Seniors believe future is bright for team

A year that marked a new beginning for Southeast Missouri State's football program has reached its inevitable end, and with it, the end to 20 Redhawk playing careers.

The 49-30 loss to Ohio Valley Conference champion, and the No. 3 team in the FCS, Jacksonville State Gamecocks, on Nov. 22 was the final game of the season for the Redhawks, who ended the year with a 5-7 record.

The seniors were honored prior to the game since it was their final game ever wearing the Redhawk logo on their helmet, and they're leaving behind a program with a promising future led by first-year coach Tom Matukewicz.

"This is just the beginning," senior cornerback Tim Hamm-Bey said. "Southeast is about to go somewhere it's never been."

Southeast has already reached heights never before achieved in Matukewicz's first year at the helm of the Redhawks by defeating two nationally-ranked opponents in the same season in Southeastern Louisiana and Tennessee State, as well as scoring the most points in a game in the team's Division I history in the season opening rout of Missouri Baptist, 77-0.

"The future is bright," senior outside linebacker Wisler Ymonice said. "Just this season, the things that we accomplished as a team, it's something that a lot of people probably would never thought we could have under his first year. So the future is bright. I definitely believe that the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks will be a staple in the OVC and will be a force to be reckoned with in these next couple seasons. "

Many seniors, including senior quarterback Kyle Snyder, enjoyed their best year of their career this season, a feat that Matukewicz is proud of.

"If you can get your seniors to play their best football their senior year, that's a great sign of where your program is at," Matukewicz said following Snyder's career game against Austin Peay on Nov. 15 in which he threw for 334 yards and five touchdowns. "If they're leaving playing their best football then I think that's great."

Snyder finished the year as one of the OVC's elite quarterbacks, finishing third with 23 touchdowns, first in pass efficiency and third in total offense with 270.2 yards per game.

However, amongst all of the statistics and big-game moments Snyder has enjoyed this season, he said what he will remember most was being able to work with the new coaching staff in his final year.

"Being able to be around this new coaching staff and all the players and stuff, and just coming out on a good note with a really good coaching staff and a good team," Snyder said. "Obviously I wish our record would show a little more but we're a great team I feel like, and we've got great coaches around us."

Now that the season is over, the seniors will continue to pursue their degrees and use the lessons Matukewicz taught them not only about football, but about life as well.

"Life is about attitude and the decisions you make," Hamm-Bey said of what he has learned from Matukewicz.

Ymonice referred to Matukewicz as one of his role models and credits him with much of his success on and off the field.

"The biggest thing that Coach Tuke has taught me is just discipline, and standing up for what you believe in, and always trying to do the right thing," Ymonice said. "He's taught us a lot of life lessons. ... He's a great role model."

Snyder also credits Matukewicz for this year's success.

"He brings the best out of every player on our team," Snyder said. "I feel like that's just the type of guy he is. He really stresses, 'You've got to be responsible. You've got to be held accountable for your actions on and off the field,' and he just really stresses that, and like I said, it's brought out the best in me and my teammates."

While their playing days may be over as a Redhawk, the seniors plan on staying close with the program because they're a part of the foundation for the future of the program.

"I'm going to be here watching games next year," Snyder said. "I just know the type of staff that's here and in place, and they're going to do a great job."

"Once a Redhawk, always a Redhawk," Hamm-Bey said. "I feel like I can always live vicariously through these young guys, and this is a place that I'm always welcome to come back to and I can sit down and watch it."

Ymonice had been preparing for the end of his career by appreciating everything that playing football as a Redhawk has brought to him in his life.

"Everything comes to an end at one point or another." Ymonice said. "I'm approaching another phase in my life. At this point, man, I appreciate the whole journey. I've learned a lot about myself from coming in in 2010, and to now, I feel like I've grown up from a youngster to a man. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel like, you know, it's been a good road traveled, definitely."