Demons Beat Lamar, Get back to .500

The NSU Demons won their second Southland Conference game in a row on Saturday by dispatching of Lamar at Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches.  Check out the game summary to see how they did it.

NATCHITOCHES - The tough customers up front on offense and all over the Purple Swarm defense, and gritty senior receiver Louis Hollier, were unsung heroes Saturday as Northwestern State overcame a frustrating first half to put away Lamar 37-28 in the Demons' second straight Southland Conference football triumph.

The outcome evened NSU's overall record at 5-5 with two rivalry games remaining, next Saturday night's visit to nationally-ranked McNeese and a Nov. 23 home contest with Stephen F. Austin.

The Purple Swarm limited Lamar, which rang up 56 points a week earlier, to only two offensive touchdowns, just five net rushing yards and only 263 total yards, the Cardinals' second-lowest output of the season behind 245 at Oklahoma State.

"We tackled really good on the perimeter, our pursuit was very good, our defensive line did a nice job of pushing and containing the quarterback, and our coverage held up most of the time against a good passing attack," said first-year NSU head coach Jay Thomas.

Junior linebacker Wa'Derrious Sellers led the Demons with nine tackles, while senior safety Ryan Sorrell had eight and capped the win with a game-ending interception. Senior linebacker Pat Black made seven stops and senior defensive end Keland Johnson had six, along with forcing and recovering a fumble while making two tackles for lost yards, including a sack.

"The whole defense really played extremely well. (Defensive coordinator) Coach (Chris) Boone did a good job calling the game, too," said Thomas.

The Demons ran for 211 yards, their third 200-yard rushing performance in Southland play, and posted 461 total yards. For the second straight week, a compelling factor in NSU's productivity was a physical performance by the offensive line, guided by coach Ben Norton.

Four starters graded over 80 percent, led by senior tackle Tschissakid Player at 88 percent on 78 plays. They took their cues from Norton, who for the second straight game provided extra inspiration in warmups with his appearance.

Explained Thomas: "Last week it was the hard hat and the lunch pail, and this game, it was the camo look, in honor of Salute to Service and because that's the approach we take, carry out your assignment, be strong when faced with adversity, and keep battling. The offensive line did a tremendous job. This time of year, they're all banged up. They've been hanging in and finding a way, as a group, to do the job we need to succeed."

Junior quarterback Zach Adkins matched his season high and came within three of the single-game school record for completions, going 26 of 35 for 250 yards, while using 10 different receivers. The busiest was senior inside receiver Louis Hollier, who had six grabs for 60 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown that gave NSU a 30-21 lead 10 seconds into the fourth quarter. Five of his catches came in the final period, including two that converted third downs in the final two series.

"Some of those catches he makes are phenomenal," said Thomas. "He made some big time catches to keep the chains moving."

The Demons trailed 21-17 at halftime as the Cardinals (4-6) scored on an interception return and punt return despite posting only 85 offensive yards to 205 by NSU.

"It was pretty hard to swallow because we were playing lights out on offense and defense, but we came out with a 'do your job' approach and kept pounding away," said Thomas. "I was proud of the mental toughness we showed."

After two straight home wins, the Demons turn their focus to a visit to Cowboy Stadium, where NSU hasn't won since 1988.

"It's a big challenge for us, and we look forward to going down there," said Thomas. "These are the games that stand out as soon as the schedule is set, the games against your biggest rivals."

Source: NSU Sports Information Dept.