Missed chances haunt Cobras in loss
FOUNTAIN LAKE — Needing a win to keep its Class 4A playoff hopes alive, Malvern turned in its best defensive performance of the season Friday night.
Surrendering an average of 46 points per game, the Leopards held Fountain Lake to 76 yards in the first half and withstood two third-quarter touchdowns to win 42-23 on Allen Tillery Field at Beckham Memorial Stadium.
“I think the guys understood that it’s do or die time for us right now,” Malvern coach Mike Scarbrough said. “We’ve got to win some games to get in the playoffs. That win gives us a chance; we win one more game and we’re in without any help. We’ve got to take care of next week and get a chance to get in.”
Trailing 22-2, Fountain Lake found its rhythm offensively in the third quarter. Stephen Turner connected with Ahman Johnson for 70 yards to pull the Cobras within 22-9.
Fountain Lake recovered the ensuing onside kick but came away empty-handed after an incomplete pass by Turner on fourth down. The Cobras recovered two onside kicks in the third quarter, turning the ball over on downs on each possession.
“Both of those drives were killed by penalties; we had a hold that backed us up, and had a false start on third down,” Fountain Lake coach and former Malvern assistant J.D. Plumlee said. “We’re not going to be very good right now on third and 12. When we get backed up like that, it changes what we can do. If we take one of those opportunities and punch it in, it’s a different ballgame.”
A seven-yard touchdown run by Demias Jimerson stretched Malvern’s lead to 28-9 late in the third quarter, but Fountain Lake struck back with a 27-yard score from Andrew Roberson three plays later.
The Cobras got no closer than 35-23 on Roberson’s one-yard run with 8:36 left in the game.
The Leopards ran 12 plays on their ensuing drive and Jimerson’s one-yard score set the final margin at 42-23 with less than three minutes to play.
“In the second half, we were trying to get the clock to run so we ran it most of the half,” said Scarbrough. “It was a good performance by our guys. I think a lot of J.D. and he does a great job. I’m proud of him and what he’s doing here at Fountain Lake. I root for him every week but this one.”
Malvern set the tone on its first possession, the Leopards marching 54 yards on six plays and Jordan Hart going over from the one.
After stopping the Cobras on fourth down, Malvern made it 14-0 with a three-yard score from Hart four plays later.
“We had too many dropped footballs and too many missed assignments up front; we were shooting ourselves in the foot in the first half,” Plumlee said. “We were moving the ball from the 30 to 30, but then we’d have a huge penalty or something like that and we can’t overcome it.”
While its offense struggled to get going, Fountain Lake’s defense put points on the board when Ben Chaney sacked Jimerson in the end zone for a safety midway through the second quarter.
“Hats off to our defense in the first half; they gave us opportunities, but we just couldn’t take advantage of them,” said Plumlee.
Malvern’s London Florence capped an eight-play,
46-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown to give the Leopards a 22-2 lead with less than a minute to play in the first half. Florence finished with 124 yards on
23 carries.
“London’s got great vision and he doesn’t run downhill like most big backs; he picks and chooses and then he accelerates,” Scarbrough said. “London’s a good back and his performance didn’t surprise me at all.”
Jimerson completed 11 of 14 passes for 114 yards, adding a team-high 189 rushing yards on 23 attempts. Darion Weaver was Malvern’s leading receiver with four catches for 47 yards.
Turner completed 15 of 32 passes for 193 yards, Johnson with seven grabs for a team-high 111 yards. Roberson paced the Cobras with 123 rushing yards on 25 carries.
Malvern (3-5, 2-3) hosts Nashville next week while Fountain Lake (3-5, 1-4) travels to Mena before hosting Ashdown to close the regular season Nov. 3.
“We’ve just got to get in here, watch some film and learn from it,” said Plumlee. “That’s kind of how our season has been; we’re a roller coaster. We’ll play really good at spurts and then we play really bad at spurts. I’m proud of the way they come back to work,
but now we’ve put our backs against the wall. Next week is a must-win for us.”
Malvern;14 8 6 14 — 42
Fountain Lake;0 2 14 7 — 23
First quarter
M — Jordan Hart 1 run (Michael Cervantes kick),
10:43.
M — Hart 3 run (Cervantes kick), 7:50.
Second quarter
FL — Demias Jimerson sacked by Ben Chaney for safety, 8:23.
M — London Florence 6 run (Hart run), 0:41. Third quarter
FL — Ahman Johnson 70 pass from Stephen Turner (Dustin Pitts kick), 5:32.
M — Jimerson 7 run (kick failed), 3:00.
FL — Andrew Roberson 27 run (Pitts kick), 1:49. Fourth quarter
M — Jimerson 7 run (Cervantes kick), 10:05. FL — Roberson 1 run (Pitts kick), 8:36.
M — Jimerson 1 run (Cervantes kick), 2:55. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing — Fountain Lake, Andrew Roberson
25-123, Dylan Wasson 8-41, Kyle Fortner 3-1, Stephen Turner 4-(-9). Malvern, Demias Jimerson 23-189, London Florence 23-124, Jordan Hart 5-(-1).
Passing — Fountain Lake, Turner 15-32-0-193. Malvern, Jimerson 11-14-0-114.
Receiving — Fountain Lake, Ahman Johnson 7-111, Dalton Norwood 3-31, Roberson 1-22, Cade Dodge 1-11, Dillon Horton 1-11, Joe Murphy 1-7, Parion Johnson 1-0. Malvern, Darion Weaver 4-47, Latron Matlock 2-24, Brandon Scott 2-19, Parker Freer 1-14, Jace Turner 2-10.