Savannah State scorched in football opener. How the Fire spoiled coach Kelton's debut
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It wasn’t the start Savannah State coach Aaron Kelton envisioned.
Lightning and a hard rain caused a 51-minute delay and a Southeastern Fire raged, making for a miserable Saturday night for the Tigers at T. A. Wright Stadium.
SSU lost its 13th straight season opener, falling to Southeastern University 34-14.
“Every game you lose is disappointing. I wanted us to play way better and we didn’t,” said Kelton about his debut as head coach.
The Tigers stumbled during the final 70 seconds of the first half when the Fire took advantage of a shanked punt and two fumbles to score 21 points and turn a 6-0 lead into 27-0.
Quarterback Kaylan Wiggins threw for two scores and ran for another as Southeastern, an NAIA school located in Lakeland, Florida, opened up a 34-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Former Islands High standout Jadon Adams, the third quarterback used by the Tigers, helped SSU avert a shutout by directing scoring drives of 78 and 59 yards in the fourth quarter.
Adams scored the Tigers’ first TD of 2022 on a 5-yard run and tossed a 14-yard TD pass to DeMarion Colbert.
SSU also scored on special teams when Jalen Mathis blocked a punt out of the end zone.
Fumble return for a touchdown sparks runaway
Southeastern linebacker Marc Viechec rumbled 15 yards with a fumble by SSU quarterback J.T. Hartage to give the Fire back-to-back touchdowns in an 18-second span before the half. SEU recovered another fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Wiggins scrambled in from the 13-yard line for a third touchdown with 2 seconds remaining in the half.
SSU's drought in season openers
SSU hasn’t won a season opener since defeating Livingstone 34-12 on Sept. 5, 2009.
Islands grad impressive off the bench
Adams ran for 47 yards and threw for 61 yards during SSU’s two fourth-quarter touchdown drives.
Tigers to begin long road trip
The Tigers will be on the road in Jacksonville next Saturday to play Edward Waters University. Savannah State plays its next three games on the road before returning home on Oct. 1 against Kentucky State.
Kelton laments game-defining stretch
"We just fell apart and that’s the immaturity of our team and the things we have to work on." — SSU coach Aaron Kelton about Southeastern’s 21-point burst in the final 70 seconds of the first half.
Southeastern 34, Savannah State 14
Southeastern|0|27|0|7|—|34
SSU|0|0|0|14|—|14
Second quarter
SE–Ashton Garner 30 FG
SE–Garner 50 FG
SE–Dominic Larry 33 pass from Kaylan Wiggins (Garner kick)
SE–Marc Viechec 15 fumble return (Garner kick)
SE–Wiggins 13 run (Garner kick)
Fourth quarter
SE–Shane McLaughlin 30 pass from Wiggins (Garner kick)
SSU–Jadon Adams 5 run (pass failed)
SSU–DeMarion Colbert 14 pass from Adams (run failed)
SSU–Safety, punt blocked out of end zone
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah State football team loses opener in coach Aaron Kelton debut
