HEBER SPRINGS - Newport rallied from a halftime deficit with two third-quarter touchdowns to down Heber Springs 22-8 Friday at Panther Stadium. Newport improved to 9-0 and clinched at least a share of the 2-4A title.
But the Greyhounds trailed at halftime for the first time all season and that suited Newport Coach Greg Brannon just fine.
"I am glad this happened because we needed this wake-up call," he said. "I spoke at our booster club luncheon on Monday, and I told them how uncomfortable I was with this game.
He had reason to be after the Panthers (4-5, 2-4) took their first possession and marched 80 yards on 12 plays that consumed most of the first-quarter clock.
Braylon Mitchell capped off the drive with a 3-yard run with 10:15 to play before the half. Ryan Grist ran in the two-point conversion and the Panthers led 8-7.
"I told our guys that they weren't being aggressive enough," Brannon said of his halftime speech.
They Greyhounds' defense limited the Panthers to 1 rushing yard on 8 carries while scoring two touchdowns to take control.
Edward Pruitt's 23-yard option keeper set up Chris Crite's 8-yard run on Newport's first possession of the second half. After a threeand-out for Heber Springs, the Greyhounds marched 73 yards on seven plays as Pruitt scored from 15 yards out.
Nico Cox set up the bizarre touchdown with a 37-yard run. Pruitt handed off to Hakeem Doss, who was wrapped up by several Heber Springs defenders for an apparent 4-yard loss, but he coughed up the football. Pruitt scooped it up and ran untouched for the score.
NASHVILLE 56, ARKANSAS BAPTIST 7
NASHVILLE - DeShawn Scoggins ran for three touchdowns and Pierre Vaughn accounted for four more to the lead Nashville (8-1, 5-1 7-4A) over Arkansas Baptist (1-8, 0-6).
Vaughn's first touchdown pass came with 7:36 left in the first quarter on a 50-yard throw to Tyler Serrano to put the Scrappers ahead 7-0. Scroggins scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to put Nashville ahead 14-0 after the first quarter.
WARREN 39, HAMBURG 7
HAMBURG - Hayden Smith passed for 311 yards and four touchdowns to direct Warren (9-0, 6-0) to an 8-4A Conference victory against Hamburg (6-3, 4-2).
Basmine Jones caught two touchdown passes from Smith and Dedrick Hampton scored on a 60-yard reception form Smith and a 12-yard run.
Smith passed 50 yards to Jarius Wright for a touchdown early in the first quarter. Jones then had his touchdown receptions of 35 and 9 yards for an 18-0 lead.
Hampton caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter for Warren.
DUMAS 33, MCGEHEE 6
DUMAS - The running and passing of senior quarterback Kendall Council helped Dumas past McGehee in a 8-4A game.
The Bobcats (7-1-1, 5-1) led 18-6 at halftime before pulling away in the final two quarters.
Sports, Pages 33 on 10/27/2007