ARKADELPHIA -- Senior quarterback Ty Reasnor completed 15 of 25 passes for 124 yards and 1 touchdown and rushed for 52 yards and more 2 touchdowns to lead Arkansas Tech in a 26-3 victory over Henderson State before a crowd of 5,507 at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium on Saturday night.
Junior defensive back Cua' Rose led Tech's defense with three interceptions.
Rose's final interception helped set up Reasnor's 16-yard touchdown run that gave the Wonder Boys a 23-3 lead with 5:31 left in the third quarter.
"I was just trying to get our offense back on the field," Rose said. "That's always what we're trying to do."
"You can't credit this win to the offense," Reasnor said. "The defense just kept getting us back on the field. Sometimes I couldn't even put my helmet down."
Rose's three interceptions in a game tied Patrick Pesnell in 1999 and Paul Thompson in 1922 for the Tech record for a game.
The first half featured a series of missed opportunities for both teams, bracketed by Tech touchdowns to start the game and end the second quarter.
Tech (2-0, 2-0 Great American Conference) opened the game with a 12-play drive the Wonder Boys completed with an 8-yard touchdown run by Reasnor.
"The first drive we had some good blocking schemes, we got some guys open," Reasnor said. "We did a great job of moving the ball downfield. That really set a tone for us."
"One drive doesn't win or lose a football game, but we executed extremely well going down the field," Tech Coach Raymond Monica said. "I thought our quarterback did a good job all night."
A Rose interception gave Tech possession at the Henderson 38 with 2:48 left in the half. The seven-play drive, which included a successful fourth-and-1 conversion by 248-pound junior running back Kristian Thompson, culminated when Reasnor found senior receiver Tevin McKenzie a foot deeper in the end zone than junior defensive back Sheldon Watson on a 16-yard pass that gave Tech a 13-3 lead with 33 seconds left.
The lone score for Henderson (1-1, 1-1) came on a 28-yard field goal by freshman Julio Cervantes late in the first quarter.
"We're going to have to regroup," Henderson Coach Scott Maxfield said. "We just got an old-fashioned butt whipping right there. We got out played, out coached. We just got beat all the way around."
Cervantes' kick resulted from a first-and-goal chance at the Tech 6 which was foiled when a high snap led to a scramble that included two forward passes. The consequential 15-yard penalty and loss of down eventually stalled the drive after three plays at the Tech 11.
Rose's first interception put Tech at the Henderson 27 midway through the second quarter.
Stopped at fourth and goal at the Henderson 3, Tech set up in a field-goal formation, but senior holder Clayton Watson took the snap and rolled toward his right. Thompson was wide open in the end zone, but Watson's pass sailed over his head.
Tech's opening drive of the second half started with a 36-yard run on a reverse by junior Bryan Allen. It was completed with a 37-yard field goal by senior Eric Perez that gave Tech a 16-3 lead.
Perez kicked a 24-yard field goal to complete the scoring with 9:27 left in the game. His kick completed a 17-play 75-yard drive that lasted more than eight minutes.
The victory was Tech's first over Henderson since 2009.
"Tech did a nice job tonight," Maxfield said. "They were just outstanding."
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 35,
HARDING 24
Southern Arkansas University (1-1, 1-1 GAC) opened a 35-10 lead before hanging on for the victory over Harding (0-2, 0-2) at Wilkins Stadium in Magnolia.
SAU quarterback Barret Renner completed 21 of 32 passes for 210 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead the Muleriders, who broke an 11-game losing streak to the Bisons. It was also SAU’s first victory over Harding in Magnolia since 1993.
The Muleriders led 35-10 when Renner found Tanner Hudson for a 16-yard touchdown with 13:03 left in the fourth quarter. The Bisons drove 75 yards in 9 plays with Brandon Gates running 16 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-17 with 9:10 remaining. Terrance Dingle’s 25-yard scoring pass to Bobby Brown with 1:24 left capped the scoring.
Gates led all rushers with 63 yards on 4 carries as the Bisons outgained the Muleriders 280-80 on the ground.
Michael Nunnery led SAU with 59 yards on 19 attempts.
OUACHITA BAPTIST 38,
SW OKLAHOMA ST. 10
Ouachita Baptist (2-0, 2-0 GAC) scored 28 second-half points to put away Southwestern Oklahoma State (1-1, 1-1) at Milam Stadium in Weatherford, Okla.
Drew Harris scored three touchdowns on six of his carries to lead the Tigers. He had 67 yards rushing and picked up 65 more yards on 4 receptions. With the Tigers leading 24-10, Harris broke free for his final touchdown, a 51-yard run with 6:54 left in the fourth quarter.
Brockton Brown’s 3-yard touchdown run capped the scoring for the Tigers with 3:17 left in the game after Elijah Jones intercepted Casey Freeman’s pass and returned it 19 yards to the SW Okla. State 19 after Harris’ final touchdown.
OBU’s Austin Warford completed 13 of 20 passes for 118 yards and had a teamhigh 79 yards rushing on 8 attempts.
Sports on 09/10/2017