Razorbacks score late to down Fairview, 28-21
TEXARKANA, Ark. — In a hardfought game, Arkansas High found a big play on special teams to rise to victory.
Torie Blair saved the Razorbacks from overtime Friday night with a 44-yard punt return to the end zone with less than four seconds left in the final quarter to end the game 28-21, giving Arkansas High a victory in its 5A-South opener.
“The plan was to fair catch it and take a free kick,” Razorback head coach Barry Norton said. “Blair caught it and scored with it. He’s an electric player.”
Arkansas High (3-0) starts the conference season 1-0 with this win on Senior Night Friday at Razorback Stadium.
It was all Razorbacks the first half, leaving the field at halftime on top 21-0.
The Razorbacks got on the board first in the opening quarter with a 5 yard dash by Braylon Bishop. Christian Stewart put the PAT through the uprights to make it 7-0, Arkansas High.
Bishop finished with 10 carries for 37 yards and, as quarterback, he was 17-8-199 with one TD through the air.
Both teams went back and forth unsuccessfully till the Razorbacks scored again in the second quarter, this time a 2-yard run by Blair.
The Hogs forced a quick three-andout on the Cardinals’ next drive and marched the ball into the red zone, missing on field goal attempt.
Arkansas scored again with 5.4 seconds left in the half on a 3-yard pass to Jamarious Johnson from Bishop, which was set up by a blocked punt by the Razorbacks.
“We were up 21 to nothing at half,” said coach Norton. “It was of those things. We went in at the half and came out and thought we were pretty good. We took our feet off the gas on offense and defense and their kids played really hard and did a really good job and they came back.”
Camden Fairview (2-4, 0-2) broke the ice in the third quarter with a 35-yard dash by Martvius Thomas. 21-7 AHS.
Thomas proved to be the Cardinals’ biggest threat with 17 carries for 131 yards and one touchdown.
The Razorbacks missed another field goal attempt and the Cardinals tacked on another touchdown, a 1-yard plunge by Jacoriae Brown to cut the deficit down to 7.
“We blew a bunch of scoring opportunities tonight,” coach Norton said. “And once they got going we couldn’t get it stopped and we couldn’t get anything going.”
Brown was able to knot the game up at 21 in the final quarter with another 1-yard rush.
The Razorbacks started their following drive with 1:36 left to play at the Cardinal 35 yard line.
Camden intercepted the second play of the drive but Arkansas High’s defense forced the punt that Blair ran back for six.
Blair finished the contest with 14 totes for 51 yards and two TDs.
“Overall, we did some good things and we some really bad things,” coach Norton said. “We keep killing ourselves by putting ourselves in long yardage situations with penalties, sacks, and negative plays.”
The Razorbacks travel to Lakeside next week for another 5A-south conference match up.