MIDWEST CITY 28,
BENTONVILLE 25
BENTONVILLE -- Billy Cooks scored on a 10-yard run in overtime to lead Midwest City, Okla., to a 28-25 victory over Bentonville on Saturday in the Rumble in the Ozarks at Tiger Stadium.
Cooks' touchdown run came on second down and capped a come-from-behind win for the Bombers in the season opener for both teams.
Midwest City trailed for most of the game but took advantage of numerous Bentonville mistakes to claim the road victory. The Bombers returned a fumble for a touchdown, recorded a late safety and took advantage of another Bentonville mistake in the kicking game.
Bentonville led 16-7 after Sam Younger knocked home his third field goal of the game, a 34 yarder with 6 minutes, 57 seconds left in the third quarter, capping the Tigers' opening drive of the second half. The game turned quickly on Bentonville's next possession when a lateral pass hit the ground and Oshei Whiteside scooped it up and raced 45 yards for a touchdown, pulling the Bombers within 16-14.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Click here for more scores, recaps and photos]
The Tigers shook off the mistake and built the lead back to 22-14 when Easton Hughes found Harrison Campbell on a 21-yard touchdown strike. Bentonville was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following the touchdown, and the 15-yard penalty proved costly as Younger was forced to try a 35-yard extra-point kick, which sailed wide left. The penalty was one of 15 major infractions against the Tigers in the game, and that missed extra point proved to be huge.
Midwest City got its offense going late in the third quarter and drove 80 yards after the Bentonville touchdown. Bombers quarterback Preston Colbert was 10 of 24 passing for 86 yards.
Hughes was 24-of-39 for 259 yards for the Tigers, who travel to Conway next week.
Sports on 08/26/2018