HARRISON - Harrison found itself on the winning side for only the second time this season Friday night as the Goblins pounded Clarksville 35-6 in a 5A-West Conference game at F.S. Garrison Stadium.
The victory ended a five-game losing streak by the Goblins (2-6, 1-4) that stretched back to a 44-7 victory against Mountain Home on Sept. 13.
“We finally had some things go our way,” Harrison Coach Chad Harbison said. “We had a good first quarter, went out there and got the lead and were able to play from the lead instead of from behind. That’s what we have been talking about all week.”
That allowed the Goblins to utilize their ground game. Senior tailback Michael Evert ran 37 times for 177 and 2 touchdowns, running 17 times for 95 yards in the second half as Harrison pounded the ball right at the Panthers. In the third quarter alone, Harrison ran 16 plays with Evert handling 12 of those.
“He has been our go-to guy all season,” Harbison said. “He’s just a tough, hard-running kid, and we knew if we could get him going we had a good chance to win.”
Evert scored Harrison’s first two touchdowns, the first on a 3-yard run to cap the first drive of the game and the second on a 5-yard run on Harrison’s next play after a 55-yard interception return by Trevor Boyd.
Clarksville (3-5, 2-3) scored its only touchdown on the ensuing drive when running back Brian White caught a screen pass from quarterback Brandon Lovell, shook one tackle and ran 62 yards to the end zone.
Harrison finished with 374 total yards, with 225 coming on 55 rushes. Clarksville finished with 256 total yards.
MORRILTON 47, HUNTSVILLE 14
HUNTSVILLE - Senior quarterback Toney Hawkins completed 13 of 23 passes for 209 yards and 1 touchdown in Morrilton’s victory.
Hawkins threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Reese Heidencrich to help the Devil Dogs (6-2, 4-1 5A-West) to a 20-6 halftime lead over Huntsville (2-6, 0-5). Hawkins also ran for touchdowns of 14 and 17 yards. Terrence Minor added 69 yards on 13 carries and scored 3 touchdowns for Morrilton.
ALMA 40, VILONIA 7
ALMA - Evan Burris ran 49 yards for a touchdown and passed for two more to help guide Alma (6-2, 5-0) to a 5A-West Conference victory over Vilonia (2-6, 2-3).
Burris completed 10 of 12 passes for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns, one for 44 yards to Ricky Robbins and another for 35 yards to Thomas Hall.
Malachi White ran 3 yards and 1 yard for touchdowns. Junior Edwards returned an intercepted pass 3 yards for another Alma touchdown.
Vilonia scored the game’s first points on a 3-yard run by Kent Madden in the first quarter.
Sports, Pages 26 on 10/26/2013