SCOTT CITY, Mo. – Southeast Missouri's spring game came down to the final minutes with Team Redhawk hanging on for a close 17-16 win over Team SEMO Friday night in front of a big crowd at Scott City High School.
 
Tied, 10-10, Team Redhawk moved inside Team SEMO's 5-yard line with the help of a 65-yard pass from Patrick Heitert to Damoriea Vick. On third-and-Goal from the 3-yard line, Keveon Robbins ran to his left and pitched the ball to Dorian Anderson who threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to Mitchell Sellers giving Team Redhawk a 17-10 advantage.
 
With just over two minutes left, Paxton DeLaurent completed three-straight passes for a total of 75 yards to get Team SEMO a quick answer. DeLaurent's 27-yard pass to Dalyn McDonald made it a one-point contest. 
 
Team SEMO elected to go for two, but came up short on the conversion when DeLaurent's pass fell incomplete.
 
Defenses on both teams set the tone early on. 
 
On the third play from scrimmage, Dony'e Taylor intercepted DeLaurent. Nothing, however, came of the turnover as Lunden Manuel forced Team Redhawk to punt when he sacked Heitert for a loss of 10.
 
Team Redhawk managed to get to Team SEMO's 19-yard line the next time it had the ball, but Christian Fuhrman stopped Q'Nairies Anderson on fourth down.
 
Team Redhawk then dropped Dylan Scnitzler for no gain on fourth down and the red team took over on downs at the SEMO 44-yard line.
 
Nine plays into the drive, DC Pippin kicked a 37-yard field goal to give Team Redhawk a 3-0 advantage with 1:21 to play in the first quarter.
 
On first-and-10 at the Team Redhawk 17-yard line, Izeal Terrell picked off DeLaurent and returned the interception 45 yards to the Team SEMO 40-yard line. Robbins later capitalized on the turnover with a 1-yard plunge into the end zone on fourth-and-Goal to push Team Redhawk's lead to 10-0.
 
McDonald scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass from DeLaurent just before the half to make it a 10-7 ballgame at the intermission.
 
Team SEMO moved to Team Redhawk's 7-yard line, but that drive resulted in a 27-yard field goal by Pippin that tied things up at 10-10 with 4:18 to go in the third quarter.
 
SEMO Athletics and the Redhawk football program would like to thank Scott City High School and sponsors Front Porch Rental Hall of Scott City, JAC3 Contracting, QNS, Scott City Chamber of Commerce and SoutheastHEALTH for hosting the Redhawks' spring game.
 
The Redhawks kick off the 2023 season at Kansas State on Sept. 2.