Smackover, Harmony Grove kick off 2017 season in Magnolia.
MAGNOLIA - Two second-half scores by Smackover proved enough Tuesday as the Buckaroos opened the 2017 football season with a 14-6 victory over Harmony Grove in the Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield Kickoff Classic, presented by hootens. com on the campus of Southern Arkansas University.
Smackover trailed 6-0 at the intermission before Dexter Crockett scored on an 18-yard scamper up the middle with 6:10 left in the third. Roshard Boone passed to Dawson Biggers for the 2-point conversion to give the Bucks a lead they would not relinquish.
“It feels real good,” said Smackover coach Mike Baysinger. “We talked about being the foundation. We want to continue to build. I think it helps build a little bit of confidence. I think it’s real good for everybody.
“I thought the fellas did a heck of a job. We look forward to keep getting better at what we do.”
The Bucks’ Corbin Lee rushed for 117yards on 19 attempts. Crockett added 67 yards while Boone accounted for 12 yards on the ground while completing 12-of-25 passes for 109 yards through the air, completing passes to seven different receivers.
It was the Smackover defense, though, which made timely stops, especially in the first half.
On the Hornets’ opening possession, Hunter Goocher dropped Jordan Hicks for a 3-yard loss to thwart a fourth-and-1. Harmony Grove tried a fake punt on its second possession but it was sniffed out by Smackover’s Jaqueze Modica.
“I thought the defense played real well, especially as much as they were on the field,” said Baysinger. “They did a good job, a lot better job of tackling and a lot better job of pursuit than we did the other night in the scrimmage.”
The Hornets opened the scoring with a 57-yard drive, set up by a fumble recovered by Jacoby Seals. Hicks had a 30-yard run to the Bucks’ 20. After a 4-yard loss, quarterback Gannon Bearden rolled to his left and lofted a pass into the end zone to Xaylon Falls, who went up in a crowd to make the 24-yard touchdown grab. The kick failed, leaving the lead at
6-0 with 10 seconds left in the half.
The Bucks threatened to open the third. Boone connected with George Williams on a 25-yard pass to the Hornets’ 9. But, on fourth-and-goal from the 7, Boone’s pass into the end zone was intercepted by Falls, who ran it out to the 7.
Smackover’s defense kept the Hornets’ penned deep, however and, after a 9-yard punt, the Bucks took over at the 25. Two plays later, Boone faked the handoff on the jet sweep and then handed the ball to Crockett, who darted up the middle and into the end zone from 18 yards out. Biggers caught the 2-point pass.
The Bucks’ defense controlled the rest of the game. The Hornets began a possession at midfield but failed to pick up a first down as Damarous White and Max Gathright combined for a sack on fourth down.
In the second half, the Bucks allowed just 38 yards of total offense, including just one yard in the fourth quarter.
The Bucks took over at their own 41 and drove 59 yards in six plays. Boone hit Peyton Jones for 15 yards and Modica for 20 before Lee bullied his way into the end zone on a 14-yard touchdown run. The try for two failed, leaving the lead at 14-6 with 9:43 left in the fourth.
After another defensive stop, the Bucks’ offense threatened to put the game away, marching from its own 13 to the Harmony Grove 5 after a 30-yard run by Crockett. But, the drive stalled when Boone was sacked on third down and was intercepted on fourth down by Jeremie Edwards.
The Hornets had one last gasp, taking over at their own 15 with 2:26 left on the clock. After Hicks ran for 8 on first down, Smackover’s White sacked Bearden for a 4-yard loss. Hicks ran for 3 to bring up fourth-and-3. Gathright flashed into the Hornets’ backfield and sacked Bearden to end the threat.
Smackover took two kneel downs to secure the victory.
Offensively, Smackover hit pay dirt on the ground with runs up the middle, which gashed the Hornets, especially in the second half.
Overall, the Bucks finished with 232 yards on the ground.
The Bucks' defense held the Hornets to just 153 yards of total offense.
Bearden was 8-of-16 passing for 60 yards with Hicks tallying 85 yards on 21 carries.
“With our counter-scheme, we got a little better work inside and it worked out pretty good,” said Baysinger. “We thought it was real good. It took us a little while to find it but ,eventually, we found it. We were chasing that pot of gold.”