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Southern Oregon falls to Mobile By WAYNE D. ROWE MOBILE, Ala. - Dig out the toe tags. The beleaguered Southern Oregon Heat jumped out to a 22-16 lead before the effects of a 22-hour journey took its toll Saturday night. The Mobile Seagulls kept their playoff hopes alive as they outlasted Southern Oregon, 61-44, at the Mitchell Center. It was the Heat's seventh straight National Indoor Football League loss as it slipped to 1-9 overall Slippery kick returner James Matthews made sure the Seagulls (5-4) kept their hopes alive for the NIFL's third playoff spot by returning two kickoffs for touchdowns to break open a close game. Southern Oregon led 13-3 with 5:43 to play in the first quarter, before Matthews raced 45 yards, weaving his way through Heat defenders to cut the lead to 13-9. But the Heat outscored the Seagulls 9-7 the rest of the opening quarter. "We had to settle down and get control of the game," said Seagulls interim coach Tim Lowery, who picked up his first win of the season. "We took them for granted." Lowery watched the Seagulls bounce back when quarterback Akili Roberson threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half. Wide receiver/running back Antoine Flowers caught a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter as the Seagulls went ahead 16-13. In the second quarter, Roberson threw a 10-yard touchdown to wide receiver Alex Howell as the Seagulls went ahead 23-22 with 2:23 to play in the second quarter. With 38 seconds to play Roberson spotted running back Cleon Jones standing all alone in the end zone to extend the lead to 29-25. With 22 seconds to play in the second quarter the Seagulls recovered a Heat fumble and three plays later Jones ran over two defenders to score 5-yard touchdown for a 35-25 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Matthews' magical feet did it again when he raced up the middle of the field untouched for a 45-yard touchdown to increase Mobile's lead to 41-38. In the fourth quarter, cornerback Michael Draine intercepted a Heat pass and returned it 20 yards for a score to stretch the lead to 53-38 with 10 minutes to play. After stopping the Heat, Roberson tossed a short touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Blakely to extend the lead to 59-38. Jones got the two-point conversion. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.