SPRINGDALE — Luke Hanson’s eyes appeared to be as big as saucers when the football came into his sights. Some 54 interception return yards later, Hanson had darted and dashed through the El Dorado offense to set up a pivotal score just before the half for Springdale Har-Ber.
Just like that, Hanson’s momentum-switching play turned a game in doubt into an eventual rout as Har-Ber rolled past El Dorado 42-13 on Friday at Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium.
“I saw the ball coming my way and I just was in the right position, the right place at the right time,” said Hanson, a 5-11, 150-pound junior free safety. “I just made the play and did what I could with the ball.”
Har-Ber never looked back after Hanson’s gamechanging defensive stop - in which he took the interception from El Doradoquarterback Taylor Reed on a deep pass at the Har-Ber 22 and ran it all the way back to the El Dorado 24. First, there was a go-ahead 11-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Lutherto Michael Fine with just six seconds left before halftime to give the hometown Wildcats (2-0) a 14-7 lead. Then in the second half, it was the running of tailbacks Tucker Lee and Preston Pianalto - who both finished with more than 100 rushing yards - who capped things as Har-Ber eventually invoked the sportsmanship rule in the fourth quarter against the defending Class 6A champions.
“At the start of the second half they got the momentum,” El Dorado Coach Scott Reed said. “They got to where they could run it right at us and you can’t do that against a good team.”
Make no mistake, Har-Ber’s overpowering second half might not have been possible if not for one gamechanging play by Hanson.
“For about a quarter and half, El Dorado had the whole tempo and we were just holding on for dear life,” Har-Ber Coach Chris Wood said. “To be able to tie it up 7-7 and then we pick one off and run it back and we’re able to get more points just before the half, that just gives you the momentum before the half.
“That just gave us the energy and then in the second half we just came out and ran the ball.”
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/11/2010