CONWAY -- Junior quarterback Breylin Smith completed 16 of 23 passes for 312 yards and 5 touchdowns in Conway's 49-28 victory over Jonesboro on Friday night at John McConnell Stadium.
Class 7A Conway (2-0) beat Class 6A Jonesboro (1-1) for the fourth time since the schools began a nonconference series in 2010. Their 2012 meeting was canceled because of severe weather.
Smith, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Metro Sophomore of the Year, put the game out of reach with a 13-yard touchdown pass to senior tailback Kevin Chamorro with 3:11 remaining to play.
Senior place-kicker Matt Cummins' seventh extra point set the final.
Smith, who was offered a scholarship by Central Arkansas in the summer of 2013, also threw two touchdowns to junior wide receiver D.J. Johnson and two to senior wide receiver Brock Mitchell.
"He's just heady; he's smart," Wampus Cats Coach Clint Ashcraft said of Smith. "Just impressive the way he handles himself, and he's so composed. He just seems to be so calm all the time."
Johnson finished with 8 receptions for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns (51 and 55 yards in the first half).
Conway took the lead for good, 14-7, when a three-play, 65-yard drive ended with a 51-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Johnson with 11:39 left in the first half.
Smith and Johnson hooked up again on a 55-yard touchdown with 57 seconds remaining in the first half.
The five-play, 80-yard drive, which gave Conway a 21-7 halftime lead, came after senior outside linebacker Nick Starr's interception in the end zone for a touchback.
The Wampus Cats, who never trailed, finished with 456 total yards.
Mitchell finished with 7 receptions for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns (14 and 11 yards in the second half).
The Hurricane amassed 484 total yards, including 318 rushing. Senior tailback Deavion Binion ran 15 times for 122 yards and 1 touchdown.
"They did a good job," Ashcraft said. "It was a battle."
Jonesboro was within 35-21 following Binion's 51-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
But the Wampus Cats extended the lead to 42-21 when senior cornerback Kaylan Pouncy returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown with 9:34 remaining.
In addition to the two interceptions, Jonesboro ran out of downs at the Conway 12 when senior quarterback Carson Coats was stopped just short of a first down on a keeper with 6:13 left in the first half.
Sports on 09/13/2014