RALEIGH - With each passing minute Matt Jurek's 24-yard field in the second quarter became more and more important until ultimately it was the difference on the scoreboard in Enloe's 3-0 nonconference football victory over Southeast Raleigh on Friday night.

Jurek, a senior quarterback, certainly did his part on a night when the rain came in squall-like fury before lulls.

The game was like that, too, brief spurts of excitement interspersed among fumbles and penalties.

Jurek has provided the winning points with kicks in four or five games during his career and his punting (36-yard average with virtually no return) was crucial in the win by the Eagles, who are now 3-0 for the first time in a long time.

"Southeast is an emotional game for us," Enloe coach Ron Clark said. "Coming with a chance to go 3-0 and on a night like this added to the emotion."

Jurek booted the field goal with 2:17 left in the half following an interception by Taurean Lynch at the Southeast 28-yard line.

Enloe gained one first down before Jurek drove the ball through the uprights.

Jurek provided the points and made a touchdown-saving tackle following a scooped fumble return, but the Enloe defense played heroically.

Southeast outgained the Eagles, 201 yards to 109, but Enloe, led by junior Josh Jenkins, rose up to stop the Bulldogs every time it seemed Southeast was about to take control of the game.

"We did a lot of bending," Clark said. "But the defense played tenaciously.

"Our defensive staff came up with a great plan, and it worked."

Enloe had some help from the rain and from Southeast, though.

The Bulldogs lost four fumbles, gave up the interception and were stopped three times on fourth down.

Southeast had almost all the big plays, a 73-yard kickoff return, a 62-yard pass play and the scooped fumble return, but it couldn't cash in.

The Bulldogs had a fourth-and-7 at the Enloe 14 and a fourth-and-5 at the Enloe 20.

Southeast had a first down at the Enloe 15 and penetrated to the 3 before fumbling.

But fumbles were almost as plentiful as rain-soaked ponchos.

The difference was Enloe fell on a lot.

"We probably fumbled as much as they did," Clark said. "But we recovered most of ours.

"The turnovers were huge, probably the difference in the game, but I've got to hand it to our defense, too.

"They found a way to stop Southeast every time they had their backs to the wall."

Southeast coach Daniel Finn said the disappointment began on Monday in practice when some players missed workouts because of the Labor Day holiday.

On Tuesday, some players were late for practice.

"We just didn't want to play football tonight," said Finn, whose club could have climbed to 3-0 with a victory.

"We got what we deserved. Fumbles, penalties, missed plays, lining up wrong. We just were not ready to play."

The weather certainly didn't help the Bulldogs' passing game.

Southeast managed 103 yards in the air, but 62 yards came on a lateral and pass from Henderson to Brandon Mitchell and downfield to Aaron Mull, who was hauled down from behind after the catch.

"The rain certainly hurt our offense and what we wanted to do," Finn said. "But you have to give the credit to Enloe."

In the final analysis, Enloe probably won because it wanted to win more.

It was a miserable night for football -- or the making of a glorious memory when players can talk about playing in rain so hard it was difficult to see the sideline.

Finn had nothing but praise for his defenders.

"They did everything they could do," Finn said. "I couldn't ask much more of them."

Clark said he didn't remember the last time Enloe had opened with three victories.

The Eagles are staring hard at a 4-0 start, too, unless Durham Riverside makes a quick recovery after being blown out by Wake Forest-Rolesville and Garner in its first two games.

Southeast Raleigh will be at home on Friday against Cary.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.