Freshman delivers from start for UCA

CENTRAL ARKANSAS 66, HOUSTON BAPTIST 35

CONWAY — The Central Arkansas Bears found temporary perfection three-deep on its quarterback chart.

Sophomore Breylin Smith, who started UCA’s first four games, broke his right ankle late in a loss at Sam Houston State last week. Junior reserve Kirk Baugh filled in for Smith against Sam Houston, but injured a shoulder.

It wasn’t apparent until late in the week that Baugh could not go when UCA hosted Houston Baptist at Estes Stadium on Saturday. Redshirt freshman Luke Hales, whose first pass on UCA’s second play from scrimmage, went for a 65-yard touchdown to senior receiver Jakari Dillard. His first run went for 2 yards and

a touchdown. His fourth pass went 31 yards for a touchdown to Dillard and the trend was set in UCA’s 66-35 victory.

Hales, 6-2, 231 pounds, eventually tailed off, but he completed 16 of 27 passes for 304 yards and 5 touchdowns with 1 interception in his first career appearance for UCA (3-2, 2-1 Southland Conference). Hales was replaced midway through the fourth quarter by freshman BeSean McCray.

Hales’ second touchdown pass gave UCA a 21-7 lead with 6:42 left in the first quarter, but Houston Baptist (1-4, 0-3) was within 21-14 after a 4-yard touchdown pass from Bailey Zappe to 266-pound junior Sterling Savell on a tackle-eligible play.

A 16-yard pass from Hales to senior slot receiver Lester Wells set up Carlos Blackman’s 1-yard touchdown run that gave UCA a 28-14 lead with 6:53 left in the first half.

Junior defensive end Chris Terrell sacked Zappe on fourth down in UCA territory. On the next play, Hales completed a deep pass to sophomore receiver Brandon Myers to give UCA a 35-14 lead.

Houston Baptist answered before halftime with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Zappe to freshman receiver Coleman Robinson to cut UCA’s lead to 35-21.

Hales completed 10 of 16 first-half passes for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Before Smith was injured, he had completed 68.8 percent of his passes, the best in the Southland, for 1,009 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Hales’ first pass of the second half was intercepted near the UCA goal line. His second, after Houston Baptist turned the ball over on downs, went for 42 yards and a touchdown to Dillard with 11:33 left in the third quarter.

Less than 30 seconds later, UCA junior defensive back Juan Jackson knocked the ball from junior running back Dreshawn Minniweather at the UCA 8. Senior linebacker Reggio Dean scooped and scored from the 6 to give UCA a 49-21 lead.

Zappe’s 11-yard touchdown pass to sophomore running back LaDarius Dickens cut UCA’s lead to 49-28 with 7:24 left in the third quarter.

After UCA senior Matt Cummins kicked a 19-yard field goal, Houston Baptist sophomore Gamar Girdy Brito responded with a 90yard kickoff return to the UCA 9. On fourth down, Zappe threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior Corey Ceniceros on the final play of the fourth quarter to make it 52-35.

Hales started the fourth quarter with a 13-yard touchdown pass to sophomore tight end Joshua Nix.

Photo courtesy of UCA Central Arkansas’ Kierre Crossley (21) looks for running room while trying to elude a Houston Baptist defender Saturday during the Bears’ 66-35 victory at Estes Stadium in Conway.

Photo courtesy of UCA UCA’s Jakari Dillard runs toward the end zone to score a touchdown during the Bears’ victory over Houston Baptist on Saturday in Conway.