COLLEGE FOOTBALL: INDIANS SUCCUMB TO BEARS

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State University's football team will not end up with anything close to a good record this season, but the Indians have certainly had their chances.

In five of their losses this year, the Indians have been right in the contest until deep in the second half before faltering. The fifth such setback took place here Saturday afternoon as host Southwest Missouri State posted a 24-7 non-conference victory after leading just 14-7 late in the third quarter.

The Indians fell to 3-7 after losing for the sixth time in their past seven games. Southeast will have one more shot at a win in Tim Billings' first year as head coach when it ends the season next Saturday at Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee State.

SMS, which competes in the Gateway Conference, evened its record at 5-5. The Bears also have one game remaining in their season.

"It's pretty much the same story for us," said Billings. "The last few weeks, we've been right in there and had ourselves in a position to win, but we just can't get in the end zone. We have to learn how to score."

One of the players most responsible for another Southeast loss was SMS junior tailback Jason Ringena, who shredded a defense weakened by the absence of middle linebacker Ricky Farmer for a career-high 222 yards on 32 carries. Ringena scored all three of the Bears' touchdowns.

"I had no idea I had that many yards," said Ringena. "The line is always working hard up front and it's my job to make a few guys miss."

Farmer, a freshman, did not even make the trip after suffering a knee injury last week against Eastern Illinois, although he is expected to play against Tennessee State.

"We're hurting with injuries at linebacker, but he's a big, strong back and he broke some tackles," said Billings of Ringena's performance.

Said SMS coach Randy Ball, "We knew coming in that they were a little susceptible to the rush and we wanted to get our running game going. Jason Ringena had a great game and the offensive line did a real good job blocking."

The Bears finished the game with 405 total yards while Southeast had 263, with just 78 coming on the ground. Indian quarterback Rashad West passed for 185 yards, but he completed just 23 of 47 attempts as he tied a school record for most passes thrown in a game.

"We put some drives together, but we had some mistakes and it makes it tough, especially against a defense like that," Billings said.

After both teams struggled on offense for most of the first quarter, the Bears broke on top 7-0 with 4:10 left in the period as Ringena darted up the middle for a 13-yard touchdown, capping a five-play, 53-yard drive.

SMS went up 14-0 on their next possession as Ringena's 6-yard touchdown run with 1:19 remaining in the first quarter culminated a six-play, 68-yard march.

Then the Indians' defense, which had been shredded to that point, came up with perhaps the key play of the opening half. The Bears had driven inside the Southeast 25-yard line early in the second quarter, but James Jennette forced a fumble by SMS runner Antoine Reed and Tatum Kitchen made the recovery.

Even though the Indians did not move the ball following the turnover, they at least prevented the Bears from widening their lead.

Southeast finally got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter, driving 63 yards in 14 plays and reaching the end zone on a 1-yard West sneak with four minutes left before halftime. Jason Witczak booted the extra point to make it 14-7, which is the way things stood at the intermission.

Midway through the third quarter, the Indians appeared poised to perhaps tie the contest when West and Curtis Cooper -- who led all receivers with 11 catches -- hooked up on a pass that carried to the SMS 10-yard line, but the play was wiped out by a holding penalty. The drive resulted in a 53-yard field goal attempt by Witczak that fell short.

"For momentum, that was the biggest play of the game, no question," said Billings of the penalty that nullified Cooper's long reception.

The Bears responded on the ensuing possession with a seven-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard Ringena touchdown run that made it 21-7 with 1:56 left in the third period.

Southeast had two opportunities to cut into the SMS lead early in the fourth quarter. First, after driving to the Bears' 16-yard line, a tipped West pass was intercepted.

The Indians got the ball back on the SMS 15 just moments later when Joe Williams broke through and blocked a Bears punt. But, on Southeast's first play, K.D. Koleosho fumbled and SMS recovered at the 9.

"We have a penalty, an interception and a fumble when we're inside the 20 and we get zero points," said Billings. "That's been our Achilles' heel the last few weeks. We just have to learn how to score when we get in the red zone."

SMS tacked on three insurance points with 6:27 left in the game when Brian Long kicked a 32-yard field goal.