Lions thrive on ground after Titans shut off air
Searcy running back Gabe Chapman rushed 35 times for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns and the Lions overcame a 99yard return of a fumble by Jacksonville’s Shawn Ellis to take a 35-20 Class 6A-East victory at Jan Crow Stadium in Jacksonville on Friday night.
Chapman was key for the Lions on a night when Jacksonville played five defensive backs to counter the passing offense of Searcy quarterback Mason Schucker, who finished the game 13 of 24 for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns plus a 1-yard run for another.
“Defensively they were giving us the run and we took advantage of that in the second half,” Searcy Coach Mark Kelley said. “Based on what they were giving us, they were basically just selling out to stop the pass, so we just kept running it, thinking they were eventually going to slide that man into the box. It was a good game plan [for Jacksonville] and it kept the game close.”
The Lions came into the game averaging 53.6 points in their three nonconference games.
The teams traded touchdowns in the first half with Searcy taking an early lead on a 1-yard sneak by Schucker with 5:30 left in the first half.
The Titans came right back, starting on the 50 after a failed onside kick by Searcy.
The big play was a 21-yard pass from Shavarris Curley to HD Martin, good for 21 yards and a first down at the 6.
Martin then passed 6 yards to Ellis for the tying score.
Chapman and Schucker
took the Lions 80 yards on Searcy’s next possession, using four passes, and four runs by Chapman, ending with a 5-yard touchdown.
The Lions increased the lead to 21-7 on Chapman’s 12yard run, his second touchdown, with 8:57 left in the third quarter.
Jacksonville narrowed the margin to 21-13 after three quarters, scoring on a 10-yard run by Ellis.
Searcy increased the lead to 28-13 when Schucker threw to Eli Nevels in the left flat, and the fleet receiver turned the play into a 39-yard touchdown.
The game’s most exciting — and unusual — play came on Jacksonville’s next possession when it faced a thirdand-23 from the 7.
Curley narrowly escaped being sacked for a safety, but escaped and fumbled the ball. A Jacksonville lineman picked it up, but dropped it again and Ellis grabbed the ball at the 1 and took it 99 yards for the score and a 28-20 Searcy lead.
The Lions put the game away on their next possession, going 80 yards in 12 plays, scoring on a pass from Schucker to Gage Walker for 19 yards and a 35-20 lead with 6:10 remaining.