[November 11, 2006]

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas University held a 6-3 lead over Henderson State University for more than three quarters Saturday, but the Reddies stormed back to score 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to upend the Muleriders, 24-6, at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium in the two teams’ season finale. HSU’s 8-3 overall finish gave them their best season since 1985. Henderson State ends the season with a 6-2 mark in Gulf South Conference play.

Penalties and turnovers marked a sloppy first half that led to a 6-3 Southern Arkansas advantage. The two teams combined for five turnovers and nine penalties in the first two frames, with all five miscues coming in the first quarter alone, four by the Reddies. HSU threw an interception and lost three fumbles, while the Muleriders coughed up one fumble.

The game was scoreless until with 13:53 remaining in the second, Damian Melancon hit D.D. Holyfield on a four-yard pass for a touchdown. David Korff’s kick was blocked by Josh Black leaving SAU with the 6-0 lead.

Henderson State finally got on the board as the clock ran out on the first half on a 40-yard field goal by Brian Giambastiani, leaving it 6-3, Southern Arkansas.

Scoring woes continued for both teams in the third quarter, before the Reddies hit overdrive in the fourth, scoring three unanswered touchdowns to put the game away. The first came at the 10:11 mark when Garett Manning hit Chris Smith for six yards and the score after a five-play, 73-yard drive that took only 1:43.

Manning then found a hole down the field for a 15-yard run to the end zone with 7:59 left, and then Bernard Palmer scored on an eight-yard run with 4:15 remaining. Giambastiani connected on all three PAT’s, giving HSU the 24-6 win.

Henderson State piled up 363 yards of offense on 73 plays, with 226 of that coming on the ground, and 137 through the air. The Muleriders finished with 213 yards on 64 plays, 152 rushing and 61 passing.

The Reddies overcame their turnovers, putting five balls on the ground and losing four, and throwing two interceptions. SAU fumbled twice and lost both, and had three passes picked off.

HSU picked up nine penalties for 70 yards, while SAU was charged with 14 for a whopping 135. Southern Arkansas again won the war of possession, keeping the ball for 31:33 to Henderson State’s 28:27.

Manning finished with 260 yards of total offense to lead the Reddies. He had 123 yards rushing on 14 carries, and the touchdown, and despite throwing both interceptions, was 18 of 34 passing for 137 yards and the one touchdown.

Palmer had 99 yards rushing on 21 totes, and the touchdown. The Muleriders’ quarterback tandem of Josh SanFilippo and Melancon led the SAU ground game, SanFilippo finishing with 40 yards on nine carries, and Melancon had five rushes for 39 yards.

SanFilippo was three of 12 passing for 40 yards, with two interceptions, and Melancon completed seven of 12 for 21 yards, the touchdown, and one interception.

Marques Clark hauled in six catches for 64 yards for HSU, while Jace Garrison had five for 30 yards. Chris Metcalf was the leading receiver for Southern Arkansas with three snags, but for no yards, with one going for no gain, one for four yards, and the other a four yard loss. Holyfield snatched two for 18 yards and the lone Mulerider touchdown, and Augie Berend had one for 19 yards.

Both punters had a field day, Henderson State’s Manning booting three for a 49.0 average, including a long of 57, with two downed inside the 20. SAU’s Tommy King, hit six at a 43.7 clip, a long of 56, and also pinning two inside the 20.

Sam Carter was the leading defender for the Reddies with 12 tackles, one solo, including 1.5 for nine yards in loss, half a sack for minus four, and one pass breakup. Jabrayl Ward had eight tackles, two solo, two pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble. Charles Green, Chris Evans, Derrick Hassell, a Southern Arkansas transfer, and Shane O’Neal all finished with eight tackles each.

John Jones had seven tackles for the Muleriders, three of those solo. Danerio Robiskie, Demarea Caldwell, Keon Phillips, and Germacia Goins added six each. Robiskie broke up a pass, Caldwell forced a fumble and broke up a pass, Phillips had two tackles for six yards in loss, and Goins had 1.5 tackles for minus two. Defensive back Roland Perkins had a big game, totaling four tackles, three solo, he forced a fumble and recovered it, had one interception, and broke up three passes.

Not the season that SAU had envisioned, the Muleriders finish at 2-9 overall and 1-7 in GSC play. Southern Arkansas loses 12 seniors off this year’s squad.

#SAU#