Redhawks show fight but no wins through four games

You've got to give the Southeast Missouri State football team credit for at least one thing Saturday night.

The Redhawks, after being dominated by Tennessee-Martin during the first half, could have been blown out easily by the nation's 23rd-ranked FCS squad.

Southeast didn't let that happen, pitching a second-half shutout and outscoring the Skyhawks 7-0 over the final two periods during what turned out to be a 17-7 loss in the Redhawks' home and Ohio Valley Conference opener.

The Redhawks never really came close to threatening an upset, but they did score a touchdown with just over six minutes left. Southeast could have made things interesting but was stopped on downs at the UTM 29-yard line on its next possession. That ended the Redhawks' hopes.

It's too early to write off this Southeast football season as another lost one -- there are eight games left, including seven OVC contests -- but the young and inexperienced Redhawks need to pick things up in a hurry for that not to be the case.

Southeast, which has not held a lead all season, fell to 0-4 for the first time under eighth-year coach Tony Samuel. It's the program's worst start since the 2005 team started 0-7 during Tim Billings' final season as coach.

Things sure won't get any easier for the Redhawks this week against a talented Tennessee State (4-1) in a 6 p.m. kickoff in Nashville, Tenn.

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Defending OVC football champion Eastern Illinois has been the league's most impressive team during the first few weeks of the season -- and nothing changed in that regard Saturday.

Eighth-ranked EIU solidified itself as the OVC favorite by crushing visiting Eastern Kentucky, picked second behind the Panthers in the preseason poll, 42-7 in the league opener for both squads.

The 4-1 Panthers' only loss has been a narrow decision at undefeated Northern Illinois, one of the two FBS programs they have faced this year. EIU took down the other, San Diego State.

Saturday's other matchup between OVC squads featured visiting Murray State upsetting previously undefeated Jacksonville State 35-34 in overtime in those teams' conference opener.

The Racers won in thrilling fashion. After the Gamecocks scored on the first possession of overtime and kicked the PAT to go ahead 34-27, Murray answered with a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion.

The Gamecocks had been the only OVC squad without a loss overall. Two of their wins had come in overtime, including one in double OT.

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I wrote last week that the Southeast men's basketball team, which begins official practice Tuesday, figures to rank as the OVC West Division preseason favorite this year after Murray State lost all of its top players.

The OVC's official poll, voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors, won't come out for a few weeks. But two magazines I've seen have picked the Redhawks to win the OVC West, with one of those publications tabbing senior forward Tyler Stone as the league's overall player of the year.

One more Southeast basketball note:

It came as no great surprise, considering all the injury problems he's had, that senior forward Michael Porter decided to end his basketball career and simply focus on his academics.

It's really a shame that Porter never got to display his true talents on the court because he has been hurt virtually his entire career, even during his freshman year at Missouri State.

From everything I have been told, Porter is a great team leader, and I know first-hand that he's a high-quality young man. Here's wishing him all the best.

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Friday night's high school football schedule featured the two biggest rivalry games in the Southeast Missourian's immediate coverage area.

Both turned out to be massive blowouts as host Jackson rolled past Central 56-27 and Chaffee routed visiting Scott City 51-16.

I was at the Chaffee-Scott City matchup, marking my second straight week to cover the red-hot Red Devils, who are having a historic season so far.

Chaffee is off to its first 5-0 start since the 1969 squad began the season 6-0.

And the Red Devils have not just been beating opponents, they've been mauling them. Chaffee has outscored the opposition 225-72 and its closest margin of victory is 17 points.

Chaffee will be heavily favored to make it 6-0 this week at East Prairie, but then the schedule gets a whole lot tougher for the Red Devils beginning with an Oct. 11 home matchup against Malden.

Meanwhile, Jackson -- which is 4-1 -- has a huge game this week. The Indians host undefeated Sikeston, which improved to 5-0 by holding off Poplar Bluff 22-21.

And one more prep football note:

Major congratulations to Chaffee coach Charlie Vickery for recently notching his 200th win in an impressive career that has featured success at both Sikeston and Chaffee, his alma mater.

Vickery, the quarterback of that 1969 Chaffee squad, is one of the many true class acts on the area coaching scene.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.