LAKELAND, Fla. – The Fire wasted no time on Saturday night. Southeastern University scored on the game's third play and never looked back, beating the University of Fort Lauderdale, 37-0.
On the third offensive play of the game, SEU quarterback Henry Austad connected with Dominic Larry on a 55-yard scoring strike. The Fire defense did its part as it held the visiting Eagles to 10 yards rushing and 114 total and returned a forced fumble for a third-quarter touchdown.
SEU showcased a balanced offensive attack with 165 yards on the ground and threw for another 171 yards for 336 total yards and their second 30-plus point outing in three games. On the defensive side of the ball, the Fire remained a stingy unit, shutting out their second opponent in three games. They have allowed only 10 points in 12 quarters of play.
SEU was able to get the majority of the roster into the contest. Leading the offense, Austad completed 5 for 7 passes for 63 yards and the opening 55-yd score. Hudson Jones also threw for 63 yards on 4 of 5 attempts with a 49-yard score.
The Fire used four different quarterbacks who hit 11 different pass catchers. Larry and Colin Campbell pulled in the 55 and 49-yard touchdown passes. Rushing the ball, Josiah Neos was the workhorse, especially in the second quarter, with 13 carries for 78 yards for a 6.0-yd per carry average and a 5-yard score. Jocquet Jiles rushed for 41 yards on nine totes. Ceejay Chima ran five times for 19 yards and pulled in an 18-yard pass, while Daniel Parker ran 27 yards on five carries of his own.
The stout Fire defense produced two sacks, six tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery for a touchdown and six pass breakups to go with only giving up 114 yards of total offense.
Leading the defensive wall, Brady Nowlan not only had a team-high seven tackles, but he also led with two tackles for loss, one of the team's two sacks, and forced a fumble. Jomier Augustine forced the other fumble with three tackles and one for a loss. Curtis Williams was in on four tackles. John Goree registered the other sack to go with three stops and a tackle for loss. Jalen Christian and Michyl Shaw, who also had a pass breakup, accounted for the other tackle for loss.
Kicker Joel McGrath connected on three of his four field-goal attempts and added two point after attempts.
After taking the 7-0 on the third play of the game, SEU forced two Fort Lauderdale punts. Neos went to work on the next drive where he ran for 54 of the offense's 70 yards and rumbled into the end zone from five yards at 2:11 in the first quarter and a 14-0 margin.
Following a McGrath 29-yard field goal with 17 seconds in the half, the Eagles fumbled the ensuing kick-off and the home kicker booted an identical yard field goal on the final play of the half to make it 20-0.
Leading 23-0 late in the third quarter, Augustine forced the Fort Lauderdale fumble and Joseph Bonga scooped it and returned it nine yards for the defensive score, 30-0, at 2:20.
Jones hit Campbell covering 49 yards as the lone fourth-frame points.
With the victory, SEU remains undefeated, at 3-0. They start conference play next Saturday, when they host the Webber International Warriors. Kickoff is at 7 p.m..
