HASKELL -- Paul Calley finally got the best of Daryl Patton on Thursday night.
Benton Harmony Grove, led by Calley, dominated Bauxite 49-17 on Thursday night in front of a standing-room only crowd at Jimmy "Red" Parker Field at Sykes Stadium.
Calley lost the previous three meetings with Patton when the two coaches were at Bryant and Fayetteville, respectively.
"When we faced each other in the past, it ended the season for us," said Calley, who was hired by Harmony Grove in December. "I have the utmost respect for the guy. He's won four 7A state titles. He beat us on the way to three of them. But he's one of the best.
"It makes it extra special to beat one of his teams."
Calley's players helped him out early Thursday, taking a 21-0 lead after one quarter.
"It's a big win," Calley said. "We started off fast."
It was not a night to remember for Patton, who led Fayetteville to four Class 7A state championships in the past 13 seasons before resigning in May.
"Give credit to those guys," Patton said. "Coach Calley got them ready to play. He's got a senior team. He's got a chance to make a run at it. We started 14 sophomores.
"We had to play perfect going in. You can't spot a good team 21 points. We played hard. We made a lot of mistakes that we can coach and spot on film. Tonight wasn't a good night to be a Miner, but we'll get off the mat and start swinging tomorrow."
Antonio Roberson rushed for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 carries to lead the Cardinals. Junior quarterback Hunter Hilson completed 9 of 13 passes for 166 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Cardinals drove 74 yards in nine plays, and Roberson capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run that made it 7-0 with 9:43 left in the first quarter. Hilson's 29-yard pass to Blake Gwatney on third-and-12 to set up the Roberson touchdown.
Harmony Grove took a 14-0 lead with 8:55 in the quarter when Jake Brooks blocked Dustin Whitfield's punt and Gwatney ran 7 yards after a scoop to score.
After Austin Bull recovered a fumble by Bauxite quarterback Cameron Landry, the Cardinals extended their lead to 21-0 on Hilson's 10-yard touchdown pass to Brooks with 5:12 left in the first quarter.
Bauxite cut the lead to 21-3 with 8:32 remaining in the first half on Whitfield's 40-yard field goal.
But Harmony Grove responded, driving 61 yards in nine plays. Hilson scored from 3 yards out on fourth-and-goal for a 28-3 advantage at the 4:15 mark.
On the final play of the first half, Bauxite's Grant Rambo blocked Bull's punt, and lineman Zack LaSage recovered for a touchdown. The Miners went for two and got it as Rambo threw a conversion pass to Carson Collins.
In the second half, Harmony Grove padded its lead to 49-11 with touchdown runs of 3 yards by Roberson, 55 yards by Brooks and a 5-yarder by Colton Dixon.
Landry, who passed for 113 yards and 2 interceptions, threw a 14-yard touchdown pass for the Miners to Hunter Gautreaux with no time remaining to set the score.
Bull led Harmony Grove's receivers with four receptions for 77 yards.
Sports on 09/02/2016