White Hall built a 19-0 lead on 5A fourth-ranked Mills, but the Comets had yet to shoot back.
Achilles Ringo completed 26 of 38 passes for 406 yards and five touchdowns, including a 27-yard game winner to Tyler Johnson with 30 seconds remaining as Mills made up the deficit and beat White Hall 34-32 at Bulldog Stadium on Friday night.
White Hall (2-3, 1-2 in 5A-Central) went ahead 32-22 with 8:02 left after Jayden Smith ran for his fourth touchdown from 25 yards out. Mills (5-0, 3-0) cut the deficit to 32-28 with 5:23 left after Ringo fired to Anton Pierce for the receiver's third touchdown of the game from 11 yards out.
The Bulldogs gained two first downs on their next drive before Shaun Bell stripped quarterback Noah Smith on a third-down carry and recovered the fumble with 2:32 left. On fourth-and-12, Ringo escaped pressure and completed a pass to Q.J. King, who tightroped the Mills sideline for a 42-yard completion to the White Hall 27. Three plays later, Ringo threw the winning pass.
The Comets scored 14 unanswered points before halftime to begin their comeback.
Ringo completed 16 of 21 first-half passes, including 8 straight, and Mills converted 9 of 16 third downs and 3 of 5 fourth downs for the game to maintain their lead in the 5A-Central Conference.
Mills' opening drive stalled after 15 plays and 64 yards, and White Hall (2-2, 1-1) scored after covering 92 yards in 12 plays. Jayden Smith, who finished with 15 carries for 106 yards, rushed for his first touchdown from 3 yards out to put the Bulldogs on the board, and a punt block and recovery by James Thornton down the Mills 2 set up Noah Smith's quarterback keeper the next play. The extra-point attempt was no good.
White Hall went up by 3 touchdowns after Jayden Smith's 1-yard tote finished a 4-play, 40-yard series at the 8:39 mark of the second quarter. The Comets blocked that extra point as well.
THE GAME CHANGED WHEN ...
Mills overcame two holding penalties and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for its first touchdown. After Semaj Walker sacked Ringo for a 6-yard loss on third down, White Hall was flagged 15 yards for a personal foul, and Ringo then connected with Q.J. King for 17 yards and a first down.
Ringo completed 6 of 7 passes that drive, including a 26-yarder to Pierce for a touchdown with 5:29 left in the half. Noah Smith later threw an interception to Pierce, and the Mills senior rewarded himself with a 15-yard touchdown reception to close an 8-play, 42-yard drive with 44 seconds left before halftime.
Mills came up with a big fourth-down stop when Noah Smith was hurried into an incomplete pass on the opening drive of the second half. Former Watson Chapel standout Jabrae Shaw made the Bulldogs pay when he caught a long pass from Ringo over a defender and broke two tackles for a 61-yard touchdown and the Comets' first lead.
White Hall had great field position at the Mills 32 and earned a first down before a bad pitch resulted in a lost fumble. The Bulldogs forced a punt, however, and got 52 yards on a Noah Smith pass to Jamarion Black. But that threat would end with an interception by Shaw in the end zone.
White Hall went back in front 26-22 on Jayden Smith's 36-yard carry with 9:42 left in the game.
OTHER STATS
Mills outgained White Hall 436-280 in total yards, although the Bulldogs held the Comets to 30 rushing yards. Noah Smith ran 14 times for 82 yards, but completed 2 of 13 passes for 90 yards, including a 38-yard haul for Thornton, with 2 interceptions.
THE GAME BALL GOES TO ...
Ringo for leading the Comets' comeback.
NEXT UP ...
White Hall will take next weekend off and complete a 3-game homestand against Morrilton on Oct. 7 for homecoming. Mills will host Maumelle next Friday.
Quarterback Noah Smith tucks the ball and runs during White Hall's game against the Mills Comets during Friday night