Springdale Har-Ber survives at Van Buren

VAN BUREN — Springdale Har-Ber overcame four lost fumbles Friday night, as well as a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, to defeat a scrappy Van Buren squad 34-31 in 7A-West action at Citizen’s Bank Stadium.

Wildcats quarterback Blaise Wittschen hit JuJuan Boyd for a 24-yard touchdown pass with 46 seconds remaining to take the final lead. The touchdown came less than four minutes after Wittschen and Boyd connected for a 32-yard score to cut the deficit to three.

A smattering of rain and drizzle throughout the first half led to some sloppy play and stalled drives.

After taking the opening kickoff, Van Buren managed just one yard before being forced to punt it away. After the Pointers’ Drew King recovered a Har-Ber muff on

the return, Van Buren gained just one more yard before punting it away again.

Neither offense could sustain much momentum in the first quarter. Har-Ber looked like would break the scoreless tie early in the second quarter, moving inside the Van Buren 10, but Charaun Page pounced on a Wildcat fumble at the seven to thwart the drive.

Har-Ber (5-3, 3-2 7A-West) finally managed to find the end zone midway through the second, as Wittschen connected with Hunter Wood on a 38-yard strike. Wood caught six passes on the night for 125 yards.

Van Buren (4-4, 2-3) then got in gear on the ensuing drive, marching 91 yards in six plays to tie the score at 7-7. After rambling for 57 yards the play before, Brayden Rivas ran in from five yards out with 5 minutes, 44 seconds left in the first half. Rivas tallied 125 yards on 18 carries in the contest.

Another stout defensive stand by the Pointers late in the half halted Har-Ber at the Van Buren 17. Devin Swearingen sacked Wittschen on 4thand-1.

Boyd blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt by Van Buren

as the half came to a close.

After Jaiden Henry gave Van Buren a 14-7 lead on a 20-yard direct-snap run, HarBer’s Liem Taylor took the ensuing kickoff back 96 yards to quickly tie the score once again.

A 12-play drive, including six completions from quarterback Gary Phillips, earned the Pointers a 27-yard Chris Flores field goal to make it 17-14 with 3:09 left in the third.

On Har-Ber’s next drive, tailback Max Pena looked to go in from four yards out, but fumbled the ball into the end zone, where fellow Wildcat Carson Sanders fell on it for the score. Pena finished the night with 196 yards on 25 carries.

After another Van Buren punt, Page then recovered another Wildcat fumble on a sack, setting the Pointers up at

the Har-Ber 1. Rivas plunged in for the touchdown with 9:41 left. Van Buren then extended the lead to 31-21 when Henry made a spectacular catch over two Wildcat defenders with 5:04 on the clock.

Phillips completed 26 or 37 passes on the night for 163 yards, while running 19 times for 110 yards.

Wittschen completed 15 of 22 passes for 252 yards.

• Har-Ber outgained Van Buren in total offense 442-418. • The Wildcats got 22 first downs, to the Airedales’ 21. • Boyd had four receptions on Har-Ber’s final two drives for 81 yards, including the pair of TDs.

• Har-Ber hosts Rogers next Friday night, while Van Buren plays host to Bentonville West.

FOUR DOWNS