[November 10, 2007]

Contact: Houston Taylor, SID

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Henderson State cornerback Devon Hughes returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown at the beginning of the second quarter to give the Reddies a 14-10 advantage and the lead for good as they went on to a 58-34 win over Southern Arkansas Saturday at Wilkins Stadium in the two teams’ season finale.

HSU (7-3, 6-2 GSC) piled up 548 yards of offense behind 447 passing as backup quarterback Roch Charpentier had a big game, throwing for 400 yards and four touchdowns. Starting quarterback Garett Manning also was in on the action, completing three of six passes for 47 yards and one touchdown, before giving way to Charpentier and playing receiver the rest of the way to finish with five catches for 159 yards and two TDs.

The Muleriders came out hungry, taking the opening kickoff and driving 78 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead at 11:13 on quarterback Josh SanFilippo’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Mario Coleman. But Henderson State bounced right back, scoring 2:36 later on Manning’s five-yard touchdown toss to Greg Godfrey to knot it up. SAU responded, getting a 26-yard field goal from Noe΄ Cuevas for a 10-7 lead with 1:07 left in the first quarter. That would be the last time Southern Arkansas saw itself ahead on the scoreboard though, as Hughes’ long interception return came at 13:12 in the second.

After a one-yard Bernard Palmer run at 11:16 in the second for a 20-10 Reddie advantage, Cuevas pulled the Muleriders to within a touchdown with a 27-yard field goal at 9:40, but SAU would get no closer as HSU added a field goal and two more touchdowns in the second frame for a 37-13 halftime lead.

Henderson State put up two more touchdowns in the third quarter, both from the arm of Charpentier, a 65-yard bomb to Sean Stennis, and a 44-yarder to Manning. Steven Ashley’s two-yard run and SanFilippo’s one-yard plunge in the third was Southern Arkansas’ only scoring in that stanza, which left the Reddies with a 51-27 edge at the end of three.

Charpentier had one more touchdown throw left in him as he hit Kevin Austin for a 14-yard score at 2:51 in the final quarter. SanFilippo then found Michael Chatman from 10 yards out to set the final margin with 1:03 left in the game.

The Muleriders finished with 377 total yards, 263 of that coming on the ground, with SanFilippo bulling his way for 149 of that on 21 carries. The senior also threw for 114 yards, completing seven of 19 attempts, combining for three touchdowns in his final game at SAU.

Charpentier did his damage on 20 of 27 passing, while tossing one interception. The Southern Arkansas defense never got to him, while sacking Manning once.

Palmer was a force running the ball as well, racking up 101 yards on 27 totes for HSU.

Henderson State’s Tim Kranawetter led all players with a game-high nine tackles, four solo, including one for loss. He also added a fumble recovery. Rover C.J. Ellis finished with eight tackles in his final game for the Muleriders. Ellis had five unassisted stops, and forced and recovered a fumble. Defensive back Rodney Anthony added six tackles for SAU, five solo, with an assisted tackle for loss, and recovered a fumble.

Southern Arkansas finishes the season at 3-7 overall and 2-6 in Gulf South Conference play. A total of 15 Mulerider seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony, SanFilippo, Coleman, Ashley, and Ellis; running backs Ryan Sworn and Keundric Loucious; linebackers Ronnie Booker, Jeremy Burkes, and Cordell Upshaw; defensive back John Jones; tight end Johnny Fields; fullback Tony McDonald; offensive linemen David Montgomery and Clayton Norman; and defensive end Ken Smith.