DURANT, Okla. - A hard fought double overtime battle fell just short for the Arkansas Tech football team on Thursday night in Durant, Okla. as the Wonder Boys fell to Southeastern Oklahoma by a score of 41-34.

In their first drive of the game, Southeastern (1-0, 1-0 GAC) looked to be getting off to a strong start with a deep 38-yard pass downfield to the Tech 8-yardline to put themselves in striking distance at first and goal. However, the Wonder Boys (0-1, 0-1 GAC) had other plans making a strong defensive statement at the goal line holding the Savage Storm for three-straight downs and forcing them to settle on the field goal giving them just a 3-0 lead following their opening drive.

The Wonder Boys completed a few passes downfield to the targets of Deon Simmons and Devontae Dean, but wouldn't make it passed the Southeastern 40-yardline sending Tech kicker Jesus Zizumbo out for his first field goal attempt of the season. Zizumbo came up big for the Wonder Boys blasting a kick straight through the irons for an incredible 52-yard fieldgoal to tie the game at 3-3 with 6:05 left in the first quarter. The 52-yard field goal by Zizumbo is not only the senior kickers career-high, but also ties for the longest made field goal in Wonder Boy football program history.

Following the field goal, the Wonder Boys returned to the defensive side of the ball with another strong showing giving the Savage Storm no room for a first down. Southeastern decided to go for the first down on fourth, but Jordan Furtch would force and recover a fumble giving the ball back to the Wonder Boys.

The Wonder Boys quickly turned around and made a strong charge downfield and eventually a 4-yard rush to the Southeastern 11-yardline by Keon Simmons set them up for a socring play. An 11-yard sprint into the endzone by Taye Gatewood would give the Wonder Boys their first touchdown on the 2022 season as they took charge of the game with a 10-3 lead with 1:20 left in the first quarter.

Entering the second quarter, Tech still controlled the 10-3 lead as both sides couldn't find any scoring to open up the quarter. Southeastern got a deep 13-yard pass downfield to fall at the Tech 36-yardline putting them in range for their first touchdown of the season. Furtch ended that dream, however, intercepting a Savage Storm pass at the Tech 1-yard line to add to his collection of stellar defensive plays on the night.

Starting their drive at the Wonder Boy 1-yard line, Gatewood would be forced back to lose a yard giving Southeastern a pair of points on the saftey as Tech still led 10-5 in the second quarter.

Both sides were quiet on offense for their next pair of drives, but Southeastern found some life completing a deep 45-yard touchdown pass to give them their first touchdown of the season. Southeastern would go for two and convert it giving them the 13-10 lead with 2:58 left in the first half of play. Neither side would score again sending the game into the half.

The Wonder Boys would get the ball to start the second half of action and make the most of it. Southeastern forced Tech to a 4th and 2 situation at the Southeastern 30-yard line, but the Wonder Boys would go for the big play and go for the first down. The Wonder Boys didn't need the first down however, as Jordan Edington blasted past the Savage Storm defense for a 30-yard run into the endzone to get the lead back for Tech. Following the good extra point kick from Zizumbo, the Wonder Boys took control with a 17-13 lead.

The lead would last mere seconds however as the Savage Storm took the kickoff return 96 full yards to the endzone to get back in front of Tech 20-17.

Arkansas Tech would turn the game around once again on their next drive starting with a 39-yard rush by K. Simmons for a first down all the way at the Southeastern 26-yardline. While K. Simmons got the Wonder Boys within striking distance it would be a Simmons family showcase as D. Simmons would book it downfield for a 21-yard run to the house for another Tech touchdown and put them back on top 24-20 over the Savage Storm.

The Wonder Boys wasted no time getting back on the board as Gatewood hammered an incredibly deep 70-yard touchdown pass to Mason Ross to extend their lead over Southeastern Oklahoma 31-20. Neither team would find another scoring opportunity sending the game into the fourth and final quarter of action in Durant.

Southeastern made their opening drive in the fourth quarter of action count with a 61-yard rush to the Tech endzone to close the gap on the Wonder Boys 28-31. Tech struggled to find any scoring opportunities in the fourth eventually leading to one final drive for the Savage Storm. 

Starting their final drive of regulation at the 1:15 mark, Southeastern marched their way down field with Tech doing everything possible on the defensive end to try and get a stop and walk out of Durant with a big time road win to open the season. The Wonder Boys would stop the Savage Storm at the ATU 4-yard line with just four seconds remaining in regulation forcing Southeastern to go for the field goal. The Savage Storm would get the field goal to fall forcing some extra football in Durant on opening night.

Southeastern would win the coin toss and choose to defend as the Wonder Boys would get the ball first to start the first overtime session. The Wonder Boys would get downfield as far as the Southeastern 15-yard line before a penalty sent them back to the 20. Ultimately, Zizumbo came out to knock down another field goal for the Wonder Boys giving them a 34-31 lead looking to stop the Southeastern offense.

The Savage Storm would produce the same result as the Wonder Boy defense forced them into kicking a field goal, which was good, sending the game into double overtime drama.

This time, Southeastern would start with the ball and get to the Tech 7-yard line for a first down. An look to the endzone would fall incomplete for the Savage Storm, but a pass interference call on the Wonder Boys would push Southeastern up to the Tech 2-yard line for a first down. The Savage Storm would make the most of their opportunity with a 2-yard run into the endzone taking a 41-34 lead over Tech.

The Wonder Boys opened their second drive of overtime with a deep 24-yard pass to Dayton Keller that was just short of a touchdown as the officials would call him down at the Southeastern 1-yard line forcing first down and one. Edington would take the ball from the snap for a rush up the middle, but the Savage Storm defense would force a fumble and recover the ball at the Southeastern 1-yard line to end the game and give them the 41-34 double-overtime win over the Wonder Boys.

The Wonder Boys will return to action next weekend at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 10 against East Central. Next weekend's game against the Tigers will be the home opener for Tech as they look to put up a strong performance in front of the home crowd and grab their first Great American Conference win of the season.


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