Central grad scores defensive TD for Redhawks

By MARTY MISHOW ~ Southeast Missourian

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Senior cornerback Cantrell Andrews has established himself as a nice defensive playmaker for the Southeast Missouri State football team.

Saturday night the Central High School graduate got to enjoy one of the biggest plays a defensive performer can make.

Andrews scored the first touchdown of his two-year Southeast career, returning a fumble 68 yards after sophomore defensive end Travis Sanders stripped Tennessee State quarterback Ronald Butler as he was rolling out to pass.

The ball took one bounce and came up right to Andrews in stride. He raced untouched to the end zone with a little more than nine minutes left in the second quarter, giving Southeast a 9-7 lead.

"I didn't see it, but I heard that Travis hit him [Butler] and it bounced to me perfectly," Andrews said. "It felt pretty good. It felt good that the defense could put points on the board."

Andrews lamented that he really couldn't enjoy his big play all that much because, on the ensuing extra point, a bad snap led to a fumble and a two-point defensive conversion for TSU.

Instead of Southeast leading 10-7 if it had kicked the PAT, the score was tied 9-9. The Tigers went on to keep the Redhawks winless with a 40-16 romp.

"It is [disappointing], but I feel we're getting better every game," Andrews said.

Andrews, in addition to his touchdown, also returned his first kickoff for Southeast. He ran the game's opening kick back 39 yards, giving the Redhawks good starting field position at their 40 as they went on to record a field goal.

Statistically speaking

Southeast gained 39 yards on its opening drive that led to the field goal but managed only 32 yards the rest of the first half.

The Redhawks posted just 14 yards in the third quarter for a grand total of 85 yards through three. They finished with 229 yards, thanks largely to sophomore tailback Lewis Washington's school-record 99-yard touchdown run in the game's final minutes that gave Southeast 170 rushing yards.

Starting junior quarterback Kyle Snyder, who went most of the way until the outcome had been decided, completed 6 of 15 passes for 33 yards. He was intercepted twice.

Sophomore Scott Lathrop was 1 of 6 for 26 yards.

TSU junior quarterback Michael German came off the bench to complete 12 of 21 for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore tailback Telvin Hooks rushed for 159 yards on 25 carries.

Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Austin Black led Southeast with eight tackles. Andrews and redshirt freshman linebacker Roper Garrett added seven tackles apiece.

Sanders and Black each had a sack and two tackles for loss.

Southeast has eight sacks this year to match its total from all of last season.

Noteworthy

* Fourth-year junior quarterback Tyler Peoples, who has been sidelined for much of his Southeast career by serious knee injuries, saw his first collegiate action in the waning minutes Saturday. He did not attempt a pass.

* Southeast returns to action Saturday, hosting Murray State (4-2, 2-0 OVC) in a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Redhawks, after playing four of their first five games away from Cape Girardeau, have four of their final seven contests at home.