelyn Henderson – 1 tackle, 1 pass breakup
Derrick Raymond – 1 tackle, 1 fumble recovery
Aaron Price – 1 tackle, 1 TFL
Ashton Henderson – 1 tackle
Marquis Hatcher – 1 tackle
Demarayeh Lane – 1 forced fumble
Will Hines – 1 pass break up