His final numbers notwithstanding, Emporia State junior quarterback Braden Gleason was more than happy to atone for a pair of late-season losses recently in Texarkana.
The former Muldrow (Okla.) star threw three first-half touchdown passes as the Hornets throttled Southeastern Oklahoma 48-27 in the Farmers Bank & Trust Live United Bowl on Dec. 3.
Gleason finished the 2022 season with 3,399 passing yards and 33 touchdowns.
But it was his six late interceptions (six coming in the team's final two regular season games) that had the team in a bit of a tailspin.
"It was good to get a bowl game and send our seniors out the right way, that was big," Gleason said.
Gleason threw four touchdown passes but was picked off three times during a 35-24 win over a winless Lincoln team that had allowed 61-plus points the previous two weeks.
"The Lincoln game, I think we were caught looking ahead a little bit," Gleason said. "We got out there and, even though we won, it wasn't what we wanted going into the Northwest Missouri game."
The following week, ESU (9-3) lost to Northwest Missouri, 27-21, on Senior Day.
"We didn't start out like we wanted to," Gleason said. "We came out in the second half and got into a good rhythm, but we drove down late and turned the ball over."
Through three seasons, Gleason has now passed for 7,082 yards and 68 touchdowns. Overall, he's accounted for 8,133 total yards of offense, which ranks fourth all-time.
Heading into his final offseason, Gleason said he wants to get stronger.
"I want to continue to get better and be the best leader I can be," he said. "Just because you have a winning season doesn't mean me [working] stops."
The Hornets open the 2023 season on Aug. 31 against Northeastern State University.
Duquesne scuffles
Tevin Brewer (Fort Smith Northside) and the Duquesne Dukes had their six-game winning streak snapped by 8-1 Marshall on Dec. 10, and followed that up with another loss to New Mexico State. The Herd (8-3) had won eight straight games for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.
Brewer finished with nine points on 3-of-10 shooting in 32 minutes of playing time in the team's loss to Marshall and didn't score against the Aggies and did not play during the team's 66-55 win over DePaul this past Wednesday.
Brewer, the former Northside great, is third in scoring with 8.4 points per game. His key assist led to a thrilling 78-77 win over Ball State on Dec. 3.
Brewer, who had 14 points in the team's win over Ball State, passed to Jimmy Clark III who stagger-stepped back and launched his game-winner as the buzzer sounded.
Brewer, a graduate student, leads Duquesne with 28 assists.
Mann finds home
Cejay Mann (Alma) has fit in nicely with the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Drovers. He had a career-high 26 points (11-of-17 from the field) during the team's 102-84 win over Southwestern Christian on Dec. 10.
Cejay Mann had 10 points this past Wednesday during the team's 106-89 win over Texas Wesleyan in Sooner Athletic Conference play.
The Drovers (8-4) have scored 100 points or more in three of their last four games.
The former Alma guard is averaging 11.3 points per game, including a blistering 17.5 over his last four games.
The Drovers travel to San Marcos, Texas, this week to face Texas State.
Brown filling it up
Former Waldron standout Payton Brown has garnered some key moments for the UAFS Lions this season. He's also getting the brunt of most defenses, too.
He's also still scoring.
After Brown struggled with 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the field in the Lions' 66-48 loss to Angelo State on Dec. 8, he poured in 29 points (5-for-11 from the 3-point line) during the team's 68-63 win over UT Permian Basin on Dec. 10.
After scoring 39 points, including 6-of-11 from the 3-point line, in the Lions' win over Ouachita Baptist on Nov. 26, Brown had been just 6-for-23 in the last three games leading up to the win over UT Permian Basin.
UAFS, now 5-5 overall and 1-3 in Lone Star Conference play, travels to Oklahoma City on Monday to play Oklahoma Christian University.
Gray hits career-high
Hendrix freshman Megan Gray (Greenwood) scored a career-high 12 points during the Lady Warriors' 68-64 loss to Fontbonne University (St. Louis) on Dec. 3.
Gray's previous high was eight points during a Nov. 11 loss to Principia College (Ill.).
A two-time 5A state champion for Greenwood coach Clay Reeves, Gray was a two-time all-conference selection and a distinguished GHS graduate.
Gray is averaging 5.1 points per game for the Lady Warriors (2-6). Hendrix's next travels to Irving, Texas, on Tuesday to play the University of Texas at Dallas.
Douglas helps end skid
Tiya Douglas (Fort Smith Northside) and the Austin Peay State Governors snapped a three-game losing streak on Dec. 13 with a clutch 71-67 win over the Murray State Lady Racers.
Douglas had eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting against Murray State, including a perfect 2-for-2 from behind the arc.
Prior to Tuesday's victory, the Lady Governors (4-5) had been struggling offensively, with just 49.1 points per game over its previous three contests.
The Governors open Atlantic Sun Conference play Jan. 2 against Queens (Charlotte, N.C.).
Douglas had a season-high 14 points during a Nov. 17 loss to Vanderbilt.
Releford leads Connors State
Sophomore Tamaury Releford (Fort Smith Northside) scored 16 points during Connors State's 78-66 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan on Dec. 5. The former Grizzly is averaging 11.4 points per game for the Cowboys' basketball team.
Releford had 14 points in the team's win over National Park on Dec. 3.
The former Northside standout, who transferred to Connors from Eastern Oklahoma State, had a season-high 17 points in the Cowboys win over Independence Community College on Nov. 8. The 6-8 forward was an all-conference selection at Fayetteville and Northside.
While at Eastern, Releford had a career-high 17 points during a win over Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa.
Free Throws ...
Zoie McGhee (Alma) scored six points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out an assist in North Arkansas' 104-101 overtime loss to Eastern Oklahoma State on Dec. 3. McGhee and the Lady Pioneers next play Jan. 5 against Connors State in Warner, Okla. ... Abby Summitt (Greenwood) hit a 3-pointer and had two assists UAFS' loss to UT Permian Basin on Dec. 10. ... Haitiana Releford (Fort Smith Northside) is playing basketball for Connors State this season. ... University of the Ozark's Dillon Cheater (Sallisaw) scored three points, grabbed three rebounds, and had one steal and one assist in the team's 79-69 loss to the University of Texas at Dallas on Dec. 7. ... Former Southside baseball standout Breck Burris has signed with Southern Arkansas University and will continue his collegiate career following his sophomore season next spring at UA-Mountain Home. Burris played last season at Carl Albert State College. ... Former UAFS men's basketball coach Josh Newman is in his first season as an assistant men's coach at Pacific University in Stockton, Calif. Newman won 277 games during 15 seasons as a men's coach at UAFS and UT-Permian Basic.
Braden Gleason, a former standout at Muldrow, Okla., led Emporia State to the Trust Live Bowl win. (Submitted Photo/Emporia State Sports Information)