Home at last, Bears turn back Lamar 22-12

CONWAY — Five weeks since its last game at Estes Stadium, Central Arkansas treated a homecoming crowd of 10,257 to a 22-12 victory over Lamar Saturday night.

The Bears improved to 5-0 in the Southland Conference and 6-1 overfall with a workmanlike performance, holding Lamar to 220 yards overall and 15 rushing yards on 34 attempts. UCA recorded 12 tackles for loss and three sacks, breaking the Cardinals’ threegame winning streak and improving to 6-0 in the series.

UCA withstood an early Lamar field goal and went up good on freshman Keshawn Ledet’s seven-yard touchdown run with 13:46 left in the second quarter. Matt Cummins’ 19-yard field goal made it 10-3 before Lamar’s Juan Carranco, good earlier from 30 yards, connected from 26.

UCA gained field position early in the third quarter when it faked a fourth-down play at the Lamar 42 and quarterback Hayden Hildebrand punted, senior wide receiver Desmond Smith downing the ball at the 1. Two plays later, senior linebacker Garrett Sharp tackled freshman running back in the end zone for a safety, making it 12-6.

From there, the Bears added a 20-yard touchdown pass from Hildebrand to senior Kelton Warren, Cummins kicking his second PAT of the game and later a 38-yard field goal for a 22-6 advantage. Lamar reserve quarterback Andrew Allen scored from two yards out with 5:28 left.

Lamar starting quarterback Carson Earp, coming off a 412yard passing effort in a win over Northwestern State, went out on the second series of the game with an injured right shoulder. Allen finished 17 of 37 for 151 yards with no touchdowns or interceptons. Lamar is 3-4 overall, 3-2 in the SLC.

Hildebrand completed 14 of 23 passes for 208 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Smith had six catches for 100 yards and third place in career receptions at UCA with 190.

UCA junior Patrick Ponder punted four times for a 45.8-yard average. Sophomore linebacker Raphael Garner had a team-high 10 tackles, while junior linebacker James Graves (three) and sophomore Chris Terrell combined for 5 1/2 tackles for loss.

UCA plays its next two games on the road, Saturday at Southeastern Louisiana (Hammond) and Nov. 5 at Stephen F. Austin (Nacogdoches, Texas). The Bears’ home finale is Nov. 12 in a 3 p.m. game against Nicholls State.