Friday night's nonconference game between Maumelle and Fountain Lake did not have a snappy finish.
Both teams missed opportunities to take the lead in the final minutes when center snaps went awry and the game ended in a 6-6 tie at Maumelle High School.
Conference games begin next Friday, with Maumelle (2-1) in the 5A West at Harrison, and Fountain Lake (2-1) in 7-4A at Waldron, and those games will go to overtime if they are tied after regulation.
"We have a long way to go," Maumelle Coach Mike Buchan said. "If we play like this next week, Harrison will beat us a thousand to nothing."
Fountain Lake's opportunity to take the lead came after Parker Ross' 11-yard touchdown run tied the game at 6-6 with 5:19 left in the fourth quarter.
Ross' run completed a 15-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 9 minutes, 10 seconds, but the exertion of the drive took its toll on junior center Dilan Holcomb, who said after the game that the ball and his hands were wet with perspiration.
The ball slipped from his grip on the extra-point attempt and rolled back to holder Carson Chandler, who tried to place it on the tee but failed. Junior kick Tyler Patton was unable to kick and the score remained tied.
"That was our center that had just gone on that 15-play drive, and he was tired," Fountain Lake Coach Tommy Gilleran said. "That happens when you're tired.
Maumelle's final possession also looked as if it might net potentially game-winning points.
It began at the Hornets' 35 with two 13-yard runs by junior tailback Jacob Acklin. A 4-yard option keeper by senior quarterback J.B. Minix on 4th-and-1 gave Maumelle a first down at Fountain Lake's 22. But on the next play, as Minix looked toward his offensive coordinator on the sideline, senior center Mailk Singleton snapped the ball passed Minix. Maumelle recovered at its 40 for an 18-yard loss.
"I don't know why he snapped it," Buchan said. "I don't know. It seemed that any way we could shoot ourself in the foot tonight, we did."
The failed snap was followed by a 14-yard completion from Minix to senior receiver Braylon Waits, an incomplete pass, and an interception by Chandler returned 39 yards to midfield.
Fountain Lake's last chance was a missed 41-yard field goal attempt by Patton on the final play.
"We had a chance there at the end of the game," Gilleran said. "[Patton] makes those in practice."
He didn't this time, but Gilleran could not complain.
"Our kids really worked," Gilleran said. "We're not the fastest; we're not the biggest, but our kids played hard the entire game."
"Our offense just had water in its gas tank tonight," Buchan said. "Fountain Lake just outplayed us. They wanted it more than us, and we just sputtered."
Two field goals by Maumelle senior Jacob Kennard gave Maumelle a 6-0 lead, but late in the third quarter Fountain Lake began its 80-yard drive. The Cobras, out of their often withering Wing-T set, converted twice on third down and twice on fourth during the drive.
GREENE COUNTY TECH 39,
KENNETT (MO.) 15
KENNETT, Mo. — Tyson Bayird threw three touchdown passes as Greene County Tech defeated Kennett in a nonconfence game.
Bayird threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to London Word, a 76-yard touchdown pass to Bryson Jones and a 10-yard pass to Adam Freeman.
Word also scored on a 21-yard run, Braxton Rousseau had a 24-yard touchdown run and Logan Cato score on a 1-yard run.
LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN 38, JACKSONVILLE 10
Brooks Boshears ran for three touchdowns and passed for another to help Little Rock Christian to a second consecutive home victory.
Boshears’ 3-yard run gave the Warriors (2-1) a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, then his 15-yard pass to Alex North gave it a 17-0 halftime lead over the Red Devils (0-3).
Boshears added scoring runs of 15 and 7 yards in the second half, and Reed Clevenger returned an interception 60 yards for the Warriors final score.
LITTLE ROCK MCCLELLAN 21, LONOKE 20
Trent Lewis returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown to tie the game with 3:00, then Jesus Martinez’ extra point gave Little Rock McClellan a late come-from-behind victory.
Lonoke (1-2) had a chance after Lewis’ interception return, but McClellan (1-2) forced a turnover on downs.
VILONIA 20, BEEBE 13
VILONIA — Blane Norman caught a 3-yard pass with 5:12 left and Vilonia converted the two-point conversion to pull out a late victory.
Vilonia (1-2) twice gave up a lead before winning late. Jarodd Willis scored on a 1-yard run to go up 6-0 in the second quarter, but trailed 7-6 at halftime. Then Dillan Halstead scored on a 10-yard run in the third quarter to go up 13-6, but Beebe led 14-13 heading into the fourth quarter before Norman’s touchdown catch from Williams.
Sports on 09/20/2014