SE SURVIVES TRUMAN ST.'S UPSET BID

Truman State's bid for a stunning football upset Thursday night was pretty much foiled by a Southeast Missouri State University walkon.

After the Bulldogs had scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to go ahead 18-17 with just over three minutes remaining, Corey Chester took matters into his own hands.

The sophomore transfer from Missouri Valley College, who sat out last season under NCAA transfer rules, returned a kickoff 57 yards to the Truman State 35.

Two plays later, Corey Williams scored his third touchdown of the game -- a bulldozing run from 12 yards out with 2:48 left -- and the Indians were able to avoid season-opening disaster.

Southeast ultimately escaped with a 23-18 victory over the Division II Bulldogs in front of 7,347 fans at Houck Stadium.

"We played hard, as hard as we could," said Truman State coach John Ware, whose team lost 16 starters from last year's 6-4 team. "I'm proud of the guys, but that kickoff return really broke our back."

Southeast coach John Mumford was able to breathe a sigh of relief largely because of Chester's big return.

"Corey was told to bring the fans out of their seats and that's what he did," said Mumford with a smile. "That return gave us great field position. And we had great blocking on that play."

Mumford insisted that he expected nothing less than an extremely close game for his Division I-AA Indians.

"I knew it would come down to this," he said. "I knew they (Truman State) would keep fighting.

"I think it was good to have a game like this. It tested our faith. We made some big plays at the end."

The victory was tempered severely by two injuries the Indians suffered.

In the first quarter, true freshman Tatum Kitchen out of Cape Central High School was hurt while playing on the kickoff team. He was taken off on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital, where he was found to have a broken fibula in his lower leg area.

Kitchen will be redshirted and will miss the entire season.

"It's a shame, but Tatum's young and he'll get a redshirt year," Mumford said.

Kitchen, sitting on a Houck Stadium bench with his father Terry after the game, seemed to be in good spirits.

"I'll be back," he said.

Early in the second half, fullback Britt Mirgaux -- the Indians' leading rusher the last two years -- injured his right knee and spent the rest of the contest on the sidelines.

Mirgaux, who had surgery on his left knee last spring, will likely be examined today, but as of Thursday night, the outlook was not all that good.

"It doesn't look good for Britt, but we'll know more when he's examined," said Mumford.

Williams, who gained 83 yards on 15 carries, scored on a 4-yard run on the game's opening drive to put the Indians ahead 7-0. But Southeast never could shake Truman State.

Nick Reggio kicked a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter, which came in between field goals of 47 and 27 yards by the Bulldogs' Jeff Klee. Southeast led 10-6 at halftime after Klee's 27-yard kick on the final play of the second quarter.

Williams scored on a 7-yard run on the opening drive of the second half to make it 17-6. The Indians appeared to be in solid shape at that point.

But quarterback Moni Fearn rallied the Bulldogs. He hit Kevin Collins with a 25-yard touchdown pass with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter to make it 17-12, then hit Kirby DeMoss from 17 yards out with 3:33 left to give the Bulldogs their first lead at 18-17.

Chester then turned in his heroics. After quarterback Jeff Shaw ran 23 yards to the 12, Williams scored the game-winner on the next play.

Truman State had one more chance but could not advance past its own 40.

Southeast had 317 total yards, 206 on the ground. Truman State had 268 yards, 191 through the air.

Shaw was 7-for-15 for 53 yards with two interceptions and he rushed for 52 yards on seven attempts. Kevin Ceto completed four of nine passes for 58 yards.

Mirgaux gained 50 yards on 10 carries before being hurt.

Marcus McClellan led Southeast's defense with two quarterback sacks.

Mumford also had praise for the punting of true freshman Justin Keen from Jackson, who averaged 36.7 yards on six boots.

"Justin did a great job," said Mumford.