Savage Storm Rallies Past Wonder Boys

Two second-half touchdown runs by Devlon Wortham allowed Southeastern Oklahoma State University to come from behind and defeat Arkansas Tech University 36-31 in Great American Conference football at Paul Laird Field in Durant, Okla., on Saturday afternoon.

Wortham scored from 1 yard out at the 3:26 mark of the third quarter and again with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter to erase what was an 8-point Wonder Boys’ lead and stop Tech’s two-game winning streak.

Southeastern Oklahoma State (5-3) converted on 15-of-21 third-down conversion opportunities, compared to 2-of-10 for the Wonder Boys. As a result, the Savage Storm maintained possession for 40 minutes and 14 seconds of the 60-minute game.

CB Cantwell threw three first-half touchdown passes to help Southeastern build a 23-21 halftime lead. Arkansas Tech stayed close through two quarters thanks to touchdown runs by Kristian Thompson and Jabyes Cross along with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Cross to Jackob Dean.

The Wonder Boys (4-4) assumed control of the game early in the third quarter with a pair of long scoring drives, one of which resulted in a 19-yard field goal by Eric Perez and one of which resulted in an 11-yard touchdown run by Braden Stringer. Tech led 31-23 with 6:19 remaining in the third period, but it seldom got the football back after that.

The Savage Storm went on a scoring drive of 2:53 late in the third quarter and then maintained possession for more than 12 minutes during the fourth quarter, including a 14-play, 83-yard drive that consumed more than six minutes and resulted in Wortham’s go-ahead touchdown run.

The Wonder Boys’ final chance was turned away in the form of four consecutive incomplete passes in the final 90 seconds. Southeastern Oklahoma State took possession on downs with 56 seconds remaining and ran out the clock.

The Savage Storm finished with 525 yards of total offense. Ronnie Green carried 29 times for 168 yards, while Wortham rushed 24 times for 100 yards. Cantwell finished 24-of-38 for 257 passing yards.

Justin Bailey had eight carries for 111 yards to lead the Arkansas Tech offense. Tech’s D’Vonta Derricott recorded a game-high 15 tackles.

The Wonder Boys will host Northwestern Oklahoma State University for a 2 p.m. Homecoming game at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday, Oct. 29.