Redhawks show they have 'belief' in impressive, wild road W

While it is factual to state that the 35-31 victory at Nicholls on Saturday by the Southeast Missouri State football squad had no bearing on whether the Redhawks can make the postseason, 10th-year SEMO coach Tom Matukewicz knew that it played a significant role in determining how the remainder of this season unfolded.

“Even if we win,” Matukewicz said last week, “and we don’t get the automatic bid (to the FCS Playoffs), then we’re probably not making the playoffs.

“But what it does have an implication on is our belief. Do we believe that we can still win a championship?”

SEMO answered – for the third straight week – with an affirmative “Yes,” as it rallied for Saturday’s win, which proved dramatic to the final seconds. Again.

“It was a wild game,” Matukewicz said afterward. “I told the kids (earlier in the season) that ‘If we care, then we’ll find a way.’”

That is precisely what the Redhawks (4-4) did, as they dominated the Colonels (3-4) in the second half to fight back from a 21-10 deficit in the second quarter.

Not only did the Redhawks rally against a team that is unbeaten in its league (Southland Conference), and on the road, but they did so while playing a redshirt freshman quarterback in his first career start.

Patrick Heitert, who replaced injured starter Paxton DeLaurent, was a model of efficiency on Saturday, as he completed 12 of 23 passes for 139 yards, one touchdown, and most importantly, no interceptions.

“I was more than pleased,” Matukewicz said of Heitert’s play.

Heitert had to be efficient, really, with obstacles to overcome.

The Redhawks were without senior wide receiver Damoreia Vick, who was leading the Big South/OVC Football Association in receiving before suffering an injury last week at Tennessee Tech, as well as junior tight end Mitchell Sellers, who had emerged as a very reliable pass catcher.

“It was hard (for Heitert),” Matukewicz said. “(Nicholls) loaded the box and played pressman (defense), and we did enough to get it done.”

SEMO closed the opening half with a late field goal by DC Pippen to cut its halftime margin to 21-13, before exploding for 22 points in the third quarter.

Early in the third quarter, Heitert hit senior wide receiver Ryan Flournoy for a short gain, but Flournoy fought through a series of tackles over the final 12 or so yards of his run to reach the end zone in what may have been the most impressive run-after-the-catch performance by a SEMO player this season.

“He put our team on his shoulders,” Matukewicz said of Flournoy. “That was amazing.”

Flournoy finished the day with nine receptions for 62 yards and two scores, one rushing the ball on a sweep.

The Redhawk special teams were very good, as well.

Aside from a missed field goal by Pippen, Matukewicz said his team “dominated” that aspect of play, which was highlighted by a 65-yard punt return by senior Dalyn McDonald, which put SEMO up 28-21 midway through the third quarter.

Nicholls came back with a game-tying touchdown, but graduate student running back Geno Hess tore off a 64-yard run for a score, which ultimately proved to be the winning points. However, the Colonels weren’t finished in a game that had two ties and six lead changes.

Nicholls had driven to the SEMO 14-yard line in the final minutes and tried to run a trick play where its running back threw a pass back to the quarterback, but Redhawk defensive lineman Steven Lewis caught the pass and rumbled down past midfield to seal the win.

“Steven Lewis is more athletic than you think,” Matukewicz said. “He may not look like it, but he is.”

The Redhawks will return to conference play on Saturday at Houck Field at 1 p.m. against Robert Morris (2-6, 0-3). It will be the final home game of the year for the Redhawks, who sit atop the league standings at 3-0 following a loss on Saturday by UT Martin against Gardner-Webb.

Hess finished Saturday’s game with 128 yards rushing and a score while linebacker Bryce Norman paced the SEMO defense with 12 tackles.

Norman and Redhawk defensive back Lawrence Johnson, who had eight tackles, each had 1 ½ tackles for a loss.

Lewis and defensive back Eric Ivory Jr. each had an interception, as SEMO won the turnover battle with a plus-2 margin.