CONWAY -- Conway won in overtime, by George.
Michael George, a 5-8 bruising senior running back, rushed for 351 yards to help the Wampus Cats rally for a wild 54-47 victory over Fort Smith Southside in a 7A-Central Conference opener at John McConnell Stadium.
George scored on runs of 4, 27, 35 and 9 yards. He did his damage on 31 carries and managed 10 runs in which he ran for 10 or more yards.
The Wampus Cats needed all of them.
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The fourth quarter and extra period featured 53 combined points and 496 total yards. The teams exchanged leads six times in the final 9:10 of regulation.
"To be honest, I've never been involved in anything like that, no sir," said Conway senior quarterback Andrew Hreha, whose 1-yard touchdown run on the third play of overtime was the extra period's lone score. "The best part about this game was that we kept getting punched and punched and punched, and we kept getting up and answering."
Conway's defense stuffed Southside quarterback Taye Gatewood for no gain at the 1 on the game's final play.
"The team that got the ball last was going to find a way," Conway Coach Clint Ashcraft said. "We've definitely got some things to fix, but our kids have heart. There's no doubt about that."
Southside (1-3, 0-1) grabbed a 47-44 lead with 41 seconds remaining when Gatewood crashed into the end zone from 8 yards out, but it left Conway (3-1, 1-0) with just enough time to send the game into overtime.
Hreha, who completed 5 of 12 passes for 144 yards, connected with senior wide receiver Joseph Thomas down the right sideline for a 29-yard gain to the Southside 34 with 18 seconds remaining. Two plays later, George ran for 9 yards and the Wampus Cats brought in senior place-kicker Jordan Wicks, who drilled a 42-yard field goal as time expired.
In the overtime, George ran for gains of 2 and 7 yards, setting up Hreha's 1-yard plunge.
Southside also reached the 1 in overtime, but Gatewood's attempt to tie the game was stuffed.
Gatewood threw for 327 yards and ran for 119 yards. He ran for three touchdowns and passed for three more. His first two touchdown passes came with the Mavericks facing third-and-11 and third-and-10, respectively.
"He's played outstanding for us all year," Southside Coach Jeff Williams said of Gatewood. "I thought all of our receivers and linemen played real well."
Junior Jordyn Jackson caught 4 passes for 150 yards, including scoring passes of 53 and 79 yards in the second half. Junior Tyrese Soloman grabbed a game-high six passes for 120 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown reception.
Conway finished with 583 total yards; Southside compiled 480. But for the most part, George's running provided the game's most telling statistics.
"Michael has worked so hard in the weight room," Ashcraft said. "He's done so much for us, and our guys have so much confidence when he has the ball. Our O-line knows that if he gets the ball and they do their jobs, something good's going to happen."
"He was absolutely incredible," Hreha said of George. "It was the offensive line creating those holes, but Michael George had an amazing game."
Southside led 20-7 at the half and 27-21 to start the fourth quarter.
Hreha was intercepted twice in the first half, one of which resulted in a 42-yard touchdown return by junior cornerback Jaylin Coleman. Conway outgained Southside 210-177 in the first half, but the two turnovers and eight penalties for 40 yards limited the Wampus Cats to one first-half touchdown.
"All we could do was flush it and go on," Hreha said. "The second half we came out with fire in our stomach and a chip on our shoulder."
Sports on 09/23/2017