SHERWOOD – In a game where big plays were at a premium for three quarters, Lake Hamilton got the one it needed in overtime to slip past Sylvan Hills and punch its ticket to the Class 6A state title game.
The Wolves’ defense stopped Bears’ senior running back Tavion Cunningham on a potential game-winning, two-point conversion attempt to carry Lake Hamilton to a dramatic 21-20 victory Friday night at Bill Blackwood Field.
Junior running back Tevin Woodley carried 24 times for 103 yards with 2 touchdowns for Lake Hamilton (11-1), which will play for the state title next week for the first time since 2011. The Wolves will take on fellow 6A-West foe, Greenwood, Saturday night at 6:40 p.m. at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.
“This is huge, so, so huge,” said a relieved Lake Hamilton Coach Tommy Gilleran. “We had so much trouble in the first half trying to figure [Sylvan Hills] out and what they were doing. They were trying to figure us out, too. But as the second half went on, I knew we’d kind of wear them down.
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“I think they did a good job of trying to figure out us, but I felt like our kids adjusted well throughout the game and gave us a chance to win. But Sylvan Hills never quit.”
That never-say-die mentality helped Sylvan Hills (9-4) put together a stirring rally to eventually tie the game.
Lake Hamilton held a 14-0 lead with 5:49 left in the fourth quarter until a 29-yard touchdown run by senior running back S.J. Esteen cut the Bears’ deficit in half with 4:32 to go. A quick three-and-out gave Sylvan Hills the ball back, and Cunningham finished off an 8-play, 49-yard drive with an 11-yard scoring run around the left side with 33 seconds remaining to knot the game at 14-14.
Lake Hamilton managed to get in position for a game-winning field goal on its final drive in regulation. After a 45-yard kickoff return from senior specialist Layne Warrick put the Wolves at the Sylvan Hills’ 49, Lake Hamilton needed only two plays – the big one coming on a 28-yard run from junior running back Owen Miller – to move to the Bears’ 15. But senior kick Alex Hurtz had his 32-yard field goal blocked, sending the game into overtime.
Woodley put the Wolves ahead 21-14 with a 5-yard score on Lake Hamilton’s overtime possession, and Sylvan Hills countered on a 2-yard run from Esteen. Sylvan Hills Coach Chris Hill, however, made the decision to go for the win instead of a game-tying kick.
“We were beat up on defense, and with their style, I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to stop [Lake Hamilton],” Hill said. “So I just made the decision to go for two, and it just didn’t work out. You’ve got to give Lake Hamilton credit because they made a huge play.
“But I can’t say enough about our guys. A lot of people would’ve packed it in down 14 with less than five minutes left. But my guys didn’t. … They showed tremendous character by continuing to fight all the way through.”
Miller added 73 yards rushing on 21 carries for Lake Hamilton while Esteen finished with 86 yards on nine carries for Sylvan Hills.
Before things started to heat up offensively in the fourth quarter, defense dominated.
There were a combined four passes attempted in the first half and three of them were intercepted.
Also, both teams wasted opportunities after their defenses came away with turnovers. Sylvan Hills forced a turnover on downs on Lake Hamilton’s second possession, then got an interception from senior defensive back Keenan Hunter on the Wolves’ next series. But the Bears got nothing out of either because each was followed up with interceptions thrown by junior quarterback Corey Washington.
Lake Hamilton did come close to scoring with three seconds left in the second quarter after forcing a Sylvan Hills punt deep in its own territory. But Hurtz pushed a 49-yard field goal just left at the halftime horn.
The blown chances continued almost immediately in the second half. Lake Hamilton recovered a Washington fumble on the Bears’ 47 with 11:35 left in the third quarter. The Wolves then used nine plays to drive to the 12, but Sylvan Hills got the ball right back after pouncing on a loose ball after a fumbled exchange.
Lake Hamilton finally broke through on Miller’s 2-yard touchdown run with 10:57 left in the fourth quarter. Woodley would later score on a 5-yard run at the 5:49 mark to give the Wolves’ their 14-point advantage until the Bears fought back.
“After we got up, it was like ‘hey we got this,’ ” Gilleran said. “We’ve just got to play the whole game, though. But I’m proud of both sides of the ball [Friday], kicking game and everything. On that blocked kick, [Hurtz] kicked it a little low.
“But we got to overtime, battled and won. We’ve got a really good group here, and to get to the championship game is big.”
