Late mistakes derailed Southeast's quest for first victory

For the first time all season, Southeast Missouri State entered the fourth quarter with a legitimate chance of breaking into the win column.

And against the two-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champions, no less.

But all the Redhawks had to show for their gritty performance was another loss.

Jacksonville State turned two fourth-quarter interceptions into touchdowns -- after Southeast quarterback Kevin Ballatore left with a foot injury -- to break a tie and post a 24-10 victory.

An announced crowd of 7,850 at Houck Stadium for Saturday night's OVC opener saw Southeast fall to 0-4. JSU improved to 1-3, after the Gamecocks had lost their first three games by a total of 12 points.

"We played hard, but we just made too many mistakes to beat a good football team," said Southeast coach Tim Billings, whose squad had been outscored by 80 points in its first three games, with the closest margin of defeat 21 points.

Those mistakes prevented Southeast from perhaps pulling off a major upset against a team favored to win its third consecutive OVC title.

The Redhawks had the better offensive scoring opportunities throughout the game and wound up with 403 yards of total offense to just 253 for the Gamecocks.

But the Redhawks had four turnovers and had two punts blocked, giving them an alarming four punts blocked this season. The Gamecocks had only one turnover.

"They didn't make mistakes and we did," Billings said. "We're not disciplined enough. We just have to do a better job coaching."

Ballatore, a junior college transfer making his first Southeast start, moved the Redhawks up and down the field in the first half, as they reached JSU territory on four of their six possessions.

But the Redhawks could manage only a field goal as they trailed 10-3 at the break.

Then, early in the third quarter, Ballatore was driving the Redhawks again when he suffered an injury to his left foot after completing a pass for a first down to the JSU 41-yard line.

Ballatore had to be helped off the field and was on crutches after the game. He completed 22 of 37 passes for 195 yards, with no interceptions, and also rushed four times for 15 yards, although he lost a first-half fumble deep in JSU territory.

"It might be broken, but we won't know for sure until we get it X-rayed," Ballatore said. "It's disappointing. But we have to keep our heads up."

Mike Haley, Southeast's starting quarterback the first three games, finished the drive that Haley started and led the Redhawks into the end zone. He completed passes of 24 and 14 yards, then John Radney scored on a 6-yard run with 7:44 left in the third period and Colin Schermann booted the PAT for a 10-10 tie.

But JSU took control of the contest with its defense. Early in the fourth quarter, a pass from Haley went off Antonio Scaife's hands and right to JSU's Jarvis Smith, the interception giving the Gamecocks the ball at their own 43-yard line.

JSU marched 57 yards in seven plays to take a 17-10 lead with 11:08 left.

A little more than 6 minutes later, the Gamecocks used another interception on a pass that went off a Southeast player's hands to basically seal the victory.

Haley's short toss went off Radney and right to Derrick Sistrunk, who raced 46 yards for a touchdown with 4:59 remaining.

"They played hard against us, but we're just glad to squeeze out our first win," Sistrunk said. "Every game is tough in the conference, and we know everybody is gunning for us."

Haley, who had a throw picked off in the end zone with just over a minute remaining, completed 14 of 26 passes for 160 yards, with the three interceptions.

Southeast set a school record by attempting 63 passes, breaking the mark of 61 set earlier this season at Kent State.

Defensively, the Redhawks became the first OVC team to hold JSU under 300 yards of offense since the Gamecocks joined the league in 2003. Tailback Clay Green was JSU's main weapon with 126 yards on 22 carries.

"It's a loss, and it's disappointing, but we can build on it, as long as we keep fighting," said Southeast linebacker Tunde Agboke, whose 10 tackles were one behind safety Mike Miller's 11 stops. "We feel if we can play the two-time conference champs like this, we can play with anybody."

JSU took a 7-0 lead just 4:54 into the game as David Simonhoff had a punt blocked for fourth time this season. Skylar Mansfield returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.

Schermann kicked a 28-yard field goal with 7:03 left in the opening period after a drive that had reached inside JSU's 10 stalled. A JSU field goal early in the second quarter made it 10-3, which is the way things stood at the break.

"We had two punts blocked again [the other did not lead to any points], an interception for a touchdown," Billings said, shaking his head. "We just can't do those things and expect to win."

---

JACKSONVILLE ST. 24, SOUTHEAST 10

JSU 7 3 0 14 -- 24

SEMO 3 0 7 0 -- 10

First Quarter

J -- Skyler Mansfield 20 blocked punt return (Brett Rushing kick)

S -- Colin Schermann 28 field goal

Second Quarter

J -- Rushing 32 FG

Third Quarter

S -- John Radney 6 run (Schermann kick)

Fourth Quarter

J -- Ty Griswold 1 run (Rushing kick)

J -- Derrick Sistrunk 46 interception return (Rushing kick)

JSU SEMO

First downs 16 22

Rushes-yards 53-205 19-48

Passing yards 48 355

Passes 4-17-0 36-63-3

Punts 6-39.8 7-32

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-1

Penalties-Yards 6-51 8-38

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- JSU, Clay Green 22-126, Raynodd Zeine 8-38, Daniel Jackson 9-33, Maurice Mullins 8-27, Griswold 2-1, Matt Hardin 1-(-15); Southeast, Radney 5-19, Kevin Ballatore 4-15, Mike Miller 1-14, Tim Holloman 1-3, Elton Peterson 1-1, Mike Haley 7-(-4)

PASSING -- JSU, Mullins 2-11-0-16, Hardin 2-6-0-32; Southeast, Ballatore 22-37-0-195, Haley 14-26-3-160

RECEIVING -- JSU, Tauren Rhetta 2-38, Josh Moten 1-11, Green 1-(-1); Southeast, Antonio Scaife 5-67, Jamel Oliver 4-78, Brian Matthews 4-41, Samora Goodson 4-33, Peterson 4-16, T.J. Milcic 3-37, Brandon Simpson 3-17, Holloman 3-16, Joseph Tuineau 2-35, Radney 2-6, Edgar Jones 1-6, Chris Abed 1-3