Tackett directs Senators to rout
A week off gave the Joe T. Robinson Senators an edge they probably didn’t need, at least not this time.
Junior quarterback Greyson Tackett led Robinson’s offense with three touchdown passes in its 4214 victory over the Dardanelle Sand Lizards in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs at Charlie George Stadium in Little Rock on Friday night.
“The bye week, in hindsight, probably sharpened us a lot, because we went good on good and got real physical for a week,” Robinson Coach Todd Eskola said. “It sharpened that competitive edge, and tonight we did a good job.”
The rout was on early. Dardanelle was held to three plays and a punt on its first possession, and Robinson responded with a 55-yard touchdown run by senior running back Ceazar Warren on its first play from scrimmage.
Dardanelle Coach Phil Vega said he was most impressed by Robinson’s defense. Its starters held Dardanelle to 22 yards in the first half.
All Arkansas football championship games are played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
“Defensively, we’ve been solid all year long,” Eskola said. “We do have a great defense. Defense is what we hang our hats on, and we really do feel like we have a defense capable of playing a long time.”
Tackett’s first of three firsthalf touchdown passes came on a 78-yard completion to senior Nathan Page that gave Robinson a 13-0 lead with 5:47 left in the first quarter.
Robinson’s lead was 20-0 after Tackett’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Page midway through the second quarter.
Tackett, who completed 5 of 9 passes for 159 yards, praised his receivers.
A 60-yard pass from Tackett to senior Xavier Hardy gave Robinson (11-0) a 27-0 lead with 5:43 left before halftime.
GOSNELL 35, HEBER SPRINGS 7
GOSNELL — Sophomore Jydarian Young had three touchdowns, and Gosnell (9-3) soundly defeated Heber Springs (8-4).
Senior Trajan Donnerson scored the first touchdown on an interception return. Junior Cadarius Young ran in the two-point conversion.
In the second quarter, Jydarian Young ran for two touchdowns, the first from 17 yards and the second from 44.
Heber Springs scored its only touchdown in the second quarter.
With less than two minutes to go in the first half, Gosnell senior Brandon Partee threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Donnerson.
Gosnell led 29-7 at halftime. Young scored the game’s final touchdown in the third quarter on a 33-yard run.
WARREN 49, OZARK 14
WARREN – Treylon Burks ran for three touchdowns as Warren (11-1) advanced with a victory over Ozark (9-3).
Quarterback J’Malachi Kinnard had a 27-yard scoring run and threw a 65yard touchdown pass to Keemontrae McKnight for the Lumberjacks.
PRAIRIE GROVE 24, STUTTGART 14
PRAIRIE GROVE —Prairie Grove (111) advanced to a third-round game at Warren, which eliminated the Tigers in the state semifinals last season.
Stuttgart led for much of the game until quarterback John David Elder connected with Colin Bryant for two fourthdown touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. The first came with 5 minutes, 18 seconds left when Colin Bryant split two defenders, then bounced off another player for a 37-yard touchdown pass to put Prairie Grove ahead 17-14.
Following a stop by the Prairie Grove defense, Colin Bryant caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Elder on fourth down with 1:07 left to secure the victory for the Tigers. Elder also connected with Stone Bryant on an 18-yard touchdown pass for the Tigers’ only score in the first half.
David Johnson had more than 100 yards rushing for Stuttgart, which defeated Shiloh Christian 28-7 in a firstround game.
BOONEVILLE 24, NASHVILLE 21
BOONEVILLE — Booneville (10-1) junior defensive lineman Noah Reyes has been telling his coach all year in practice he was going to come away with an interception for the Bearcats.
Reyes did just that when it mattered most to help secure a victory against Nashville (8-4).
After getting the ball down to the 1 with three seconds left in the game, Booneville turned to kicker Austin Dobbs for a game-winning 18-yard field goal to advance to the quarterfinals.
Nashville came up with a defensive stop halting a lengthy drive from Booneville looking to take the lead on the drive prior to the score. The Scrappers stopped the Bearcats on fourth and 6 at the Scrappers’ 30-yard line with 1:20 left.
But Reyes on the very next play came away with the interception on defense that helped set up the field-goal attempt for Booneville.
PEA RIDGE 37, HAMBURG 7
PEA RIDGE — Drew Winn’s 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach and moved him over the 2,000-yard mark.
Winn needed 106 yards coming into the game to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark.
With Hamburg (6-6) focused on keeping Winn in check, that opened up the Pea Ridge offense for other players. Quarterback Jakota Sainsbury fired three touchdown passes, and Robby Pickthall rushed for 73 yards and caught a 46-yard touchdown pass to spark the Pea Ridge (11-1) victory.
ARKADELPHIA 42, SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE 8
SOUTHSIDE — Zion Hatley ran 31 times for 186 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead Arkadelphia Badgers to a victory in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs at Stewart Field.
Hatley scored both of the Badgers’ first-half touchdowns as they led 16-0 at halftime. He ran 14 times for 114 yards in the first half, scoring touchdowns on runs of 7 and 52 yards.
Kicker Gabe Goodman kicked a 24yard field goal for the game’s first score midway through the first quarter, but his second extra-point attempt was blocked with 2:45 left in the first half.
Southside (10-2) cut the lead to 16-8 with 5:44 left in the third quarter when Brayden Duncan got loose on the left sideline for a 37-yard run for a touchdown. Quarterback Koby Rich then connected with Caden Huskey for the twopoint conversion for the Southerners.
Southside could not get anything going while the Badgers outscored the Southerners 26-0 in the final 9:28.
ASHDOWN 32, POCAHONTAS 14
ASHDOWN —Senior Tre Green ran for more than 200 yards, scored three touchdowns on the ground and racked up 15 tackles as Ashdown (9-3) defeated Pocahontas (6-6).
Green ran 7 yards for a first-half touchdown and then scored from 23 and 54 yards in the second half.
In total, he rushed 18 times for 206 yards.
Senior Alex Day also logged 15 tackles on defense.