Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Southeast football survives against Central Methodist

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Offenses ruled the day at Houck Stadium on Saturday when the Southeast Missouri State University football team defeated the Central Methodist Eagles 55-44.

Only four offensive possessions failed to result in a score and each team punted just once. Southeast, which scored on each of its second half possessions, recorded its most points in a game since 2009, when it scored 72 against Quincy.

It was also the most points that Central Methodist scored since 2009. The NAIA school with about one-tenth of the number of undergraduate students as Southeast kept pace with the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision school through the second half with five consecutive possessions that led to points.

"I was very proud of our young team," Central Methodist coach Alan Dykens said. "I thought they fought to the finish."

The Eagles' triple-option offense gained 436 total offensive yards, 337 of which came on the ground. Their leading rusher was running back Burton Iosefa who gained 119 and scored one rushing touchdown. Fullback Caleb Haynes had four rushing touchdowns, all of which were five yards or less in length.

Southeast safety Tylor Brock was not happy with the team's defensive performance and said that it was "embarrassing."

"I go into every game wanting to blow everybody out," said Brock, who had 11 tackles for the game. "I don't want anybody to score."

Southeast linebacker Blake Peiffer said it was hard to prepare for Central Methodist's unusual offense. The Eagles offense featured variations of the wing-T formation that has one running back on each side of the offensive line and close to the line of scrimmage with a fullback lined up directly behind the quarterback.

"It's tough to simulate an offense like that in practice," said Peiffer, who made a career-high 18 tackles. "Our scout team did the best they could for us."

Central Methodist almost had a chance to tie the game while trailing 52-44 with 3:39 remaining. It recovered an onside kick attempt but the play was wiped away due to an illegal formation penalty. Southeast recovered the attempt on the play after the penalty.

Without the penalty the Eagles would have had the ball at about their own 40-yard line with all three timeouts remaining.

"I beg to differ with the referees on the penalty," Dykens said. The officials explained to him that the Eagles lined up with less than four players on one side of the kicker, which induced the penalty.

Southeast was saved by an offense that gained 539 yards and failed to score on just one drive. Quarterback Matt Scheible threw for a career-high 243 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 112 yards and one touchdown.

Running back Lennies McFerren saw his first action in three games after recovering from a shoulder injury. He gained 99 rushing yards on 16 carries with one rushing touchdown.

Southeast (3-6) will play at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Houck Stadium against Ohio Valley Conference foe Jacksonville State. Central Methodist (5-4) will return home to play Missouri Valley at 1 p.m. next Saturday.

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