The state football playoffs start next week, but the stakes won't be any higher than they were Thursday night at Central Arkansas Christian.
A spot in the Class 4A playoffs was on the line, and the CAC Mustangs grabbed it, beating the Stuttgart Ricebirds 48-28 as junior Braylon Harris rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns.
"We told the kids before the game that the loser goes home and the winner gets to extend their season." Stuttgart Coach Vince Perrin said. "This was a playoff game."
CAC (6-4, 4-3 2-4A) seemed poised for a blowout early, but Stuttgart (4-6, 3-4), the 2012 Class 4A state champion, used an offensive reserve to help put it back in contention.
Senior linebacker and backup quarterback Demontae "Tank" Vincer took six snaps from the Wildcat Formation to rush for 158 yards and two touchdowns, the second on a 78-yard run that put the Ricebirds within 27-20 in the third quarter.
"Tank did some good things with the football in his hands," Perrin said. "He had a good night."
CAC Coach Tommy Shoemaker said Vincer and the Ricebirds kept the game interesting.
"Their kids never gave up," Shoemaker said. "They kept playing."
CAC responded to Vincer's touchdown with a 12-play drive that ended with Harris' 13-yard touchdown run that gave it a 34-20 lead with 2:38 left in the third quarter.
"Harris is good," Perrin said. "He's slippery. He's hard to tackle."
"He has a knack for slipping out of tackles," Shoemaker said. "It's just God-given ability. I wish I could say I coached him to do that, but that's beyond me."
CAC made it 41-20 early in the fourth quarter on sophomore quarterback Noah Evans' 24-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Josh Johnson on fourth down.
"I'm proud of us for being able to come back and answer them and retake control of the game," Shoemaker said.
Stuttgart scored first, on its second possession, to take a 6-0 lead on senior quarterback Carter Ward's 6-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Blake Marks.
CAC answered Stuttgart's score with a 4-yard touchdown run by Harris, Evans' 16-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Hunter Corbell, junior Justin Flanigan's 33-yard field goal, and a 12-yard run by Harris to take a 24-6 lead with 8:34 left in the second quarter.
But Stuttgart substituted Vincer with two minutes left in the first half for Ward, its starter. Vincer carried on four consecutive plays from midfield, ending with a 20-yard touchdown run that cut CAC's lead to 24-12 at halftime.
A 21-yard field goal by gave CAC a 27-12 lead on its first possession of the second half before Vincer's long run made it a touchdown game.
Corbell returned an interception from midfield to complete the scoring late in the fourth quarter.
"Hats off to CAC," Perrin said. "They did a good job, but I'm proud of our kids and the way they fought. There's going to be brighter days ahead for the Ricebirds."
Sports on 11/07/2014