SPRINGDALE — Just a few inches of artificial grass stood between Nashville and the end zone, where a touchdown would get the Scrappers within striking distance of Shiloh Christian.
It might as well have been a mile.
Shiloh Christian’s defense clamped down and forced a Nashville fumble and the Saints went on to a 48-10 victory in Champions Stadium in a Class 4A quarterfinal. It was Shiloh Christian’s 33rd consecutive home playoff victory.
The Saints (12-1) stifled Nashville’s running game the entire game. Other than a 43-yard run early in the game by Trays Marshall out of the Wildcat formation, the Scrappers (10-3) did not have a run of more than 8 yards until thefinal play of the game.
The Scrappers finished with just 43 yards on the ground - minus 8 in the second half.
Kiehl Frazier rushed 26 times for 183 yards and completed 9 of 13 passes for 177 yards for the Saints, who also got 145 yards rushing from Garrett Harper. The two combined for 6 touchdowns. Frazier’s big night put him over 1,000 yards rushing for the season, along with Harper.
Early in the fourth quarter following a Frazier run, Shiloh Christian Coach Josh Floyd was assessed back-to-back unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and ejected from the game. His ejection could mean he will be suspended from next week’s game as well, although he said following the game the school plans to appeal the suspension.
Floyd would not comment on what caused the ejection.
Sports, Pages 27 on 11/27/2010