LAKELAND, Fla.—Southeastern used a fast start on offense and a gritty effort on defense to hold off St. Andrews 21-14 at Victory Field.
The Fire improved to 7-3 on the season with a win and will close out the regular season next Saturday against Florida Memorial with a chance to clinch a share of the Mid-South Sun Division title.
After the SEU defense forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the game, the offense went 56 yards on 10 plays with
Lorine Parker rushing to the end zone from five yards out for the first of his two touchdown runs on the day. On its next possession, quarterback
Cooper Jones found
Dominic Larry in the back of the end zone from 31 yards out to give the Fire a 14-0 lead with 1:52 left in the first.
St. Andrews (1-8) bounced back, getting a 38-yard touchdown pass with 14:17 left in the second to get within a touchdown.
The Knights seized momentum on the second half kickoff, recovering an onside kick near midfield and got to the SEU 15-yard line on a pass interference penalty and then scored, but a penalty by SAU negated the touchdown. Backed up on 4
th-and-29, the Fire defense came up with a stop to get the ball back.
Parker picked up his second score of the game on the next drive, racing in from four yards out to give the Fire a 21-7 lead with 6:40 to play.
The Knights refused to give in, getting within a touchdown with 13:15 to play on a 21-yard touchdown pass. They got the ball back with 9:00 to play, but were unable to sustain a drive and the Fire ran out the final five minutes.
Jones passed for 239 yards and a touchdown, completing 19-of-28 passing.
Wendell Harris Jr. was his top target, making seven catches for 85 yards.
Parker finished with 65 yards on 21 carries.
On defense
Marc Viechec led the way with nine stops.
