CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri's defense recorded a season-high six takeaways and Johnny Weber threw a career-high four touchdown passes in a 42-13 Homecoming victory over Eastern Illinois (3-4, 2-2) Saturday at Houck Field.
 
SEMO (3-4, 2-1), which won on Homecoming for the seventh time in eight years, put up its second-most points in a Homecoming game during its NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision era.
 
After SEMO turned the ball over on the game's opening drive, the defense set the with a takeaway that resulted in the first points of the contest.
 
DJ Delmore intercepted Connor Wolf's pass at the 5-yard line and sprinted 95 yards untouched to the end zone giving the Redhawks a 7-0 lead with 10:47 left to play in the first quarter. 
 
Delmore, who scored on his first career interception, had the second-longest interception return for a touchdown in program history.
 
Following a EIU punt, SEMO struck again when Weber threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Donnie Cheers on the second play of the Redhawks next drive. Cheers bounced off a defender before crossing the goal line to push SEMO's lead to 14-0 at the 8:35 mark.
 
Drew Schiller made field goals of 38 and 32 yards to cut the Redhawks lead to eight before Cheers hauled in a career-long 67-yard touchdown catch putting SEMO ahead, 21-6, with 11:25 remaining in the second quarter.
 
Weber threw two more touchdown passes in the final two minutes of the first half.
 
He connected with Kalvin Gilbert on a 44-yard strike with 1:45 to go.
 
Then, Jeremy Walton's sack fumble was recovered by Timothy Maxson at the EIU 22-yard line setting up another touchdown right before the intermission.
 
Weber completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Gilbert widening SEMO's lead to 35-6 at the half.
 
After a scoreless third quarter, both teams scored once in the final 15 minutes.
 
Cole LaCrue ran 21 yards for the Panthers only touchdown of the day and Brandon Epton, Jr. hit paydirt on a 7-yard run to polish off the 42-13 win.
After both teams went scoreless in the third quarter, EIU scored its first touchdown of the game on a 21-yard run by quarterback Cole LaCrue to make it a 35-13 game with 11:20 left in the fourth period.
 
Weber had his way with EIU, particularly on the deep ball. He completed 21-of-31 passes for 283 yards.
 
Cheers had seven catches for a career-high 165 yards and two touchdowns, while Gilbert scored touchdowns on both of his receptions.
 
Defensively, four different Redhawks had an interception. Justus Johnson paved the way with two interceptions, while Delmore and Landon Sylvie added one apiece.
 
SEMO stopped EIU twice on fourth down, as well during its big defensive effort.
 
Slade Dollar and Walton posted nine and seven tackles, respectively. Walton also had a sack, three tackles for loss, one forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
 
SEMO, now on a two-game winning streak, heads to OVC-Big South leader and #8 Tennessee Tech on Oct. 25.