A quick start and a relentless rushing attack propelled Arkansas Tech University to a 57-37 Great American Conference victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State University at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Wonder Boys (6-2) remained one game out of first place in the GAC standings with three weeks remaining in the 2015 season. They also clinched their first winning season since 2009.
Arkansas Tech rolled up 388 rushing yards, the sixth-highest single-game rushing total in Tech football history.
Leading the surge were a pair of freshmen. Bryan Allen rushed 21 times for 158 yards and a touchdown, while Kristian Thompson carried 17 times for 105 yards and four touchdowns. Thompson became just the second Wonder Boy to rush for four touchdowns in a game since 2007.
Two of Thompson’s touchdown runs came in the first quarter. Tech led 23-6 after 15 minutes and increased its edge to 29-6 on Allen’s 15-yard touchdown run with 13:29 to go in the second quarter.
Southeastern Oklahoma State (3-5) responded with a 23-yard touchdown run by Ronnie Green and a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown by Raheem Wilson. The Wonder Boys’ lead shrank to 29-20 at the 9:28 mark of the second quarter.
Unfazed, Arkansas Tech took advantage of a short field created by a Savage Storm celebration penalty and a poor kickoff to march 50 yards in nine plays. Arsenio Favor’s 2-yard touchdown run with 5:39 left in the half capped the drive, and Thompson added a 1-yard touchdown run at the 1:02 mark of the second quarter to send the Wonder Boys to halftime with a 43-20 lead.
The Savage Storm scored the first 10 points of the second half on Joel Carlos’ 31-yard field goal and Kieron Hardrick’s 3-yard touchdown reception from Ryan Polite, but once again Arkansas Tech had an answer.
An eight-play, 73-yard drive resulted in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Favor to Luke Starks. The Wonder Boys led 50-30 with 2:24 left in the third quarter.
Southeastern kept it interesting behind a 3-yard touchdown run by Ronnie Green at the 12:03 mark of the fourth quarter.
The outcome was sealed when Tech forced the Savage Storm into its third and final turnover of the day — a fumble recovered for the Wonder Boys by Demetris Ford with 5:06 left — and Thompson notched an 8-yard touchdown run five plays later.
Favor completed 12-of-18 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Brayden Stringer added to the Tech ground game with 14 carries for 83 yards.
Logan Genz paced the Wonder Boys’ defense with 18 tackles, putting his school-record career total at 427 tackles — 75 more than anyone else in the 101-season history of Arkansas Tech football.
The Wonder Boys will play their final road game of the 2015 regular season on Saturday, Oct. 31, when they take on Northwestern Oklahoma State University for a 2 p.m. GAC contest in Alva, Okla. Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will have the play-by-play description.
