WEST MEMPHIS -- Quarterback Kylin Whiting made West Memphis Coach Billy Elmore's debut a successful one by flipping a 12-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Darrell Dudley as the final horn sounded, and Kam Pittman provided the winning two-point conversion as the Blue Devils shocked Forrest City 42-41.
The Mustangs, who were trying to defeat West Memphis for the first time since 1997, held a 41-34 lead three minutes to play before the Blue Devils stopped Forrest City running back Bryant Allen short of a first down at the West Memphis 15.
Whiting was 0 for 6 passing before completing 4 of 9 on the winning drive.
"I just tried to take deep breaths and stay as calm as I could," said Whiting.
The Blue Devils faced fourth and 1 with 6 seconds to play as Dudley outjumped a Forrest City defender to make it 41-40.
Elmore, who led Stuttgart to the 2012 Class 4A state championship before coming to West Memphis, said it was an easy call to go for the two-point conversion.
Pittman, who rushed for 149 yards, beat the Mustangs to the corner of the end zone on the conversion.
"That's bread-and-butter for us," Elmore said.
Forrest City led 21-20 at halftime, but West Memphis took the lead twice in the second half. Forrest City quarterback Jamal Turner, who completed 11 of 15 passes for 247 yards, connected with Leon Smith for a 45-yard touchdown, giving the Mustangs a 41-34 lead.
Pittman teamed with senior Quintavious Coleman for 370 yards rushing. Coleman gained 221 on 19 carries.
"I wouldn't say this was a demoralizing loss, but it was hard to take for us," said Forrest City Coach Rich Trail. "It was a hard-fought game by both teams and I knew it was going to come down to which of us had the ball last."
WEBB CITY (MO.) 42, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 13
WEBB CITY, Mo. — A long weather delay didn’t slow Webb City’s option attack. The Cardinals built a 21-point lead going into halftime and they rolled past Springdale Har-Ber.
The game was delayed for more than two hours because of lightning and heavy rain that moved into the area just before kickoff.
Webb City used two long touchdown runs and a scoring pass with no time left in the second quarter to take a 28-7 lead into halftime. Quarterback Tyson Roderique scored an 82-yard run and Kaleb Potts followed with touchdown runs of 13 and 50 yards to give Webb City the early momentum.
Har-Ber scored on a 53-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Daniels to Luke Hannon, but Daniels threw an interception late in the second quarter to give Webb City another opportunity. The Cardinals took advantage when Roderique found Trent Parra open for a 20-yard touchdown pass with no time left in the second quarter.
OLATHE NORTH (KAN.) 18, ROGERS HERITAGE 13
ROGERS — Olathe North recovered a fumble late in the fourth quarter and running back Venus Triplett plowed into the end zone from 4 yards out as Olathe (1-0) defeated Rogers Heritage (0-1) at Gates Stadium.
Heritage led 13-12 with 1:53 left in the game, but it fumbled on first down at its 20 and Olathe pounced on the ball. Triplett carried the ball three consecutive times, plunging across the goal line on the third one for the winning score.
ROGERS 35, SILOAM SPRINGS 21
ROGERS — Bryan Grigsby carried 32 times for 446 yards and scored all 5 of Rogers’ touchdowns as the Mounties (1-0) rolled past Siloam Springs (0-1) at Whitey Smith Stadium.
Grigsby shattered the 7A-West Conference single-game rushing record of 350 yards set by Fort Smith Northside’s Keniko Logan in the mid-1990s. Grigsby had touchdown runs of 1, 5, 70, 79 and 89 yards.
Grigsby had 228 yards and 21 carries in the first half as the Mounties built a 21-14 lead. He was the only Rogers player to touch the ball in the second quarter as the senior rushed 15 times for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns in the quarter.
Sports on 09/06/2014