Bucks fall in thriller
MAYFLOWER – The Mayflower Eagles entered their second round Class 3A State playoff contest against Smackover undefeated.
And they did just enough to make sure that their record remained unblemished.
Though the Buckaroos accounted well for themselves, the host team – behind 316 yards on 29 carries from Deon Simmons – ultimately held on for a dramatic 53-46 victory.
“My team played hard,” said head coach
Mike Baysinger. “I’m very proud of them.”
With the loss Smackover concludes the season with a record of 7-5. However, before the Eagles sealed-the-deal, the Buckaroos put a scare into one of 3A’s premier teams. Late in the fourth, trailing 46-38, Smackover forced Mayflower into a turnover on downs. Suddenly, the Buckaroos had possession of the ball on their own 27.
A few plays into the possession, Roshard
Boone completed a 33-yard pass to Jaqueze Modica to put Smackover in Mayflower territory.
With time on the clock winding down, the Bucks remained patient and gave Mayflower a heavy dose of the running game.
Eventually, Damarous White powered through the heart of the Eagles’ defense for a 6-yard touchdown, with just over a minute left to play.
“He’s a workhorse,” Baysinger said of White. “He’s a load to try and bring down.”
Next up was the two-point attempt.
However, before the play, Smackover took a timeout. Subsequently, just before the Bucks snapped the ball, Mayflower (11-0) requested a timeout of its own.
Once play continued, the Bucks tied the game at 46 when Peyton Jones completed the pass to Boone, with 1:12 left to play.
It was now time for Smackover to make a stop defensively. And Baysinger’s message for his team was simple.
“We have to find a way to stop Keon Simmons and Deon Simmons,” the coach stated. “That’s exactly what I told them.”
With a game it once had firm control of now tied, Mayflower didn’t panic. As expected, the Eagles depended heavily upon the Simmons brothers.
Mayflower eventually regained the lead with four seconds remaining when Keon plunged 1-yard for a TD. The point after by Houston Cochran made the score 53-46.
The 1-yard tote was the final of Keon’s 233 yards on 28 carries.
“He is hard to handle,” Baysinger said. “We had a hard time wrapping him up and bringing him down.”
Smackover would later receive a final opportunity to score with two seconds left from its own 27. However, the Bucks were unable to make their way to the end zone as the Mayflower defense stopped Boone’s scramble on the Smackover side of the 50.
“We’re going to build on this,” Baysinger said. “I’m proud of my team.”
Smackover never led in this contest.
Mayflower went up early in the first quarter when Deon ran 15 yards for a touchdown. Keon then ran-in the two-point conversion.
However, Smackover immediately responded when Modica ran 27 yards for an electrifying TD. On the play, he cut across the field twice before finding the sideline and rolling to paydirt. White’s two-point run tied the score at 8 with 6:07 left in the first.
The Eagles reclaimed the lead when Deon ran three yards for a touchdown.
After a failed two-point attempt, the Mayflower lead was 14-8 with 3:09 on the clock.
Early in the second period Mayflower increased its advantage when Deon busted through the middle of Smackover’s defense for a 26-yard TD. The score was now 20-8.
The Eagles later put Smackover further behind when Keon ran 31 yards to the end zone.
Now trailing 27-8, the Bucks responded accordingly.
Smackover got a much-needed TD when Boone crossed the goal-line on a 2-yard run. Jones then caught the two-point conversion pass making the score 27-16.
But with just over a minute left in the first half of play, Mayflower – and it’s dominating rushing attack – found the end zone once again. This time Deon cruised 49 yards for a touchdown. Smackover stopped the two-point attempt.
Heading into the intermission, Mayflower led 33-16.
Early in the second half, Smackover made a statement by going on a long, physical scoring drive.
Dexter Crockett ran 14 yards for a touchdown. The failed two-point attempt left the score at 33-22.
“We made some adjustments at halftime,” Baysinger stated. “We then came back out in the second half and focused on playing well.”
Mayflower responded with a TD when Keon ran two yards to pay-dirt. With 6:10 remaining in the third, the score was 39-22.
Smackover bounced back once again. The Bucks received a boost from White who scored on a 3-yard carry. Boone connected with Modica for a twopoint conversion pass. With 23 seconds left in the quarter, Smackover trailed 39-30.
The Buckaroos’ late third quarter score was setup by Cade Schibler’s interception of a pass from Mayflower QB Sean Harris.
In the fourth, Keon scored on a 23-yard run. Cochran made the PAT.
The Eagles now held a 46-30 lead early in the quarter.
Smackover cut into Mayflower’s lead when Boone completed a 55-yard touchdown pass to Modica. Following White’s two-point run, the score was 46-38 with 10:19 left to play.
Smackover would eventually tie the game. However, Mayflower went on an impressive drive to ultimately hold on for a thrilling triumph.
White led the Smackover offense with 34 rushes for 183 yards. Crockett had 16 carries amassing 108 yards.