MENA -- A 15-yard penalty against Mena on the final play of the first half led to Malvern's undoing Friday night at Randall Whorton Field.
Jackson Daugherty scored on two 37-yard runs in the second half -- one on a punt return and one on a rush -- to lead the Mena Bearcats to a 26-7 victory over the Leopards in the semifinals of the Class 4A state playoffs.
Leading 13-7 with 10 seconds left in the second quarter, Mena forced a fumble but Daugherty was called for a late hit after the fumble. The penalty was enforced on the second-half kickoff, forcing the Bearcats to kick from their own 25. But instead of Malvern getting good field position, Mena's kick squirted past return man Devin Shaw and the Leopards were forced to start from their own 23.
A 2-yard run and two incomplete passes later, Malvern's Trace Collie punted the ball into one of his own linemen and Daugherty fielded the ball at 37. The Bearcats' 175-pound senior ran right and broke three tackles on his way to the end zone.
The victory advances Mena to the state championship game for the first time since 1976, when the Bearcats defeated Arkadelphia for the title.
"I can't even explain it," Mena Coach Tim Harper said. "I'm just super proud of the kids. I'm super proud of the way they've worked since last November. They didn't earn this tonight. They earned this last November, and they played their hearts out tonight."
Mena (12-2) will play Warren (12-2) in the championship game at noon Dec. 13 at War Memorial Stadium.
Mena's defense held Malvern to its lowest point total of the season, and the Leopards were held to fewer than 30 points for the first time in five weeks.
Malvern was limited to 235 total yards. The Leopards managed only six first downs, 135 yards and no points in the second half. Collie was 17 of 34 passing for 134 yards, but he was intercepted twice -- once by Daugherty and once by Zane Sherrer.
"We didn't play our best football," Malvern Coach Mike Scarbrough said. "Mena played better than we did tonight. We couldn't block them. That's what it came down to. We were beat up in the run game. ... Mena just played better than we did tonight."
Daugherty, who was held to 10 yards on three carries in the first half, provided all of the offensive punch the Bearcats needed in the second half. His 37-yard scoring run with 7:52 remaining capped the scoring. His run came one play after Malvern was guilty of being offsides on a fourth-and-1 play.
Daugherty finished with 78 yards on 10 carries.
Mena finished with 166 yards of offense in the first half with receiver Brady Davis providing almost all of the significant yardage. The senior receiver caught passes of 27, 78 and 32 yards, scoring on the 78-yarder.
Malvern squandered scoring opportunities on its first two possessions. A bad snap on Mena's first punt allowed the Leopards to start their first drive at the Mena 36, but two penalties forced Malvern to punt. The Leopards' second possession ended when Elliott Coston's 36-yard field-goal attempt hit the right upright.
Two plays later, Sage Kesterson and Davis connected for the 78-yard scoring pass with 2:36 left in the opening quarter.
Mena's second touchdown was set up by the first of three first-half turnovers by Malvern. Zane Sherrer recovered a fumble at Mena 43 with 1:44 left in the first quarter. Eight plays later, Kesterson scored on a 14-yard run with 11:49 remaining in the first half.
Malvern drove 61 yards on 13 plays and took 6:59 off the clock to cut Mena's advantage to 13-7. Monte Hernandez capped the drive with a 3-yard run with 1:16 left before halftime. Mena helped keep the drive alive by committing penalties on two fourth-down plays, one of which was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that placed Malvern on the Mena 12.
Malvern was held to 12 first downs and 234 yards of total offense. The Leopards also were guilty of four turnovers.
Mena managed only 278 yards of offense but had only one turnover.
Hernandez wound up as Malvern's leading rusher with 65 yards on 16 carries.
Sports on 12/06/2014