High school football
Senior Andrew Roberson rushed for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns and returned an interception 34 yards for a score to lead Fountain Lake to an 18-0 victory over Hot Springs on Thursday night.
HOT SPRINGS — Andrew Roberson took control for Fountain Lake early and often.
The senior running back and linebacker accounted for all three Cobras touchdowns in a 18-0 victory over the Hot Springs Trojans on Thursday night at Joe Reese Stadium.
Roberson rushed for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns (2 and 3 yards) on 31 carries. He also returned a 34-yard interception for another score.
“No. 5, he’s one of our dudes,” Fountain Lake Coach JD Plumlee said of Roberson. “We moved it up and down the field.”
Trailing 12-0 in the third quarter, Hot Springs believed it had drawn closer to Fountain Lake.
Roberson fumbled inside the Trojans’ 5 and Hot Springs sophomore Brandon Griffin recovered the ball at the 9. From there, Griffin ran 91 yards for what would have been a touchdown with 4:46 remaining in the quarter.
However, Griffin’s score was called back after a sideline interference penalty, which backed the Trojans up to their 40-yard line.
From there, the Trojans went three-and-out.
For first-year Coach Darrell Burnett, who was hired by Hot Springs in June to replace Chris Vereen, it was a microcosm of what took place Thursday.
“It’s frustrating,” said Burnett, who was Bryant’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons under Buck James and helped guide the Hornets to back-to-back Class 7A semifinal appearances. “That’s what we’re trying to break here, the undiscipline.
“We’re going to crack that down. But our kids didn’t quit. They fought. That’s all we ever ask from them.”
Roberson’s second rushing touchdown of the game, a 3-yarder, extended the Cobras’ lead to 18-0 with 5:43 remaining.
On the game’s second play, Roberson intercepted Hot Springs senior quarterback Aaron Williams and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. Senior kicker Joe Murphy’s point-after attempt was blocked and the Cobras led 6-0 with 11:40 left in the first quarter.
Hot Springs couldn’t take advantage of a fumble with 7:23 left in the first quarter. The Trojans drove to the Cobras’ 18, but a fourth-and-17 pass to junior Trent Gordon went 10 yards and Fountain Lake took over at the Hot Springs 8.
With 7:33 remaining in the first half, Hot Springs junior Spencer Johnson fumbled and Cobras senior Dylan Wasson recovered.
The Cobras got to the Trojans’ 4, but a false start penalty backed them up to the 9 and Murphy’s fourth-and-goal pass was incomplete to give the Trojans possession.
Junior quarterback Ian Lacy’s 11-yard pass to senior Ahman Johnson set up Roberson’s 2-yard touchdown run that made it 12-0 Fountain Lake with 31 seconds left in the first half. Murphy’s two-point conversion run fell short.
It was the first meeting between Class 4A Fountain Lake and Class 5A Hot Springs since 2007.
“It was great,” Plumlee said. “Kudos to our kids for fighting. Great job by our coaches. An all-around team win.”
“No. 5, he’s one of our dudes. We moved it up and down the field.” Fountain Lake Coach JD Plumlee on senior running back and linebacker Andrew Roberson