BETHANY, OKLA. - The Southern Nazarene University football team earned their first win of 2019 in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon against the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Military appreciation day must have lit a fire under the Crimson Storm (1-3, 1-3 GAC) as they overcame a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Savage Storm (1-3, 1-3 GAC) 22-21.
Southern Nazarene burst out of the gate with a touchdown pass from
Gage Porter to freshman
Noah Turbyfill to strike first and make the score 7-0. The contest would then become a defensive battle with continuous jousting between the opponents. It was not until the second half that a another score would be put on the board.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University opened the second half with a new identity as they scored in the first eight minutes. Daulton Hatley connected with Ryan Ronces on a six yard touchdown pass with 10:53 to play in the third to tie the game at 7-7. After Hatley found Braxton Kincade for a 38-yard touchdown to give Southeastern the lead, SEOSU took the momentum and converted an interception from Jeremiah Baltrip into an eight play, 82-yard drive to stretch their lead to 14. Rashod Polk would cap the drive and rush in from one yard to increase the Savage Storm lead to 21-7 with a little over 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.
As hope was fading for the Crimson Storm with just 4:49 left in the game,
Gage Porter connected with
Vance Hooper for a 15-yard score to make the contest 21-14. The Southern Nazarene defense would make a stand again and force a punt with exactly one minute left in the game. The Crimson Storm caught a break on the play, as the boot went only three yards, setting up the SNU offense at their own 46 with 54 seconds to play. On the ensuing drive, Porter found
Nate Walker across the middle for a 52 yard completion with just 38 seconds left in the half. Porter then took the next play into the end zone to pull SNU within one at 21-20. The Crimson Storm coaching staff decided they wanted to end the game in regulation, so Coach Lambert made the decision to attempt a 2-point conversion play. Porter waltzed his way in for the deuce on a roll out from 3 yards out to give SNU their final lead of the game, 22-21.
The Crimson Storm defense was again called upon and they answered the call to seal the victory.
Josh Jordan would intercept the last resort pass of Daulton Hautley to end the game.
The Southern Nazarene Football team played with a new identity on Saturday and found consistency. Everyone got a piece of the pie. Linebacker
Jake Hanson and
Josh Jordan would lead the way with 9 tackles apiece.
Jakel Davis added an interception to go along with 3 pass break ups.
Cameron Wells also played well at the corner back position with a pair of pass break ups of his own. Porter finished the day with 10-for-15 through the air, amassing 140 yards and two touchdowns, and seven SNU players combined for 136 rushing yards, led by Walker's 29 yards on the ground. Walker added three catches for 59 yards as well. The SNU defense had five tackles for loss and three sacks also.
SNU will be back in action on Saturday, October 5, when they head to Searcy, Arkansas to take on the #22/20 Harding University Bisons (2-1, 2-1 GAC). Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
