Pioneers use big runs, 7 sacks to slam Rams
BATESVILLE 37, PARAGOULD 0
“Our defense dominated them up front and we got our running game going a little bit.” Batesville Coach Dave King on Friday’s victory over Paragould
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Pioneers entered Friday’s 5A-East Conference game winless in four games but had little trouble with the Paragould Rams, winning 370.
“We played really good defense,” Batesville Coach Dave King said. “They couldn’t run the ball at all. Our defense dominated them up front and we got our running game going a little bit.”
Batesville (1-4, 1-1) put together an eight-play drive that started at its own 39. A 12-yard completion from quarterback Jay Storlie to Dayshaun Brown started the Pioneers march to the Paragould 18. On third-and-4, Brown took the handoff from Storlie and raced around the right end for an 18-yard touchdown. Esler Ordonez added the extra point for a 7-0 lead at the 8:54 mark of the first quarter.
Sam Gates, Garyson Berdeja and Colyn Wentz combined to sack Paragould’s quarterback Ben Sloas twice and held the Rams offense to a negative 22 yards in three plays. On the ensuing punt attempt, the snap sailed over Paragould punter Xavier Winn and through the end zone for a safety for a 9-0 Batesville lead.
The Pioneers fumbled the free kick, giving Paragould (0-3, 0-1) the ball at midfield. Again, Batesville’s defense stopped the Rams for minus-11 yards and forced another punting situation. Brown returned the punt 73 yards for a touchdown. After Ordonez added the extra point with 29 seconds to go in the first quarter, the Pioneers led 16-0.
Wentz added to the team total of six sacks on Paragould quarterbacks by dropping Sloas for a 10-yard loss. Batesville’s defense had seven sacks in the game, six of them in the first half. On the next play, Gates knocked the ball away from Rams runner Braden McFarland and Berdeja recovered it for Batesville.
Starting at the Paragould 34, Gabe Witt took the handoff from Storlie and went through the middle of the Rams defense to increase Batesville’s lead to 23-0.
“Brown had some good runs on offense and some great stops on defense,” King said. “He is one of our leaders.”
Neither team scored again until Witt broke free for a 49yard touchdown run for the Pioneers with 8:42 to play in the third quarter for a 30-0 lead. Paragould turned the ball over twice on downs before Batesville’s second quarterback Rhett McDonald threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Price to make it 37-0.
Ethan Perez had a 34-yard run to the Paragould 8 with under a minute to play and Batesville took a knee to end the game.
“It was a good night,” King said. “Our seniors played well tonight. Being 0-4 wasn’t easy on anybody, so this was a good win for our kids.”