LAKELAND, Fla. - Southeastern University football delivered a strong performance Saturday night at Victory Field, defeating Webber International 35-10 behind a dominant defensive effort and four touchdown passes from Zach Pleuss.
The Fire wasted no time taking control, as Brady Nowlan returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown to give SEU a 7-0 lead with 12:28 remaining in the first quarter. The defense set the tone early, forcing two interceptions and limiting Webber International to just 44 passing yards.
SEU extended its lead later in the opening quarter when Pleuss connected with Tre McClellan for a six-yard touchdown, putting the Fire ahead 14-0. The connection continued into the second quarter, as Pleuss found Rick Penick for a 15-yard touchdown with 4:59 remaining in the half. Joel McGrath converted all five of his extra-point attempts, helping SEU carry a 21-3 advantage into halftime.
The Fire continued their offensive momentum in the third quarter. After a 24-yard touchdown pass from Pleuss to Omar Mejia pushed the lead to 28-3, Webber International responded with an 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to make it 28-10.
The team answered in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Pleuss connected with McClellan for an eight-yard touchdown with 7:35 remaining, capping a seven-play, 69-yard drive and securing the 35-10 victory.
Pleuss finished the night completing 24 of 33 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. He spread the ball around, completing passes to 10 different receivers throughout the game. McClellan led the receiving corps with seven catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Mejia and Penick also recorded touchdown receptions, while Connor McCazzio led the Fire on the ground with 77 rushing yards.
Defensively, Nowlan's interception return provided an early spark, while SEU recorded three sacks and eight tackles for loss. Kage Johnson led the Fire with 10 total tackles, and Antonio King recorded 1.5 sacks.
The group finished with 387 yards of total offense, including 261 passing yards, while holding Webber International to 235 total yards. The Fire's balanced performance on both sides of the ball secured a 25-point Homecoming victory.
With the win, SEU improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Sun Conference play.
