Blazers escape Southern Arkansas victorious

Two big Jamaal Clark plays late help VSU hold on for 33-21 win

By Bryan Fazio

MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Jamaal Clark secured the Valdosta State football team its fifth-straight victory of the season Saturday, against a Southern Arkansas team that refused to let the game go.

VSU avoided its first loss of the season at Wilkins Stadium, defeating Southern Arkansas, 33-21.

Clark, the Blazers’ sophomore linebacker, came up with two big defensive plays in the fourth quarter, preventing the Muleriders from taking over the lead.

After the Blazers (5-0, 3-0 in the Gulf South Conference) took a 27-7 lead into the fourth quarter, the Muleriders (2-4, 1-3), took over the momentum, scoring up 14 unanswered points.

The Blazers’ offense, which struggled throughout the game, almost gave up the lead in the fourth quarter when Thomas Arnold fumbled the ball on the Muleriders’ 47-yard line with 6:21 left in the game.

Southern Arkansas took over, and moved 25 yards down the field, within striking distance of the goal line.

On third down, Clark made his first overtime-preventing play, recovering a fumble on the Blazers’ 22-yard line with 4:14 left to play and putting the Blazers out of reach.

“We went on defense close to the goal line, and I told the defense we can’t let them score,” Clark said. “We had to bow our necks and get a turnover.”

The Blazers got their turnover, and VSU’s offense took over, looking to close out the game, but couldn’t come up with the needed yards to keep possession. The Blazers would go for it on fourth down on the 41-yard line, but would turn the ball over on a fumble.

Valdosta State had difficulty holding on to the ball throughout the contest. The Muleriders maintained possession of the ball for 34:51, compared to VSU’s 25:09.

The Blazers’ offense has sputtered throughout the first half of their two previous games, and their struggles extended throughout the entire contest Saturday. VSU, averaging 479 yards per game this season, tallied 311 yards Saturday, and struggled late.

Southern Arkansas regained possession with 2:13 left, needing a touchdown to tie. The Muleriders put together a second straight promising drive, but Clark and the Blazers’ defense again refused to lose.

This time, Clark picked off SAU quarterback Josh SanFilippo on first down from the Blazers’ 40, and took it back for the score.

Clark’s 45-yard interception return was the second defensive score of the game for the Blazers, and was the key to the win.

“I told them a turnover will win this game for us, somebody’s got to make a play,” Clark said. “They went into the flats, and I broke on it. I saw nothing but green, and I took off.”

The Blazers’ defense forced seven turnovers, including three interceptions.

“I’m proud of our defense again today. They came up with two big plays,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “That was the difference in the ball game.”

The Blazers’ defense was strong throughout the game, holding the Muleriders’ wishbone offense to 171 rushing yards. Southern Arkansas was just 1-of-3 passing in the red zone, and converted less than 50 percent of the time on third down.

While the Muleriders picked up 363 yards of total offense, 91 yards came on two big touchdown plays. The first one came with 8:56 left in the first quarter, as Steven Ashley took the Muleriders’ first play from scrimmage 59 yards for the score.

The touchdown tied the score at 7-7. VSU had struck first on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Willie Copeland to Cedric Jones.

The first quarter was the best one offensively for the Blazers, who managed 283 yards passing and just 28 rushing yards in the game.

“I knew it was going to be a struggle for us offensively because their defense causes us a lot of problems,” Dean said.

Following the Muleriders’ touchdowns, the Blazers’ next two scores came on field goals of 38 yards and 34 yards from Zac Williams.

After coming out of the locker room at halftime with a 13-7 lead, the Blazers had their best offensive drive in the third quarter.

VSU marched 80 yards in four plays, culminating in a 5-yard reception by Cedric Evans from Copeland. The touchdown was set up by a 65-yard reception from Zach Parker on a screen pass from Copeland. The 65-yard catch and run was the longest of the senior tight end’s career.

Evans’ touchdown catch was the last offensive score for the Blazers of the game.

With 5:55 left in the third quarter, Shawn Harris returned a SanFilippo interception 86 yards, helping to highlight the defense.

The Muleriders scored two straight touchdowns in the fourth quarter, starting with a 1-yard run by Chris Metcalf.

Five minutes later, SAU pulled to within six points on a 32-yard pass from SanFilippo to Mario Coleman.

The Blazers will look to improve their offense in the five days leading up to their next game, at home Thursday against Delta State.

“We’re going to go out and watch film for Delta State and practice today,” Dean said.