SEARCY — Senior quarterback Seth Keese scored on four short touchdown runs and reached a career milestone in Harding Academy’s 35-6 victory over Rison in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A playoffs Friday night at First Security Stadium.
Harding Academy (11-1) will host defending state champion Fountain Lake in the semifinals next week.
Fountain Lake eliminated Harding Academy 42-10 in the semifinals last season, but Harding Academy beat Fountain Lake 28-20 on Sept. 3 at First Security Stadium.
Rison (11-2) was playing for its ninth state championship recognized by the Arkansas Activities Association.
Keese rushed 16 times for 84 yards and scored on runs of 1, 1, 1 and 2 yards. He also completed 14 of 18 passes for 176 yards.
Keese surpassed 9,000 career yards running and passing during his team’s dominant second-half performance.
“He’s done a great job all year long,” Harding Academy Coach Roddy Mote said. “He’s done a great job for us for three years. Nothing’s really changed tonight.”
Senior tailback Ben Lecrone scored Harding Academy’s final touchdown on a 25-yard run with 11:29 remaining in the game. Lecrone ran 14 times for 103 yards.
Harding Academy finished with 426 total yards, including 203 rushing, and senior placekicker Josh Spears was 5 of 5 on extra-point attempts.
Rison was led by senior halfback Rock Caldwell, who ended his illustrious career with 149 yards rushing on 23 carries.
But Caldwell, the school’s all-time leading rusher with more than 5,000 yards, was limited to 15 yards in the second half.
Rison, which only trailed 14-6 at halftime, had one first down in the final 24 minutes.
Harding Academy extended its halftime lead when Keese scored on a 1-yard run with 7:21 left in the third quarter.
The 12-play, 80-yard drive included a 41-yard completion from Keese to senior wide receiver Tyler Curtis on third-and-18 from the Harding Academy 41.
Keese, also a standout safety, recovered a fumble at the Rison 33 to set up Harding Academy’s next touchdown.
Keese capped the short drive on a 1-yard run with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.
Junior Tucker Lloyd recovered an ensuing onside kick at the Rison 36, leading to Lecrone’s touchdown run.
In the second quarter, Harding Academy moved 72 yards in nine plays for its first score - a 2-yard run by Keese with 6:39 left in the first half.
FOUNTAIN LAKE 44, MANSFIELD 21
MANSFIELD - Dale Smith caught a 63-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage to help Fountain Lake (9-4) to a victory at Mansfield on Friday night in the Class 3A quarterfinals.
Coleman Crawford also threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Smith and ran for touchdowns of 1 and 9 yards.
The Cobras stretched their lead to 22-0 before Mansfield scored late in the second quarter. The Tigers got within 22-14 to start the third quarter, but Crawford connected with Smith on a 53-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-14.
Mark Makin rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
For Mansfield (10-3) Devyn Miller caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Presson.
Sports, Pages 27 on 11/27/2010