JONESBORO -- Forrest City broke open a close game with three touchdowns in the final six minutes to beat Valley View 34-7 in a 5A-East game.
The Mustangs, who gained 348 yards of total offense, returned two fumbles for touchdowns in the final 1:53 to build their lead.
Junior Kendrell Johnson rushed 19 times for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Mustangs.
Valley View (1-4, 1-1) gained 231 of its 262 yards on the ground, led by senior Kyler Carpenter 111 yards on 13 carries. Senior Jagger Cornelious added 77 yards on 17 carries.
Sophomore quarterback Joseph Walezonia passed for 31 yards and rushed for 42, but Valley View could not overcome five lost fumbles and an interception.
"They scored four touchdowns off turnovers," Valley View Coach Sean Cochrell said. "I'm disappointed because I felt like we played hard, extremely hard in the first half and third quarter, then just kind of fell apart."
Senior quarterback Tarik Jones completed 11 of 16 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown for Forrest City.
Forrest City (4-1, 2-0) scored on its first possession, but Nettleton came right back to take a 7-6 lead.
The Mustangs led 14-7 after scoring on a 30-yard pass from Jones to Leon Smith with 7:13 to play in the second quarter and adding a two-point conversion.
"I thought our defense played really well," Cochrell said. "Forrest City is a good team and has a lot of athletes, and I thought we played well with them."
Johnson's 5-yard run with 8:25 to go in the first quarter capped an 8-play, 70-yard drive to give the Mustangs a 6-0 lead. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Valley View countered with a 13-play, 67-yard drive that ended on a 3-yard run by Walezonia with 1:13 to play in the first quarter. The Blazers then recovered an onside kick, but couldn't move the ball and turned it over on downs.
"I read an article where their coach said their plan was to hold the ball and control the tempo and for a half that's exactly what they did," Forrest City Coach Rich Trail said . "I thought their game plan was excellent and then it fell apart in our favor a little bit in the second half. I know the score won't show it, but we're lucky to get out of here with a win."
Forrest City outgained Valley View 208-100 in the first half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Dee Howard returned a fumble 30 yards for a touchdown and Gamario Banks returned another fumble 43 yards.
Johnson's second rushing touchdown, from 6 yards out, put the game out of reach.
BATESVILLE 45, PARAGOULD 0
BATESVILLE — Louis Sonnier ran for three touchdowns as Batesville (3-2, 2-0 5A-East) downed Paragould (0-5, 0-2).
Sonnier’s third touchdown was a 57-yard run.
Demetrie Holliday passed 11 yards to Zach Griffin, Kylan Robinson ran 17 yards and Kyler Epperson ran 15 yards for Batesvile’s other touchdowns.
Ricardo Terreauz kicked a 26-yard field goal and made five extra points.
Griffin was 9 of 16 for 178 yards on 9 completions in 16 attempts. Sonnier finished with 115 yards on 11 carries with the 3 touchdowns.
WYNNE 42, GREENE COUNTY TECH 21
PARAGOULD — Kamar Dixon rushed for 205 yards and a touchdown and Luke Chapman rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns to power Wynne (2-3, 2-0 5A-East) past Greene County Tech (1-4, 0-2).
Wynne rushed for 550 yards.
Tavon Hicks also scored two touchdowns and Devontae Pounds had another for Wynne, which led 28-15 at halftime.
BLYTHEVILLE 48, NETTLETON 21
BLYTHEVILLE — Timarus Bohannon returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and Tyrell King returned a punt 70 yards for another first-quarter score to help lift Blytheville (3-2, 1-1 5A-East) over Nettleton (2-3, 0-2).
Terry Northern threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another for the Chickasaws.
Joe Frazier paced the Raiders with 28 carries for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns.
5A-CENTRAL
BEEBE 13, JACKSONVILLE 12
JACKSONVILLE — Beebe (2-3, 1-1) picked up its first 5A-Conference victory after Conner Patrons recovered a fumbled punt attempt in the end zone in the fourth quarter to edge Jacksonville (1-4, 1-1). Jacksonville led 12-6 with about four minutes left in the game when a snap sailed over the head of the Red Devils punter. He recovered but was stripped of the ball where Patrons fell on it in the end zone for the touchdown. Patrons capped the scoring by kicking the extra point. Patrons then intercepted a pass with a minute left to preserve the victory. Trip Smith had 191 yards rushing for the Badgers.
5A-SOUTH
CAMDEN FAIRVIEW 33, WHITE HALL 15
CAMDEN — Kimonte Wilson ran for an 80-yard touchdown as Camden Fairview (2-3, 1-1 5A-South) defeated White Hall (0-5, 0-2). Camden Fairview led 26-0 at the half. Logan Reed passed to Jordan Simple for another of Camden Fairview’s touchdowns.
WATSON CHAPEL 37, DE QUEEN 14
DE QUEEN — Tre Cole scored two rushing touchdowns to lead Watson Chapel (2-3, 2-0 5A-South) to a victory over De Queen (1-4, 0-2). Jackobi Jackson threw a touchdown pass to Jaquan Dorsey. Tre Woods also scored a touchdown for the Wildcats, who had lost their first three games before beating defending 5A-South champion Hot Springs at home last Friday.
HIGH SCHOOL COACHES
Call us
Coaches are asked to call the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with football game reports before midnight each Friday this fall. Call (800) 272-4650 or (501) 378-3411. We need records, score by quarters, scoring plays with first and last names, along with top rushing, passing, receiving and defensive performances. The Democrat-Gazette also will publish statistics each Friday throughout the regular season. Deadline for statistics to appear in Friday’s edition during the season is noon Wednesday. Email statistics and news tips to
jmuck@arkansasonline.com.
Scores also can be tweeted using the hashtag #arpreps.
Sports on 10/03/2015