HASKELL -- Episcopal Collegiate battled back from a halftime deficit and held off a Benton Harmony Grove comeback to win 42-41 on the road Friday night.
The Wildcats (8-1, 5-1) struck first with an early 15-yard rushing touchdown by Kelvin Robinson, but the Cardinals (6-3, 4-2 5-3A Conference) answered back almost immediately with a 74-yard touchdown run from John Johnson.
Johnson gained 371 all-purpose yards, mostly on the ground, and scored four touchdowns for the Cardinals, who also got two short touchdown runs from Harry McClendon.
Episcopal Coach Richie Marsh praised the Cardinals' play, particularly Johnson.
"They're really, really, really tough," he said. "[Johnson] is as tough and fast a player as anyone in our conference."
Episcopal stopped Johnson when the game was on the line, though.
McClendon's 3-yard run got the Cardinal's within 42-41 with 1:50 left in the game. But Harmony Grove Coach Jimmy "Red" Parker elected to go for two instead of kick the extra point, and Johnson's run was stopped short by Episcopal's Allie Freeman.
Parker said he felt good about having Johnson run the two-point conversion attempt after his team's last touchdown.
"I felt like our chances of making the two were better than stopping them four downs in overtime," Parker said. "Plus I thought we could make it."
Marsh said his team, which takes on Glen Rose next week, needs to stay healthy.
Freeman had 266 all-purpose yards, including a 50-yard kickoff return. He scored two short rushing touchdowns and caught one of Munson's two successful 2-point conversion passes.
Episcopal quarterback Douglas Munson scored two 1-yard rushing touchdowns and threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Sam Baker.
The Wildcats trailed 28-24 in the second quarter, and trailed 28-20 at halftime.
The game included three ties and five lead changes, including three in the fourth quarter.
Each team missed an extra-point. Episcopal had two successful and one failed 2-point conversions, while Harmony Grove succeeded on one conversion and failed on one.
"All our running backs went out by the fourth quarter and we had to chuck it after that," Parker said.
Sports on 11/01/2014