PEARCY - Senior Jordan Gay kicked three field goals as No. 3 Lake Hamilton ended top-ranked Texarkana's 18-game unbeaten streak with a 23-14 victory in a 6A-South showdown before an overflow crowd Friday night at Wolf Stadium.
Lake Hamilton (9-0, 6-0 6ASouth) clinched at least a share of the 6A-South championship and home-f ield advantage throughout the playoffs with the victory.
Texarkana (7-1-1, 6-1) likely will have to win at least one playoff on the road in order to return to Little Rock and defend its state championship.
Junior quarterback Phillip Butterfield overcame an interception on his first pass attempt to complete 12 of 19 for 223 yards and 1 touchdown. The Wolves added 129 yards rushing to finish with 352 total yards.
Junior wide receiver Tauno Vannucci finished with five receptions for 132 yards. Senior tight end Josh Profitt had four catches for 62 yards, includinga 25-yard touchdown late in the first half.
Texarkana was limited to 200 total yards. Standout senior tailback Dennis Johnson, playing with an injured ankle, managed only 48 yards on 13 carries.
Trailing 23-14, Texarkana's final gasp ended on a fourthdown incompletion from the Lake Hamilton 36 with 2:13 remaining to play.
"We did dominate the game," Wolves Coach Jerry Clay said. "Our offensive line dominated the game and that was the key."
Lake Hamilton led 17-7 at halftime and extended its advantage to 20-7 when Gay, a left-footer, kicked a 23-yard field goal with 7:46 left in the third quarter.
Bottled up offensively most of the game, the Razorbacks trimmed the deficit to 20-14 when junior fullback Tim Lackey scored on a 7-yard run with 11:54 remaining in the game.
But Texarkana never threatened to score again.
Gay essentially put the game out of reach with a 32-yard field goal with 4:12 remaining. He also kicked a 43-yard field goal with5:18 left in the first quarter.
Lake Hamilton overcame an early miscue to lead 17-7 at halftime.
On Lake Hamilton's first play from scrimmage, senior cornerback Mario Paxton stepped in front of a Butterfield pass and returned the interception 40 yards for a touchdown.
Senior Lee Starr added the extra point with 9:27 remaining in the first quarter.
The interception was only the fourth thrown this fall by Butterfield, and the first in 6ASouth play.
Butterfield responded on Lake Hamilton's next series, completing three passes for 30 yards.
After a holding penalty, the drive stalled at the Texarkana 26 and Gay kicked a 43-yard field goal with 5:18 left in the first quarter.
Lake Hamilton then moved 70 yards in 10 plays to take the lead for good.
Butterfield completed a 26-yard pass to Vannucci to the Texarkana 23. Five plays later, junior tailback David Church scored on a 3-yard run with 11:57left in the first half. Gay added the extra point for a 10-7 lead.
Lake Hamilton outgained Texarkana 108-29 in the first quarter.
The Wolves also dominated the second quarter and scored on a 25-yard pass from Butterfield to Profitt with 14 seconds left in the first half.
The drive covered 80 yards and included a 20-yard completion from Butterfield to Profitt on third-and-21 from the Texarkana 46.
The Wolves finished with a 198-56 advantage in total offense in the first half. Butterfield completed 9 of 15 yards for 136 yards.
SHERIDAN 21, WATSON CHAPEL 12
SHERIDAN - Senior tailback Bryce Lunday carried 22 times for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead Sheridan past Watson Chapel in a 6A-South game.
Lundy's touchdowns covered 22 and 1 yards.
Quarterback Zach Cole added 83 yards rushing and 1 touchdown on 13 carries. He scored on a 5-yard run in the second quarter to give the Yellowjackets a 14-6 halftime lead.
Sheridan finished with 302 total yards. Cody Guthrie and Kaleb Gray led the defense with one interception apiece.
Sports, Pages 31 on 10/27/2007