LAKELAND, Fla. – Three interceptions, two program records and a 97-yard touchdown return highlighted a historic afternoon for Jamil Jones as Southeastern football rolled past Sun Conference foe Warner 45-16 Saturday afternoon at Viking Stadium.
Jones set a new Southeastern single-game record with three interceptions, including the longest interception return for a touchdown in program history. The defensive performance helped the Fire improve to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Sun Conference play while extending their unbeaten all-time record against Warner to 12-0.
Warner opened the scoring with of a double pass that saw Mark Hanniford finding a wide open Cameron Dixon for a 79-yard touchdown, to put the Royals ahead with 10:34 left in the first.
Southeastern wasted no time responding. Connor McCazzio collected the first 44 yards on the ground, then a Warner offsides, and the cap off, Christian Sell breaking free for a 41-yard touchdown run to finish a three-play, 96 second, 90-yard drive and tie the game at seven.
A Royal record 50-yard field goal from Nicholas Andreopoulos briefly returned the advantage to Warner, but that was it as the Fire answered with 17 consecutive points to take control.
Zach Pleuss connected with Christian Sell's twin, Christopher Sell for an 18-yard touchdown pass, giving Southeastern its first lead of the afternoon at 14-10. Jones then recorded his first interception of the contest, setting up the Fire at the Warner 19-yard line.
Two plays later, McCazzio found the end zone from one yard out, extending Southeastern's advantage to 21-10 with 2:18 remaining in the high octane opening quarter.
Joel McGrath added a 36-yard field goal early in the second quarter, sending the Fire into halftime with a 24-10 advantage.
The defense dominated from there on out. Jones collected his second interception with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter, undercutting a go rout to return the ball to Head Coach Jake Russell on the Fire's 34 yard line.
Southeastern capitalized with an eight-play, 66-yard drive that concluded with Christian Sell's second rushing touchdown of the afternoon, a one-yard score that extended the lead to 31-10.
The Fire added another touchdown midway through the fourth quarter when Pleuss found Tre McClellan from five yards out, pushing the advantage to 38-10.
The record was set on Warner's ensuing drive.
With the Royals threatening near the Southeastern goal line and 6:30 remaining. Warner's quarterback was forced out of the pocket, tried Jones again and paid for it, as 15 seconds later, Jones was celebrating 97 yards away with the Fire defense. Completing his hat-trick and setting two records in the process.
The return extended Southeastern's advantage to 45-10 and capped a defensive effort that kept Warner off the scoreboard for nearly three full quarters.
The Royals added a three-yard rushing touchdown from Gavin Nurmi as time expired, bringing the final score to 45-16.
Offensively, Southeastern accumulated 502 total yards, including 225 on the ground and 277 through the air.
Pleuss turned in a solid performance with 19 completions on 29 attempts for 277 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. McClellan served as his primary target, hauling in his second 10+ reception total of the season with 10 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Joe Key added 56 receiving yards on two catches, while Christopher Sell finished with 42 yards and his touchdown on two receptions.
Christian Sell led the rushing attack with 85 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries, averaging 10.6 yards per attempt. McCazzio contributed 72 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Colton Dempsey added another 41 yards.
The Fire recorded 28 first downs and averaged 7.8 yards per offensive play while controlling possession for 31:56.
Defensively, Brady Nowlan led Southeastern with eight tackles, followed by Noah Tolbert with seven and Jojo White impressed from the secondary with six of his own. White also recorded five pass breakups, while Cam Smith added three pass breakups and a blocked punt.
McGrath finished a perfect 6-for-6 on extra-point attempts and connected on a 36-yard field goal, accounting for nine points.
The victory marked Southeastern's sixth win of the season and its 12th consecutive victory over Warner, preserving the Fire's perfect 12-0 record in the all-time series.
Southeastern now turns its attention to a potentially postseason-deciding Sun Conference showdown against Keiser on Saturday, November 7, at 2 p.m. The Fire will celebrate Senior Night as they welcome the Seahawks for a pivotal late-season matchup with major implications.
