Peiffer sacks Southeast Missouri State football team's tackles record

Southeast Missouri State junior linebacker Blake Peiffer set a notable school record, but his achievement was bittersweet.

That's because the Redhawks ended a disappointing 3-8 season by losing their final game Saturday, 35-34 against visiting Murray State.

Peiffer, a Jackson High School graduate, recorded 15 tackles to give him a single-season school-record 151. He broke the previous mark of 150 set by current Southeast assistant coach Nick Stauffer in 2008.

"It would have been a lot nicer if we would have won this game," Peiffer said.

Peiffer recorded double-figure tackles in 10 of Southeast's 11 games, including the final nine.

Peiffer, the Redhawks' top tackler in every contest, compiled 15 or more tackles six times.

"I can only thank the players around me," said Peiffer, the Ohio Valley Conference's leading tackler who entered Saturday second nationally in tackles per game.

Peiffer said he and Stauffer have engaged in some friendly trash-talking over the past few weeks as it became apparent that Peiffer at least would get close to the record.

"Me and him for the past three weeks have just been giving each other crap about it," Peiffer said with a smile. "It's been fun. Being the type of player he was, it [the record] means a lot."

All-purpose Davis

Southeast redshirt freshman wide receiver/returner Spencer Davis continued to display his diverse talents.

Davis, who leads the OVC in all-purpose yardage and entered play ranked among the top 40 nationally, piled up 240 all-purpose yards against the Racers.

Davis, who has became a dangerous runner on option pitches in recent weeks, rushed for 127 yards on just three carries Saturday.

Two of his runs, for 66 and 53 yards, set up fourth-quarter scores to help Southeast rally from a 28-14 deficit.

"I got to give a shoutout to the receivers giving good blocks," Davis said.

Davis, in addition to being Southeast's top rusher Saturday, also caught a team-high four passes for 23 yards and added a career-long 41-yard kickoff return.

"He competed very well," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said. "He can do a lot of things."

Statistically speaking

MSU outgained Southeast 477 yards to 471.

The Redhawks rushed for 328 yards and had two 100-yard rushers, Davis and senior quarterback Matt Scheible (105 yards on 22 carries, three touchdowns).

Scheible completed 19 of 28 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted once.

Redshirt freshman fullback Ron Coleman rushed for 53 yards on 14 carries and added three receptions for 36 yards.

Senior linebacker Philip Klaproth and senior cornerback Kweku Arkorful both recorded nine tackles.

Klaproth finished his career with 252 tackles, tied for 14th all-time at Southeast.

The Redhawks, who had just five sacks in the first 10 games, recorded two Saturday.

Senior end Steve Hendry's strip sack -- the fumble was recovered by junior tackle Joe Malolo -- led to Southeast's first touchdown.

Malolo and junior Alonzo Nevarez both had a half-sack.

Senior end Johnnie Morgan's strip and fumble recovery in the final minute gave Southeast a chance to win the game.

Record-setting junior quarterback Casey Brockman ran, caught and threw for touchdowns for the Racers. He completed 31 of 44 passes for 222 yards and two TDs.

MSU senior tailback Mike Harris rushed for 130 yards on 20 carries. He finished the season with 1,018 yards.

Vucic finishes strong

Southeast sophomore punter Joe Vucic continued his late-season surge by averaging 48.2 yards on four boots, including a 58-yarder that pinned Murray on its 2-yard line.

Vucic averaged 51 yards in the previous two games and boomed a career-long 72-yarder, which ranks eighth in school history, against Jacksonville State last week.

Vucic finished the year with a 41.1-yard average, which leads the OVC.