We hope you enjoy reading the third installment of our five-part Homecoming Highlights series where we take a trip down memory lane and highlight a homecoming game(s) as part of Southern Arkansas University's Virtual Homecoming Week. Former and current Mulerider student-athletes and Mulerider fans: we want you to share your favorite SAU memories with us. Let us know on Facebook or email sausid@saumag.edu to be featured.
 
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead, added 21 second-half points, and forced Henderson State into six turnovers, while SAU senior running back Mark Mason etched his name atop the program's career rushing charts as the Muleriders trounced the Reddies 35-9 for their first win of the season on homecoming Saturday at Wilkins Stadium.
 
SAU quarterback John Launius opened scoring as he found the endzone on a 14-yard run less than two and a half minutes into the game. The final twenty seconds of the first quarter saw Mason scamper in from twenty-yards out which was setup by a Reddie offsides penalty on a 4^th and 1 field goal attempt. With successful Mike Hensley PATs the Muleriders carried a two touchdown lead into the second quarter.
 
Following HSU's lone points of the half, a 28 yard field goal, the Muleriders moved into HSU territory late in the second quarter, but an interception thwarted the opportunity for any more points in what was an impressive half of play by the Muleriders.
 
Despite the missed chance at points before the break, Southern Arkansas would immediately work to get on the board to start the third quarter as HSU fumbled the opening kickoff. Launius connected with Jimmy Allwhite for 20 yards on a second down play that placed SAU in a goal-to-go situation. Three plays later Launius scored his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon as his three-yard plunge put the Muleriders up 21-3 early in the third quarter.
 
On the ensuing Henderson State drive, the turnover bug bit again for the Reddies as Mulerider defensive back Bobby Evans jumped a second and 21 pass attempt and took it 36 yards for a touchdown and a 25-point Southern Arkansas lead.
 
The Reddies would score on their next drive, but a failed PAT would leave SAU out front 28-9. The finishing touches for the Muleriders came in the first sixty seconds of the fourth quarter as Cedric Hafford hauled in a 26-yard scoring pass from Launius.
 
Prior to that final scoring toss from the Muleriders, Southern Arkansas faced a 2^nd and 2 from midfield. SAU, as they had often during his career, called on No. 32 to pick up the first down and he did as Mason carried for five yards, a first down and a new program rushing record as he eclipsed Gerald Pride's career rushing mark (1979-82) of 2,815 yards.

Mason finished his career with 3,034 rushing yards and that record would stand for 25 years before Mark Johnson surpassed that total in Week 2 of the 2013 season to become the school's all-time leading rusher.
 
Mason led the ground attack with 76 yards on 18 attempts with the twenty-yard score. He added a 32 kickoff return to total over 100 all-purpose yards in the win. Launius ran in a pair of touchdowns and matched Mason's 76 yards in 15 rushes. Allwhite led with three catches for 43 yards, while Hafford caught two passes for 33 yards and the aforementioned exclamation point in the fourth quarter. All five receptions were from Launius.
 
Terrell Fulton led the Mulerider defensive effort with a dozen stops and a fumble recovery, while Evans added ten tackles and two sacks to his 36 yard pick-six.