Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Hales (5 TDs) carries UCA
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 38, NORTHWESTERN (LA.) STATE 17
CONWAY — Redshirt freshman quarterback Luke Hales passed for 278 yards and five touchdowns to help lead the University of Central Arkansas to a 38-17 victory over Northwestern (La.) State at Estes Stadium on Saturday night.
UCA (5-2, 4-1 Southland Conference) took command early in the game, but Northwestern State answered late in the first half to keep things interesting.
Hales threw four first-half touchdowns, the first for 31 yards to senior receiver Jakari Dillard that gave UCA a 7-0 lead less than two minutes after the opening kickoff.
“We’re just trying to take what the defense gives us,” UCA Coach Nathan Brown said. “They loaded the box early in the game to try to take the run away, and Luke made some good throws, and I think our wide receivers made some big plays.”
After a 53-yard touchdown pass from Hales to senior slot receiver Lester Wells, UCA stopped Northwestern State (2-5, 1-4) near midfield and took over after a 40-yard punt to its 3.
Four plays later, which included a 38-yard pass from Hales to Dillard and a 48yard run by junior back Carlos Blackman, UCA led 21-0 after a 15-yard touchdown pass from Hales to redshirt freshman Lujuan Winningham with 13:41 left in the second quarter.
Hales was intercepted at the UCA 20 by junior safety Ryan Reed, a turnover that resulted in a 35-yard field goal by Northwestern State sophomore Austyn Fendrick.
Late in the second quarter, a fumbled exchange between Hales and Crossley gave the Demons possession at the UCA 7. One play and six seconds later, sophomore quarterback Kaleb Fletcher scored on a keeper to put Northwestern State within 28-10 with 1:01 left in the second quarter.
UCA responded on its first possession of the second half with a four-play drive completed by Hales’ 25-yard touchdown pass to Blackman with 9:59 left in the third quarter. The five-play, 58-yard drive included a 16-yard run by Blackman and a 17-yard pass from Hales to Wells.
Hales, in his third start, matched his touchdown total from his first. He passed for 304 yards and five touchdowns in a home game against Houston Baptist on Oct. 6.
Hales’ passing total was balanced by a UCA rushing attack that gained 222 yards. Blackman led the way with 84 yards on 14 carries. Sophomore D’erek Fernandez rushed for 62 yards on 11 carries and sophomore Kierre
Crossley rushed for 58 on 12.
Dillard led UCA’s receivers with 4 catches for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Senior Matt Cummins’ 34-yard field goal gave UCA a 38-10 lead with 6:57 left in the fourth quarter.
UCA began the day in a three-way tie for second place in the Southland Conference with Incarnate Word and left Estes Stadium after its victory over the Demons in a threeway tie for first.
Incarnate Word’s victory over then-conference-leading McNeese State on Saturday left those two teams tied for first with UCA, which plays at McNeese State in Lake Charles, La., on Saturday.
“Every week we try to put our best foot forward,” UCA junior safety Juan Jackson said. “Next week, it’ll be the same thing against McNeese. We’ll try to play our best game yet.”