Tigers close year with win
By By Austin Bishop / EMG regional sports editor
Oct. 30, 2004
There were no playoffs waiting for the Southeast Lauderdale Tigers following their 41-8 season-ending win over visiting Richton on Friday night, but there was plenty of jubilation.
The win put Southeast at 5-5 for the year, matching the number of wins the Tigers had managed over the previous three years combined.
While the game ended on a high note for Southeast Lauderdale, the Tigers were a little sluggish early.
Senior wide receiver/defensive back Chris Gordon snapped the Tigers out of their funk by returning a pair of punts for touchdowns to give SEL a three-touchdown lead midway in the second quarter.
That it did.
With his team holding a 7-0 lead, Gordon fielded a short Richton punt at his own 44, shot up the middle then bounced to the outside for a 56-yard touchdown return with 6:06 left in the half.
The Tigers made it 21-0 with 3:34 left when Gordon fielded the next Richton punt at his 14-yard line and raced down the right sideline for an 86-yard touchdown return.
Southeast Lauderdale tacked on another first half touchdown with 22 seconds left until intermission when senior quarterback Drew Harper hit Dennis Knight with a slant for a 5-yard score on second and goal. The kick made it 28-0 at halftime.
SEL's first touchdown of the game came on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Harper with 7:57 left in the quarter. It was set up by a 54-yard run by Gordon an an end around.
Southeast took the second half kickoff and marched 58 yards on nine plays, with Larkin making a nice 12-yard run for the touchdown with 7:24 let in the third quarter to put the winners up 41-0.
After holding Richton on downs, Marcus Walker scored on the first play from scrimmage, racing 36 yards for a touchdown with 4:03 left in the third.
Richton finally got onto the scoreboard with 6:56 left in the game when Terrance McSwain scored on a 2-yard run. The pass for two was good, making it 41-8.
Richton was held to just 40 yards of total offense in the first half. The Rebels fell to 0-10 with the loss.
