Offensive woes prove costly for Redhawks football team

Southeast Missouri State's inability to consistently move the football on offense doomed the Redhawks' chances against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday.

The Redhawks were limited to 245 yards of offense in their 20-6 loss in Richmond, Ky. Southeast fell to 1-7 overall and 0-6 in the Ohio Valley Conference as the Redhawks suffered their seventh straight loss.

Eastern Kentucky improved to 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the OVC.

Southeast's defense limited the Colonels' chances and gave the offense a chance for the road win, which would have been Southeast's first OVC victory this season.

The Redhawks recorded four sacks, including 1.5 from Damian Smith.

"We were able to get pressure on them," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said in a release. "We got good penetration and bottled them up for the most part."

The Redhawks pulled to within a touchdown when Walter Peoples hauled in a pass from Matt Scheible from 17 yards out with 4 minutes, 5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. It was Peoples' team-leading third TD catch this season.

"That was one of the best catches I've seen since I've been here," Samuel said. "He showed a lot of explosion to close on that ball."

The score capped a six-play drive that covered 50 yards.

But the extra-point attempt was blocked.

Eastern Kentucky dashed the Redhawks' slim hopes for a rally when Bruce Frieson scored on a 28-yard run on a fourth-and-6 play with 4 seconds left in the game.

"We had a lot of energy and fought through a lot of adversity," Samuel said. "We had a couple of missed opportunities, but the effort was there."

Southeast's defense held stout after allowing a pair of touchdowns early in the first half. Justin Woodlief recorded a career-high 16 tackles, while Philip Klaproth added 12 for the Redhawks.

Southeast's defense bent but didn't break after the first two scores. Josh Gipson and Blake Peiffer stopped Frieson for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Redhawks 5-yard line to extinguish a drive. Klaproth blocked a 23-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter.

William Castro got into the action for the Redhawks defense when he intercepted a pass at his own 16-yard line and returned it 44 yards.

The Colonels opened the game with a 76-yard drive for a touchdown. They converted a fourth-and-1 from the Southeast 29 to keep the drive alive for C.J. Walker to score on a 9-yard run, but the extra point failed.

Eastern Kentucky stopped the Redhawks on fourth-and-1 at Southeast's 25, and needed six plays for Walker to score again, this time from 1 yard out.

Walker led the Colonels with 81 yards. Eastern Kentucky finished with 183 yards rushing.

Southeast's offense continued to struggle, especially when trying to pass. Scheible finished 11 of 29 for 95 yards and two interceptions. He threw for 31 yards on the Redhawks' final drive.

Henry Harris led the Redhawks' rushing attack with 83 yards on 18 carries. Mike Jones added 36 yards on 12 totes. The Redhawks rushed for 150 yards.

The Redhawks were without their standout punter/kicker, Doug Spada, who is battling a sprained ankle. Curtis Huge had his extra-point attempt blocked and averaged 30 yards on his four punts. One of his punts only traveled 11 yards, giving Eastern Kentucky the ball at Southeast's 36. But Klaproth blocked a field goal to end the drive.

The Redhawks will have two home games to earn their first OVC victory of the season. They host Jacksonville State on Saturday, then Murray State on Nov. 14. Southeast wraps up its season at home against Southern Illinois on Nov. 21.