MAYFLOWER - Harding Academy’s Alex Francis completed 24 of 31 passes for 488 yards and 6 touchdowns, leading the Wildcats, the No. 2-ranked team in Class 3A, to a 45-21 victory Friday over Mayflower, the No. 4 team in Class 3A.
Nine of Francis’ completions went for 244 yards and three touchdowns to Kohl Blickenstaff. The Francis-Blickenstaff combo took advantage of a mismatch in coverage to convert the big plays.
Alex Francis is the younger brother of Will Francis, who now plays basketball at Harding University. Little brother looks capable of filling those shoes.
“He did a great job, especially as a sophomore,” Harding Academy Coach Roddy Mote said of Alex Francis. “We’re fortunate to have two quarterbacks, and we’ve played both. The last three weeks, Francis has stepped up and made plays. Being able to put him [Blickenstaff] out on the perimeter, he’s special out there.”
The Wildcats (8-0, 5-0 2-3A) broke a 7-7 tie with two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the first half, and then scored two more touchdowns in their first four plays in the third quarter.
Jake Wolfe stopped Mayflower’s Adam Dycus short on a fourth-down run, and Harding Academy took over at its 17. Francis passed to Blickenstaff for 42 yards to get into Mayflower territory, and then hit Blickenstaff for a 24-yard score.
Mayflower (5-3, 3-2) then went three-and-out, setting up the Wildcats near midfield. Eleven seconds remained in the half when Francis hit Jake Mackey on a slant for a 15-yard touchdown and a 21-7 halftime lead. Harding Academy took advantage of a short field to open the second half, scoring in three plays, as Francis passed to Carter Burks for a 34-yard touchdown.
The Eagles answered with a quick score, needing less than two minutes to go 69 yards, with Dycus passing on the run to Justin Bailey for a 27-yard touchdown. But Francis and Blickenstaff hooked up again on the play after a failed onside kick for a 55-yard touchdown to make it 35-14.
Mayflower’s next three possessions ended in turnovers on downs and an interception, all in Harding Academy territory. The Wildcats forced four total turnovers, and stopped Mayflower on downs in their end of the field three times. Francis’ final touchdown pass went to Burks for 36 yards in the final quarter.
Dycus completed 30 of 45 passes for 429 yards and 3 touchdowns. Josh Woodham caught 7 passes for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns.
NO. 6 GLEN ROSE 52, CENTERPOINT 13
GLEN ROSE - Carlos Burton rushed for three touchdowns and Dillon Lequier returned a blocked field goal for one of his three scores to lead Glen Rose (7-1, 5-0) past Centerpoint (4-3-1, 3-2) in 5-3A Conference action.
Burton rushed for 159 yards on just four carries, with touchdown runs of 71, 5 and 73 yards.
Lequier blocked a field goal attempt in the second quarter and returned it 85 yards for a score. Lequier also caught touchdown passes from Clay Holicer for 25 and 26 yards. Holicer had a 1-yard touchdown run in the first period.
Sports, Pages 28 on 10/26/2013