Homecoming victory provides shot of confidence

It was a happy homecoming at Southeast Missouri State as the football Redhawks picked up a much-needed win Saturday.

Defense stole the show in the 17-13 victory over Austin Peay. The Redhawks allowed season lows for points and yards, giving up only 287 yards, including just 106 in the second half.

Austin Peay isn't an Ohio Valley Conference power, but the Govs did beat Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky, teams that blistered Southeast by a combined 96-20 in the previous two weeks.

The Redhawks, 2-5 overall and 2-3 in OVC play, still need four more consecutive victories to finish with a winning record.

That's unlikely, but the triumph over Austin Peay should give the Redhawks a shot of confidence as they prepare to face three of the OVC's better clubs.

The game started a season-ending stretch of four home dates among the Redhawks' final five contests after they played four of their first six on the road.

The Redhawks will need every bit of that home-field advantage because some of their toughest opponents are ahead.

Southeast plays its final road game this week against Tennessee-Martin, then finishes with Houck Stadium matchups against Central Methodist, eighth-ranked Jacksonville State and Murray State.

While Southeast should dispose of NAIA Central Methodist, the other three squads have combined records of 13-8 overall and 9-4 in the OVC.

A strong finish would give the Redhawks some well-deserved momentum for next year.

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The college basketball season is right around the corner. Both Southeast teams have their lone exhibition games Nov. 7 and regular-season openers Nov. 11.

The OVC's annual media day is Tuesday in Nashville, Tenn. That's when the conference's official preseason polls and individual honors will be announced as voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.

I've seen magazines that have ranked Southeast's men anywhere from fourth to eighth in the 11-team OVC. I expect a middle-of-the pack prediction Tuesday, maybe fifth or sixth, for a program that has made solid strides after coach Dickey Nutt inherited a mess in 2009.

As for Southeast's women, who are starting a major rebuilding process under first-year coach Ty Margenthaler, they'll likely be picked at or near the bottom of the OVC, which is where they finished the past two years.

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Hopefully a big crowd turns out Friday night at Houck Stadium as the Southeast soccer team tries to wrap up the OVC regular-season title.

The Redhawks, who face Jacksonville State at 6:30 p.m. and finish the campaign by hosting Tennessee Tech at 1 p.m. Sunday, only need a tie in their final two matches to clinch at least a share of the OVC crown.

Southeast then would host the conference tournament Nov. 3 through 6.

Southeast has been one of the OVC's most consistently successful squads, and one of the top teams at the university, since coach Heather Nelson started the program in 1999.

A championship this season would be the Redhawks' fourth OVC regular-season title. Southeast also has claimed two OVC tournament crowns and earned two NCAA tournament berths.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.