Clutch kick lifts Grizzlies

Fort Smith Northside field goal breaks tie with Fayetteville

Slate Stanton (right) kicks the winning field goal to give Fort Smith Northside a 33-30 victory over host Fayetteville on Friday. More photos at arkansasonline.com/103northside/.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Slate Stanton (right) kicks the winning field goal to give Fort Smith Northside a 33-30 victory over host Fayetteville on Friday. More photos at arkansasonline.com/103northside/. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

FAYETTEVILLE — The Ice Man delivered.

Slate Stanton kicked a 25-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining to give Fort Smith Northside a 33-30 victory over Fayetteville in a nonconference game Friday at Harmon Field.

It was the second field goal in the fourth quarter for Stanton, who tied the game 30-30 with 5 minutes, 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Drayden Norwood drove Northside into field goal range after the Grizzlies took over at the Fayetteville 40 with 3:27 to play. Northside reached the Fayetteville 7 before Stanton was called upon to win the game for the Grizzlies. Stanton, who had an extra point blocked earlier in the game, did just that after Fayetteville used three timeouts to try and disrupt the senior kicker.

“(Stanton) calls himself ‘The Ice Man’ and he was ice tonight,” Northside coach Mike Falleur said. “Great job by Stanton and the deep snapper, the whole crew.”

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Stanton’s clutch kicks enabled Northside (3-1) to overcome a 10-point deficit in the third quarter after Bladen Fike threw two touchdown passes and Jaden Jones returned a fumble for a touchdown. Norwood threw a touchdown pass before Northside overtook Fayetteville (0-4) with the field goals from Stanton.

Both teams committed four turnovers and Fayetteville scored a touchdown in the third quarter following a fumbled punt.

“A lot of that was us, not fielding the kickoff and a bad snap,” Falleur said. “Fayetteville’s a good team and we needed something good to happen tonight.”

Fayetteville’s defeat overshadowed a strong performance by Isaiah Sategna, who caught two touchdown passes and had over 200 yards in receiving.

Fayetteville and Northside agreed to play Friday after their scheduled games were canceled because of covid-19 concerns. Fayetteville was supposed to play Rogers while Northside was scheduled to play at Little Rock Central The game prevented Fayetteville from going three weeks without playing.

Fayetteville scored two quick touchdowns in the third quarter to overcome a sloppy first half when the Bulldogs committed three turnovers.

Sategna displayed his track and field speed when he turned a short pass from quarterback Bladen Fike into a 65-yard touchdown to put Fayetteville ahead 17-14. The play appeared headed for short yardage but Sategna broke a tackle and outran the pursuit down the home sideline at Harmon Field.

Northside fumbled the kickoff and Fayetteville took advantage when Fike connected with Kameron Ingram for a 21-yard score. Norwood threw two touchdown passes in the first half after Fayetteville opened the scoring on a 28-yard field goal by Thomas Needy. Fayetteville scored a touchdown just before the half when Fike threw 59 yards to Isaiah Sategna for the touchdown.

FOUR DOWNS

• Fayetteville junior wide receiver Isaiah Sategna recently added Oregon to his growing list of scholarship offers from Division I programs. His teammate, junior linebacker Kaiden Turner, received an offer from the Houston. Northside senior quarterback/defensive back Dreyden Norwood is committed to Texas A&M.

• Fayetteville called three timeouts before Stanton made his game-winning kick with seven seconds left to play.

• Northside fumbled on its second play of the game but Fayetteville gave it right back with an interception.

• Fayetteville is scheduled to play Fort Smith Southside in a 7A-West Conference game at Harmon Field on Friday. Northside is scheduled to host Little Rock Catholic in a 7A-Central game.

NORTHSIDE 33, FAYETTEVILLE 30

Northside...........0 14 13 6 — 33 Fayetteville.........3 7 20 0 — 30 First Quarter

FAY — Needy 28 FG), 0:48

Second Quarter

NORTH — Catsavis 25 pass from Norwood (Stanton kick), 11:11

NORTH — Massey 77 pass from Norwood (Stanton kick), 7:12

FAY — Sategna 59 pass from Fike (Needy kick), 2:27

Third Quarter

FAY — Sategna 65 pass from Fike (Needy kick), 10:35 FAY — Ingram 21 pass from Fike (Needy kick), 9:40 NORTH — Massey 2 run (kick failed), 4:53 FAY — Jones 30 fumble return (pass failed), 2:32 NORTH — Catsavis 16 pass from Norwood (Stanton kick), 2:20

Fourth Quarter

NORTH — Stanton 30 FG, 5:40 NORTH — Stanton 25 FG, 0:07

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