SPRINGDALE — Jon Vaughn made his case to be Springdale Har-Ber’s starting quarterback.
Though coach Chris Wood says he will continue to use a two quarterback system once 7A-West Conference play begins next week, Vaughn had a night to remember Friday as Har-Ber defeated Cabot 49-20.
Despite the rainy conditions, Har-Ber (2-1) wasn’t afraid to put the ball in the air. Vaughn finished the game 11 of 13 passing for 233 yards and two touchdowns.
During the Wildcats first two games combined, Vaughn had completed only 12 passes for 189 yards.
“Our receivers were just making plays and our o-line let me have a chance to throw,” Vaughn said. “All I have to do is put the ball near the spot and they’ll get it.”
Vaughn added the ball slipped out of his hands a few times, but no one would have guessed when looking at the stat sheet. Four of his passes went for 33 yards or more.
Cabot falls to 1-2 on the year with two consecutive blowout losses and veteran coach Mike Malham shared his disappointed after game. He referred to Har-Ber junior cornerback Hunter Patrick’s 75-yard fumble returned for a score in the first quarter as the turning point.
“We’re not very good in the secondary. We’re playing young kids, they’re not real athletic,” Malham said. “Of course, we don’t help ourselves. We’re fixing to tie the game up, and we fumble.”
No matter what Cabot might have done wrong, there’s no denying Vaughn played a near perfect game.
“He settled in and did some really good things in El Dorado last week. He really ran the ball hard and made some throws for us,” Wood said. “I think it carried over tonight. The offensive line gave him really good protection.
“He’s so big that he can sit in there and make the throws.”
At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, Vaughn even got himself going in the ground game, carrying the ball five times for 32 yards, including a five-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.
Now with rushing touchdowns in back-to-back games, it looks like opponents will have to adjust their scouting reports to know the senior quarterback is more than just a pocket passer.
“I’m very deceptive, man,” he said with a grin. “People may think I look like I’m slow, but I can run faster than what people think.”
Nonconference
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 49, CABOT 20
Cab 0 7 7 6 — 20
Har 28 7 7 7 — 49
First
Har — Johnson 3 run (Sudon kick), 11:08.
Har — Patrick 75 fumble recovery (Sudon kick), 7:04.
Har — Tollett 33 pass from Vaughn (Sudon kick), 3:33.
Har — Byrne 24 pass from Mayfield (Sudon kick), 1:33.
Second Quarter
Cab — Conard 6 run (Marquez kick), 5:22.
Har — Fine 11 pass from Vaughn, 3:26.
Third Quarter
Cab — Thompson 1 run (Marquez kick), 5:37.
Har — Vaughn 5 run (Sudon kick), 3:41.
Fourth Quarter
Cab — Conard 1 run (Marquez kick failed), 8:37.
Har — Lee 1 run (Sudon kick), 6:14.