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| Another victory photo of the Warren Tiger duo. |
The victory not only gives the Tigers a third consecutive win over Henderson State (5-6) for the first time since the 2001-2003 seasons, but it also ties the All-Time series at 43-43-6. The win gives the Tigers their second undefeated regular season in school history.
Ouachita (11-0) once again used the ground and pound game to their advantage. The Tigers rushing offense ran for 246-yards and four touchdowns in the contest. Kris Oliver (Arkadelphia, Ark.) led the Tiger rushing attack with 68-yards on the day. Brockton Brown (Sheridan, Ark.) finished the afternoon with 63-yards and a team leading three touchdowns. The trio of touchdown runs gave the junior running back a team high 15 scores on the season.
Brayden Brazeal (England, Ark.) showed off his dual threat ability in Saturday's game. The redshirt freshman passed for 66-yards and a score. On the ground, Brazeal ran for an additional 67-yards and a rushing touchdown. All-Purpose wide receiver Drew Harris (Benton, Ark.) arguably had one of his best games of his senior season on Saturday afternoon. The senior led the team in receptions (3) and receiving yards with 26. In the backfield, Harris rushed the ball ten times for 48-yards.
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| Hayden Lassiter intercepts pass. |
Henderson State quarterback Richard Stammetti threw for 203-yards and a touchdown. The Tiger defense also forced Stammetti to throw a pair of interceptions in the game. Ben Johnson ended the day as Stammetti's top target. Johnson caught eight passes for 112-yards and a touchdown in the game.
Airric Parker (San Diego, Calif.) led a very hungry Tiger defense with eight total tackles on the day. The senior linebacker also intercepted a pass late in the fourth quarter to cement the game for the Tigers. Austin Guymon (Little Rock, Ark.) finished second on the team with seven total stops; Keandre Evans (Junction City, Ark.) added four tackles and a pair of pass breakups.
Ouachita punter Jake Ford (Australia) had another great game for Ouachita averaging 38.5-yards on four punts. Ford pinned the Reddies back inside their own 20-yardline on three different occasions.
First Quarter: Ouachita 14, Henderson State 0
After a three-and-out by Ouachita on their opening drive, the Tigers defense knew that they needed to step up and get the ball back. On the fifth play of the drive, Henderson State running back Kody Whitaker fumbled the handoff and Tiger middle linebacker Jon Johnson (Haskell, Ark.) jumped on the loose ball, setting the Ouachita offense up with great field position.
On the first play of the drive, Oliver found a crease in the defense and sprinted 14-yards down to the Reddies 23-yardline. A few plays later, the Tigers faced a third-and-nine inside the Henderson State redzone. Brazeal not able to find an open receiver scrambled 22-yards to the endzone for the game's opening score.
A second consecutive defensive stop by the Tigers gave the ball to Ouachita with 6:54 remaining in the opening quarter. On the second play of the drive, Brazeal once again showed off his speed with a 15-yard scamper to move the chains. The Tiger drive stayed alive a few plays later thanks to a Henderson State pass interference call. A few plays later Brazeal hit Harris in stride for a 16-yard reception.
On second-and-eight the Tigers lined up at the Reddies 20-yard line, Harris took the direct snap and rushed 16-yards down to the Henderson State four-yard line. A trio of plays later and Brown crossed the goal line for his first score of the afternoon.
Second Quarter: Ouachita 24, Henderson State 7
A pair of punts by both teams opened up the second quarter of play. Henderson State started their second drive of the quarter with 10:50 left in the half. The Reddies need just four plays as Stammetti connected with Johnson for a 36-yard score, cutting the Tigers lead in half.
Ouachita immediately answered with a 10-play, 57-yard drive of their own. The Tiger offense stalled out at the Henderson State 18 after Brazeal took a sack on third down. Senior kicker Cole Antley (Atlanta, Ga.) split the uprights with his 11th field goal of the season.
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| LaFoy Smith sacks Henderson quarterback. |
Stammetti and the Reddies offense took over with 3:32 remaining in the half. The Tigers appeared to be moving the ball reasonably well, until, Ouachita safety Hayden Lassiter stepped in front of a pass and returned the interception 13-yards. A personal foul on Henderson State was called after the play and moved the ball even further into Reddie territory.
The Tigers needed just four plays to get into the endzone as Brazeal hit La'Darius McElroy (Ashdown, Ark.) at about the 10-yardline and McElroy dragged a pair of Reddie defenders into the endzone with him. The score gave the Tigers a three score lead going into the halftime break.
Third Quarter: Ouachita 24, Henderson State 10
Henderson State received the second half kickoff and promptly held onto the ball for seven minutes of game time. The Tigers played a true bend but don't break style of defense as the Ouachita defense made a goal line stand against the Reddies offense. Henderson State threw the ball three consecutive times and each time the Tigers turned them away. Henderson State kicker Temo Martinez executed a chip shot field goal to pull the Reddies back within two scores of the Tigers.
The Tigers offense went three-and-out and it appeared the Reddies were going to take advantage of tired Ouachita defense. Henderson State's drive stayed alive after Evans was called for pass interference on a third down play. Four plays later the Reddies found themselves inside the Ouachita 10-yard line as the quarter ran out.
Fourth Quarter: Ouachita 38, Henderson State 10
On the first play of the quarter Ouachita, defensive lineman Dameyun McDonald tackled Querale Hall for a loss of seven yards. On the second play of the quarter, Stammetti sat back in the pocket and attempted to hit Johnson in the endzone, but Evans broke up the pass to keep the Reddies out of the endzone. Martinez came on for a 27-yard field goal and missed.
Ouachita having only one offensive drive in the third quarter looked to run the clock on their first drive of the fourth quarter. On the ninth play of the drive, Brown looked to be stopped on a run up the middle, but the junior running back found an opening on the right side of the field and sprinted away for a 42-yard touchdown.
Two possessions later and Ford boomed a 40-yard punt deep into Reddie territory. On the first play of the drive Parker intercepted Stammetti at the 23-yardline and ran the ball back to the Henderson State 3-yard line. It only took one play as Brown ran the ball in for his third score of the night.
Ouachita will have to wait a day to find out whom they will host in the playoffs. For more information on the Ouachita football team be sure to follow the official social media accounts of Ouachita athletics.
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