News-Times Staff
EL DORADO -Southern Arkansas University took advantage of four Henderson State turnovers while piling up 508 yards of total offense Saturday in a 50-24 victory at the Murphy USA Classic at Memorial Stadium.
The Muleriders had 52 rushing attempts for 190 yards, including 61 yards on 16 carries by Keiandre Purifoy, a true freshman from Smackover. Barrett Renner completed 21-of-33 passes for 318 yards.
"Monumental, I mean that's a huge win for our program," said SAU coach Bill Keopple, whose Muleriders tied the Reddies with a 6-2 record.
"Our team really hung tough, hung together. Our running game right now is really getting better and better each week. I've bragged about Mike and Purifoy and now Sir Charles Perkins is really running the ball well. You've got to look at the offensive line when you talk about running backs running the ball. It was a great team effort, great team effort. I'm so proud of these guys to come over here after the heartbreak we had last week at Ouachita, to come over here and win the Murphy USA Classic."
The two teams traded scores for much of the first-half with SAU getting on the board first putting together a methodical drive going 75 yards on 16 plays in 8:45. Michael Nunnery finished the drive with a 1-yard plunge. Bradford Grems’ point after failed and the Muleriders led 6-0.
Henderson answered quickly as Zacari Lavender returned the ensuing kickoff 53 yards to the SAU 45.
Andrew Black then connected for Al Lasker for 42 yards down to the SAU 3 with Jaquan Cole scoring two plays later on a 5-yard dive to put HSU on top 7-6.
Grems then booted a 35 yards field goal for SAU to begin the second quarter, with Houston Ray countering with a 25-yarder of his own.
SAU, 6-2 on the season, would regain the lead with 5:52 left in the half as Nunnery scored his second touchdown of the game, this time from two yards out.
Again the Reddies quickly answered on the following possession as Black connected with Courtney Whitehead for a 13-yard score. Whitehead had receptions of 11 and 25 yards during the drive to set up the go-ahead score.
SAU took the lead for good on its next drive as Barrett Renner hit Jaylon Dews for an 18-yard strike to put the Muleriders on top 23-17 with 1:13 left in the half.
The Muleriders came up with a big special teams play on the kickoff as Jacoby Lewis fumbled, giving the ball back to SAU on the Reddie 30.
It took four plays for SAU to score as Renner connected with Darrion Ardoin from 17-yards out to make the score 30-17 at the break.
Henderson, 6-2, quickly scored to begin the second-half as Lasker recorded a 31-yard touchdown reception from Black to cut the deficit to 30-24.
The Muleriders would then score 20 unanswered taking advantage of a Reddie fumble and a blocked punt for the final score. Included in that barrage was Purifoy's 6-yard touchdown run with 4:44 left in the third quarter.
Black finished the day completing 17-of-25 passes for 266 yards including a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions.
Lasker led the Henderson receivers with five receptions for 100 yards, while Whitehead had 72 yards on five catches and Austin Bennett having 67 yards on four grabs.
The Reddies were limited to 35 yards rushing with Black and Cole both having 20 yards.
Nunnery led the SAU ground game with 62 yards on 18 carries.
Gary Vines totaled a career-high 13 tackles for Henderson, with Sheldon Watson having 9 stops and El Dorado's Josh Davis 8.