Reddies secure 2nd title in row

HENDERSON STATE 66, SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 24

ARKADELPHIA — With one top receiver on crutches, Henderson State simply rolled out another Saturday.

Darius Davis had the best game of his career to help Henderson State, ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division II, beat Southern Arkansas 66-24 at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium. Davis had 7 receptions for 232 yards and 2 first-half touchdowns as Henderson State (10-0, 9-0) rolled to its second consecutive Great American Conference championship and honored its seniors, including injured all-time leading receiver Robert Jordan.

“Any time you can win back-to-back championships, it’s big,” Reddies Coach Scott Maxfield said. “We came out and played really well today. I’m really proud of how we came out and performed.”

Jordan, who broke his leg two weeks ago at Harding, is the all-time school and conference leader with 2,186 yards on 146 catches and 20 touchdowns. But by the end of the day, Davis had 24 career touchdown catches and was within shouting distance of Jordan with 2,076 career yards.

“It was a big loss losing one of our teammates, and then losing Rob especially,” said Davis, a junior. “It takes a dynamic out of our offense. But personally the team has been with me the whole year so I’m just trying out to help out whenever I can. We all play good as a team, so that’s all that matters.”

Already leading 31-10 at halftime, thanks in part to Davis’ two touchdown catches, Henderson State got an 8-yard keeper for a touchdown from quarterback Kevin Rodgers, who also rushed for a firsthalf touchdown, to make it 3810 with 10:46 left in the third quarter.

Keaton Stigger, HSU’s linebacker/short-yardage back, scored on two 1-yard runs to make it 52-10 by the end of the quarter.

Stigger, who has a first down or touchdown on all but one of his 23 carries this year, scored on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter to make it 5910. Tyler Sykora completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Josh Profitt for Southern Arkansas (5-4, 5-4) with 6:12 left. But with substitutes getting action, the Reddies drove for Jaquan Cole’s 1-yard touchdown run that made it 65-17 with 3:51 remaining.

The Muleriders capped the scoring on backup Si Blackshire’s 21-yard pass to Tevin around and getting everybody the ball so they can make plays.” McDonald.

The Reddies set a single-game school record with 40 first downs and kicker Charles Gonsalvez became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 120 points.

“It’s amazing,” Davis said of Henderson State’s offense. “One game you may get three catches and the guy next to you may get 10 catches and the next game you may get 10 and the guy next to you may get three. It’s just fun spreading the ball