Maud loses season-opener to Ore City

MAUD, Texas — Tanner Organ tossed a pair of touchdown passes, and Ty Freeman scored on a short run as the Ore City Rebels opened the season with a 20-8 win over Maud.

Organ connected with Aaron Nigreville on a 34-yard scoring toss in the opening quarter, and later hooked up with Jashaun Cook from 30 yards out in the second stanza. Austin Cordeiro booted both extra points for a 14-0 Rebel lead.

In the second quarter, Freeman scored on a 1-yard run to make it 20-0.

Gage Jones hit R.J. Bailey on a 16-yard TD pass with 39 seconds remaining, and Brooks Minter tacked on the 2-pointer to make the final 20-8.

Ore City will host Troup, and Maud will visit Joaquin next week.

GAC

Henderson State 28, Harding 20

SERACY, Ark.—Henderson State held off defending Great American Conference champion and 15th-ranked Harding for a 28-20 win at First Security Stadium to open the 2017 football season.

The win extended Henderson’s road winning streak to a NCAA best 27 games. The Reddies have yet to lose a GAC road game since the beginning of the league in 2011 including four straight road victories over the Bisons.

Harding attempted to rally from a 15-point fourth quarter deficit scoring with just 57 seconds remaining in the game to cut the Reddie lead to a single possession.

The Bisons would then execute the onside kick with Harding’s Daylon Markham recovering the ball at 49-yardline.

After moving the ball down to the Reddie 25, Sheldon Watson picked off Preston Paden’s pass at the 3-yardline with 21 seconds remaining to secure the victory for HSU.

Henderson State (1-0) hosts Arkansas Tech (1-0) Saturday at 6 p.m.

Arkansas Tech 28, Southern Arkansas 21

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.—The No. 22-ranked Southern Arkansas football team did not have its 2017 season get off to the start it hoped for as the Muleriders were tripped up on the road against (RV) Arkansas Tech, losing to the Wonder Boys, 28-21, on Thursday night at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field.

Barrett Renner found Darrion Ardoin on a 6-yard TD pass for the first score of the game for the Muleriders in the second quarter.

SirCharles Perkins caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Renner to put SAU up, 14-7. Arkansas Tech responded and the teams went into the locker room knotted at 14-all. Neither team scored in the third quarter.

Renner threw his third TD of the game on a 5-yard pass to fullback Jaidon Parrish to put Southern Arkansas up, 21-14.

The Wonderboys scored 14 unanswered points to earn the win.

SAU (0-1) hosts Harding (0-1) at Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field at 6 p.m. Saturday.